Ship's Officer Charged with' Firing Revolver in the Street Vincent W. Dawson, third officer the str. Takada, appeared before the Magistrate, Mr. G. W. King, at H.M. Police Court last Friday, charged with having fired a revolver at a Chinese police constable in the Seward Road at 3 a.m. on the 28th instant. The accused was further charged with being in possession of loaded firearms, wantonly discharging them contrary to law, and contrary to the by-laws of the Settlement.
Replying to the charge, the prisoner_said he was very drunk.
Inspector Bourke stated that all the charges were really embodied in the one of shooting at a_ Chinese P.C._ The prisoner came ashore with two loaded revolvers. At 2.30 a.m, he engaged a ricsha at the Cafe Parisien, directed the coolie to take him to the Chaoufoong Road jetty, and at the corner of Canton Road took from his pocket a revolver and fired a shot. He then went along Szechuen Road, and at the corner of Hankow Road again discharged his pistols. The ricsha coolie turned hack up the Foochow Road, when Dawson fired two more rounds, After crossing the Garden Bridge he took aim at' Chinese P.C. 215, who was standing on the right side of the Seward Road. The accused then jumped out of the ricsha and ran along Minghong Road, and later was arrested near Seward Road.
Two 0.45 calibre Webley revolvers found on the prisoner were exhibited in court. One of them, at the time of his being taken into custody, had in the chamber one cartridge, and an empty shell case; the other weapon was not loaded.
This live cartridge, the empty case, and two other live cartridges found in Dawson's possession, were also examined in Court.
Format evidence of arrest was given by Sub.-Inspector Dunne, who said he rushed out of the charge room of Hongkew station with a loaded pistol. The ricsha_ coolie told him that the prisoner had. run away in a southerly direction. Witness, accompanied by Chinese P.C. 215, and later by a Japanese constable, took Dawson into custody near the Seward Road.
"The prisoner was drunk and we could get nothing out of him at the police station,' added witness.
al Magistrate—Did he speak at~
Witness—He did say these revolvers did not belong to him. Some one must have put them in his pocket.
The Magistrate—That was intelligent enough, At the close of the proceedings Mr. R. C. Faithfull appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. A. E, Seddon was present on behalf of Dawson.
The case was adjourned until next day, prisoner being remanded in custody.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.