Further witnesses in the case against Mr. "Jerry" Morgan, who is Charged in H. M. Police Court with attempting to receive stolen property, knowing it to be such, will be examined when the case continues to-day. A number of witnesses appeared in court yesterday. but these were all concerned with the facts leading up to the attempted larceny of two lighters containing wood-oil on Christmas Day, and Mr. Morgan's name wasn't mentioned. Mr. Morgan, however, acting on the suggestion of Mr. C. H. Haines, Registrar. reserved the right of cross-examination at a later. date. The Crown Advocate was represented by Mr. E. L. Hartopp.
The chief witness yesterday was a young Japanese watchman who had been employed by the Mitsubishi Shosen Kaisha to look after two lighters, which belonged to the N.KK, and their cargo of wood-oil, Kaisha and the Kaisha respectively.
At about 10 a.m. on Christmas Day. he said, a Japanese military police sergeant, his assistant, a Formosan and a Japanese whom he later knew as'Ando came to where the lighters were moored, on the Pootung side of the river just belong the Pootung Point in a nuutary police launch together with ten c..nese coolies. Ando asked him who he was and witness said that he was the watchman. Ando said that this was strange. as the wood-oil was Chines property and "why should the M.B.K, put a watchman on it?"
"Is That So?"
Witness did not reply, whereupon Ando said that as the cargo was Chinese property he was going to take it away to the Bund and unload it. Witness replied: "Is that so?" and asked him for his permit. Ando produced some Chinese documents, but às the witness could not understand them he id these were-not enough. Witness also told Ando that even if the property belonged to Chinese during the hostilities this did not permit him to take it away.
Ando said that the property had been transferred to Japanese hands. The police here said to Ando "Come quickly, or we will be late." Ando told the witness that he would transfer the cargo later. whereupon the watchman said that in that case he would have to secure the permission of the Mitsubishi Shosen Keisha, The party then left and returned at 11 am, when Ando said he was going to tow the lighters away. Witness asked if he had any permission from the M. this, and Ando said watchman then told him he would not hand over the lighters, whereupon Ando called out to the military police. The latter asked the witness if he proposed interfering with their work. to which he replied he had no such intention, but in his capacity of watchman he was responsible for the cargo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.