On Thursday at the Mixed Court, before Messrs. Tenney and Yui, two Finnish seamen, W. Gustaforson and Kustar Makkouen, were charged with maliciously cutting and wounding Pte. Gara-ham, of the U. 8, 8, South Dakota, by stabbing him in the back with a knife in Chapoo Road at about 10.20 p.m. on the 6th instant.
Detective Inspector Reeves io giving evidence, stated that at about 10 o'clock on the night in question an altercation took place between some American marines and civilians in the Victoria Bar at the corner of Haining and Chapoo Roads. Five Finns were drinking together at a table in the bar when the marines entered. One of the latter knocked against the table upsetting the drinks that were on it and also some money which rolled off on to the floor. This was the beginning of the trouble, the fight, however, took place outside the bar. In the scuffle one of the marines was stabbed in the back. He ran back into the bar, where he fell down and it was ' noticed that he was bleeding. He was consequently taken to a Japanese doctor.
The other marines—_aceused Gustaforson of having done the stabbing and he was seized by them and badly beaten about. On the arrival of the police he was taken into custody.
From inquiries made by Det. Sgt. Smidt, Miss Kempster, barmaid at the Victoria Bar, said that it was not Gustaforson but another man who had done the stabbing; an', from the description given by her, the second accused, Makkonen, was arrested.
When interviewed in the hospital Pte. Garaham, at first said that he did not know who had stabbed him but he afterwards mentioned that it was a tall man with a bald patch on his head. Neither of the men custody answered to this description. Beside the two accused there were also other men being subpenacd in this case.
Inspector Reeves further stated that the condition of Garaham was considered very critical and that his life was in danger, pneumonia having set in.
Miss A. Kempster, giving evidence, said that while the party of Finns were sitting at the table the Americans came into the bar, and one of them rushed up to the Finns asking if anyone wanted to fight. At the same time this sailor struck one of the civilians. After this incident the Finns got up and went
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.
