Evidence was given by a Japanese, M. Ando, at the resumed hearing yesterday of the case against Mr. Jerry" Morgan before Mr. C. H. Haines, Registrar, in H. M. Police Court Morgan, it will be remembered, is charged with attempting to receive stolen goods, knowing them to be stolen. The Japanese witness is one of those alleged to have been involved in receiving the wood oil.
Speaking through an interpreter, the witness stated that he first heard of the case about December 20 last year, when a certain Sha Rim Baku came to him with two documents, and informed him that he wished to transport some property across the Whangpoo from the Pootung side. "At-first" witness stated, "I did not wish to be involved in the case, but Baku told me that he was also in possession of another document signed by a foreigner, and asked me whether I could not help him with the documents. A British subject attended as guarantor in the case, 90 I decided to take up the matter."
Baku brought the documents to witness's residence on December 22, and informed him that the foreigner involved was an influential person. "T had not made any enquiries as to he foreign position," witness stated "a thing like that did not interest me in the least." Witness continued that he visited the Japa ese garrison headquarters on December 23 with the documents, and showed them to the adjutant, informing him that Morgan was standing guarantor in the transaction.
"AM in Tsingtao"
At this point, Mr. Hartopp, who was advised the Registrar, that he was putting a leading question to the witness, stated that he was not able to bring a Japanese sergeant, and other Japanese soldiers, into court as witnesses, as he was informed that they were "all in Tsingtao." "The Crown," said Mr. Hartopp, "has done all in its power to obtain these witnesses, but they are informed that the Japanese Army is not allowed to appear in court."
Mr. Haines: I quite understand your difficulty in obtaining the witnesses, Continuing, the witness said that he garrison headquarters showed no objection to them procuring the wood oil, if the documents had been guaranteed by a Briton. Witness handed the documents over to Baku, and the latter tried to obtain some boats for the transportation of the goods, but was unable to do so The matter was then taken up with the military water police, and on the 24th a police lighter was placed at their disposal. Witness and the others inwolwed then went to the place where the oil was stored, and showed the necessary documents. Some difficulty was experienced, and they decided to return the following day.
On the following day, witness, accompanied by Baku, again visited the water police, and later proceeded to the place where the oil was stored. The boats in which it was being kept were tied to a buoy on the Pootung side of the river opposite the Japanese Consulate. The watchman in charge of the boats said that the oil belonged to the Mitsui and Mitsubishi companies. "I thought that was strange," witness exclaimed.
The boat were brought across the river, as witness decided that the "question of ownership could be settled after the oil had been brought across" The boats were brought over to the Bund Gardens, and a representative of the Mitsubishi company arrived, explaining to the water police that the cil belonged to the two companies.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.