Shanghai, Jan, 31.
Chinese police-constable 1289, " a shot from whose pistol caused tie death of Probationary-Seryeant Dun can Ernest Crank of the Shanghai Municipal Police, at the General Hospital on January 10, was the chier witness called at the resumed Inquest held on P. 8, Crank in HM. Police Court yesterday. The Chinese constable explained to Mr. C, H. Haines, HM. Coroner, before whom the enquiry was held, that his pistol had. deen accidentally fired when he had attempted to knock a pistol out of one other man's hand in the presence of P. S, Crank in the General Post Omice compound on January. 10.
The frst wiiness called was Peter '7. C. Bau, manager of the Far Easter Sanitary Ca,, 341 Szechuen Road. On the morning of January 10, he said, hho was called to the Post Office and, upon his arrival there, he attempted to settle a dispute between his cooties and Post Office coolies. His coolles were cleaning the Post Oflee and the trouble was about hot water.
'When witness. tried to settle the dispute he was struck by the Past Office coolies, who used their fats and he warned them that if they still persisted in assaulting him he would fire a pistol, which he carried will him in' his pocket. "They continued to assault me and 1 took my pistol out of my pocket and fired on the round to frighten them," witness continued, He added that the coolies then commenced to pull him to the main entrance of the compound and at this time the pistol was in his pocket. A' foreign policeman Chinese potice-constable came on the scene, the foreigner asking him whether or not he had a pistol. Wi ness replied that he had a pistol and also a licence. "Then J handed Ulus pistol to him." he said.
"The Chinese policeman was holl-ting my fight arm and T immediately istd to the foreign As soon as he saw the pistol he blew his whistle and caught hold of the man's right wrist and drew out his own pistol. At that moment Foreign-Sergeant 23 came and. "shed what was the trouble. Witness re-Diled that someone had fired a. shot. While he was holding the man's wrist, the continued, the foreigner took the pistol out of the man's hand.
He did not see Bau take his pistol out of his pocket atid hand it to the foreign sergeant. "After the foreign sergeant had taken' the pistol he heard a shot and saw the latter hold hhis abdomen. He asked witness where the telephone was and wei upstairs. Questioned by Mr. Hain witness. said Bau was not being ragged by the Post Office cooties gut was running. He did not see who fired the second shot, Dr. E.G. Gauntlelt said he was called to attend P. Crank at the General Hospital on January 10. He was suffering from a gunshot would In the abdomen. "The bullet had entered the middle line, immediately below the breast bone, and had pass-backwards and to' the right and could be felt under the skin on the right side of the chest. His condition Was serious and, after a blood transfusion, witness operated upon him.
Tt Was found that the bullet had made a large hole in the liver. causing considerable haemorrhage. I had also passed through the right Kkidney, "After the operation his con dition Improved and was satisfactory for six days but then signs of seeondary haemorrhage occurred and died on January 1G. The coe of death was the gunshot woud. The bullet was removed and handed to the potice.
The foreman in charge of the ES, Ca, coolies told the Coroner that he telephoned to his ofice about. the trouble and that the maneyer feame at about 12 o'clock. The coolies and the manager, pulled each other in the compound, after which the manager stepped back and the coolies followed.
Witness, was standing in front Bau and he heard the" coolles say, "He's taken out a pistol" Then ting coolies said, according to witness, "You dare fo open fire." He then heard a shot. "When he heard the Post OMice coolies say "Arrest hit hho eft the compound as he was frightened. "He did not see Batt point the pistol at the coolies.
Sung Sz0-Jing, Chinese police-constable 1269, said that at 12.90 pin. he was standing near the main entrance with Foreign Sergeant 23 and two] Other OPES. He heard one shot fired in the building and be was informed that @ robbery was in pro: gress, Then witness and the foreizi Sergeant took out their pistols and caded them and went into the com= pound, the foreigner leading.
Witness saw one Chinese in foreign clothes take a pistol out. Standing oside this watchman, who was holding. his Left shoulder. The foreign ser~ leant pointed his pistol at the man fand warned him not to more. The constable then added that the man, whom he identified in Court as Bau, of the right pocket 1 but I did not 1 sao abdomen and he
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.