LAWLESS CHINESE IN SAMOA

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 24

LAWLESS CHINESE IN SAMOA

ATTEMPTED MURDER. AUCKLAND, August 15. •Six Chinese prisoners arrived by the Tofua from Samoa, four sentenced to imprisonment for life and two for seven years, for the attempted murder of a Ciiineso interpreter, who was frightfully hacked and marred for life, losing one eye. Dr Alilo, the Chinese Consul at Apia, was charged similarly, but acquitted on the ground that, the evidence was all hearsay. Apparently whoever induced the coolies to commit the crime had used the Consul’s name, and the court considered that Dr Alilo had acted unwisely in withholding information from the authorities. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August. 16. P»y to-day’s mail there arrived Samoan papers which give the concluding proceedings in the case against Consul Alilo, arising out of the murderous assaull on the interpreter Wong by Chinese coolies. Wong was unpopular with the coolies, and was suspected of giving ini'ormalinn to (he police. Chinamen, who have since been sentenced to inipi isonmenl lor life, assaulted Wong. Thev were evidently endeavouring to put him to death through lingering tortures They had, uitli needles stuck in a cork, destroyed one of his eyes, and had cut the tendons in his ankles so that lie could not get away. While engaged in this cruel torture, ~ native policeman came upon them and they made off. The Consul, under cross-examination, denied any knowledge of the intention of the coolies in regard to Wong. His Honor Chief Judge Wilson, in the course of his address to the assessors, indicated that, the evidence against the Consul was in the nature of hearsay evidence. The Consul, however, knew that there was

a very hostile feeling against Wong, yet he took no steps for Wong's protection. Ail the Consul said m that connection was that there was a Chinese policeman, and that therefore he did not think it necessary to warn the police. In conclusion, he told the assessors that however suspicious the circumstances might appear to be, if they did not carry with them a reasonable proof that the accused had been concerned in the crime, they should treat them only as suspicions, and give the accused the benefit of the doubt. His Honor and the assessors then retired, and on their return, his Honor said: “The verdict is that accused is not guilty.”