hree y crew of H.M.S. Hermione, was charged with being drunk ant disorderly on Wednesday afternoon en the G Brid, saulting a Chin also stil dian p live ma Police constable £9 (Sikh), stated that about a quarter to five o'chick on the previous afternoon he sow e Chinaman covered with blood, runing avd crying, for help. Witness was informa! th Shipton bad assaulted him, and he nave chare and caugh® hin, He was struck by. Shipton, wh pulled his hair nnd knocked off an... With the sssistnuce of a European police constable he took prisoner to the Hongkew Police Staion.
Police constable Rhodes deposed to having wseisted the Just witness in the execution of his duty, The Chinaman why brought forward the charge of assault, said that on Weilnesday afternoon he was e-ming from the direct of Fuchow Rosd when the pris up and struck him with his tst. then jumped into. ji caught hold of it. mounted from the jinricsha, and struck him on the chest, es using him to spit blood. Ho also stamped on his (witness) for. He afterwards went away, and was arrested by constable.
By the Magistrate: He never spok" to the prise before the assault was committed, and did not push lunn in any wa:
Ernest Kirk, having desired to give vidence, wan sworn and said—I was going along the Bund yesterday afternoon when I raw the prisoner in a jinricaa, and this Chinaman hanging on behind. I followed him along to' the Hongkew Police Station. The man was too drunk to take the money out of his pocket, and the sergeant struck him with all hig force on the side of the head, and then knocked him down on the floor, although the man was offering no opposition, "He was quite quiet, and could nut get his money out of his pocket. I fol-Towed along to see what happened, and there were " number of Chinamen follow-me. I simply came this morning to say that the police used most unnecessary violence in dealing with the man.
Inspector Aiers—Did you ask the sergeant to see the inspector about this?—I oaked for Inspector Ramsay, and they told me that he was up at the Central Police Station.
Tnspector Aieré—I should like to say that the witness might heve asked for the Inspector in charge and informed: him wheat this.
The Magistrate—The prisoner you say! was quite quiet?—He was, there was no opposition ut all, and he was, I presume, we drunk to take out his money. He was simply fumbling for hix money, and the sergeant struck him with sll his force on he side of the head, and knocked him Jown on the for.
Did you not seo anyone?—There only seemed t" bea sergeant in Did you. not. expustula he sergeant said this was the only way which to deal with such men.
The Magistrate—Of course yon are at petfcct liberty to come here and say what you like. I will see that this matter is inquires into.—This is the first I have heard of the aff this gentleman should have taken some steps to form me, as Lam in charge of the Station, I knew about it until now.
The prisoner, asked what he had to say, replied that he did not remember any-happened st-erwards, jo wax fined $15 for being drunk and disorderly and striking the policeman, and 318 for assaulting the Chinaman." An order was given that he should await the arrival of an escort to take him back to his ship, The sergeant accused off using violence to Shipton was sent for, and appeared in 4 few minutes, spector Aiers—I would like to ask Mr. Kirk if that is the sergeant he saw?—Yes.
The Magistrate—That is the sergeant against whom you bring this charge of unnecessary violence?—Yes, The Mugistrate said it would be only air to the sergeant to let him hear what ind been said against him, and then read the evidence of Kirk.
Police Sergeant Reilly—The sailor was brought in, and he attempted to assault ime when I searched him. He was very violent. A civilian Chinaman also came along, and he was hit iv the face by he prisoner. When I began to search him "he offered to strike me, and became very wild. I tripped him up simply for the purpose of searching him, as it is usual to do with any prisoner who refuses to let his pockets be searched. I did not strike him.
The Magistrate—Did Me. Kirk say anything to you at the time?—Not at the time, but about fifteen minutes afterwards came back and asked what had been done with the sailor. I told him he was locked up. and would probably be charged, that he would be brought up in Court. "He tried to intimidate the China. men there and get to know what had taken place. 1 believe he is the man who is in the habit of doing this sort of thing. He has been in the station before.
You have not soon him yourself?—No, not personally, but I can bring proof. Mr. Kirk—T should like to ask tle sergeant one question. Did you strike the man?—No, Well, T have slrea"y sworn that T saw you strike the stiler on thy face. As the man was offering no opposition at all why did the sergeant strike him. If you can two or three sailors who were there I think they will prove that he did strike him.
The Magistrate said that he had finished with that question, and asked witness why he followed on and went into the station. Was themanafriendof his}—Witness—No, Lam not a friend of the sailor's and I have nothing against the police.
Why did you follow him?—I helped to quiet the bluejacket as he was struggling to get free from three or four Chinese police constables. I went up aad tried to quiet him. I told him to go quietly. He became very quist and went away j L went with him.
But what did you think yon were going todo in the Station, You didn't expect that the man was going to be ill-treated in the Station.
Tdon't see your reason for gring 1—I simply went. to quiet the man id then went after Inspector Ramsay, and then I' went to speak to the other sailors who were standing outside, Then why did you come bick again?—I went out (0 spark to these sailors, because they told me he had beam mistreated, Apparently yeu e- ed this man's the police would teat him hadly?—No, certainly not.
T really don't sce why you should have gone into the Station /—L had nothing ayainst the poli Wey come morning and make this charge against the police?—The man was perfectly quiet, and was not struggling in the slightest. "He was simply ton drunk to pull his money out of his pocket. The sergeant then tried to take the money, and then struck the sailor on the side of the head.
Sergeant Reilly—This min was outside the charge room at the time, The Magistrate—I do not want to hear anything more about it, Mr. Kirk, T think your motive was an honest one, and that you were doing " public ood when you quieted the sailor, but I am not satisfied that what you say really happened, do not think that unnecessary violence was used at all, and I don't seo why you should have gone into the Station and this trouble, Your first action in quieting the man did not. justify your following I ion, think your charge is unfounded.
The parties then left the Gout, Liver on iv the morning, Mr, Ring had Shipton brought buck into Court, He said that since leaving he had heard that Shipton hid been thre" or four months previously on his ship without going and in consideration of this, and bearing in mind the splendid character Shipton had previously borne, he would remit the fines ce $7 in each cas
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.