November 12.
Ever since the first case of Plague ina human being was discovered the Chinese community appears to have! regarded the precautions of the Health Office with grave suspicion. The most ridiculous romoncs have been cirealated throughout the length and breadth of the Settlement, and, strange as it maj wsem, some of the better class Chines appear to have been as gallible as the most ignorant coolies, Accordiog to amour, the Municipal Council is supposed to be seizing women and children and taking them by force to the Isolation Hospital, who ace they never emerge alive, Other reports epresd in native circles go even farther and allege that the children are killed for some esoteric par] wuch as preparing cine, of lighting electric lamps, In short, the temper of the native community has been 80 worked upon that for some days it has been apparent that a little friction between the Health Office staff and the natives might lead to a serious distarbance. On Friday morning, with a suddenness that might well be mistaken for concerted action, dis out io a8 subject, and a man past the prime of life, says that he was walking along Seward Rosd towards home shortly before 10 o'clock when he saw cromd of Chinese in the roadway near Hwakee Road. He: went to a tram stopping place and waited for s car, but the crowd began to collect round him and he was dooly set upon by men who carr bamboo poles, Mr. Steinbeck knocked down, bat was able to rise to his feet again. He ran into " shop, but was pushed out at once, and tramear coming along he proceeded to told the conductor to go on, bat be said "no cag." There were Chinese in the car when Mr. Steinbeck entered but they got out as quickly as they coald. The mob sarronnded the car and began shouting, and threats were followed by some of the meo smashing the glace with their poles The crowd swarmed round and Mr. Steinbeck shat the door. The men with the poles wore urged to the attack and Mr. Steinbeck was strack many times with bamboos, aod ultimately he was Knocked on to the floor when several Chinese entered the car, trampled on him and beat bim. He was dragged from the oar and when he tried to stand op the step he was knocked down oe whea he was agsio struck with bomboer, Mr. Steinbeck's impossible to record them in strict chronological order. One of the first to be attacked was a Capt Ho was apparently mistaken for an official of the Health Office, and wax assaulted close to the East Seward Road Bridge, He was not serian-ly injured, and alter being taken into the Volcan Lrovworks for shelter, was seat to hospital to be attended to. About the same tims, 9.20 am,, Detective Emmett, accompanied by a Mixed Court ronner, was endeavouring to serve a warrant in a house off Seward report was spread that hho was attached to the Health Office, and both he and the ranner were vet upon and badly mealed. The ranner received a black eye, was severely braised, and hed his clothes toro Detective Emmett was pelted with stones. A large crowd collected, and toon the whole of the road was io an head was cut open across the forehead and when a representative of this paper him in the General Hospi ed that he did not think he bad one left in his bead, His nose and chia were also cat and braised, his right eye was mach swollen and the right band was damaged. His back too was injured sod the bloodstained overcoat, coat and shirt showed bow badly be had been treated. When he was first attacked he called a Chinese police-mao to his assistance, but the constable he states, ran away. After being dragged out of the car and maltreated in the roadway he felt very faint, whea be heard shots being fired and " moment later he was rescued by the police. La the scuffle Mr. Steinbeck lost a diamond ring, " second nog and his gold watch and chain were picked up la the roadway by the police and re: stored to the owner. uproar. At 9.45 amore srioas assault took place. Hearing that " foreigner! was being attacked in Seward Road Tospector Kinipple, accompanied by Det. Sab-Lo-p, FitzUibhon and Det.
Sergt, Reeves ran down the road. At the Woochang Road corner they cams upon a tramcar round it mas an angey mob, engaged in belabonring a foreigner on the groand. The forcigarr was a Mr. Steinbeck, of No. 25 Ward Road, formerly proprietor of the Pootang Hotel.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.