Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-04-02
FROM THE EAST INDIES.

PHILAngLPnIA, March ia distinguish
ed merchant ofthis city has had tn. goodness
'e communicate TO us The following detailed
account written by gentlemen on the spot
witness - the whole Transaction. of the trial
and execution ola sailor at Wampoa. hcionc
ing TO the American ship Emily, of Baltimore,
Tor the alleged murder ola Chinese woman.
The sailor was accused OF having thrown a
heav jar at her, which struck her on the head
and knocked her overheard The account
furnishes curious view of the Chinese admin
ls'rafion OF justice, besides being interesting
from the nature of the facts related, and the
national character fthe vessel [.Nyt. Gaz.
ACCOUNT OF THE TRIAL AND FATE
" the Sd'tor belonging to the american ship
Em,ty, erecuted by The Chinese Of Canton.
On Saturday, 9th of October, 1921. the day
appointed for the trial of Francis Terranova,
seaman ON board the ship Emily, of Balt,
more, on,a charge of murder on the person of
Chinese woman, were assembled on board
SAID ship nearly all the American residents at
Canton, the supercargoes the different YES
sels then IN port, with their respective cap
tains, To witness the trial of the above named
seaman, when the following circumstances
occurred
The Pan-yu, or criminal Judge of the dis
triet IN which WampOa is situated, at an early
honr left Canton, and with an immcnse rei;nue
proceeded to the ship on board of which the
trial was To take place. The Hong merchants
and lingusts were also in attendance. Upop
'he fan-yu reaching the deck nf the ship, he
addressed himselfto the Americans, and ihro'
me ilnsuist declared that the property and the
snip were then under his projections, and any
damages she might sustain, he would reim-
Durse, upon proper representation. With
no a a..
ment and took his seat. The Hong ,ner-
chant, who secured the ship, and her Iing,list,
were then called up, and after making the
usual protesIaiions, acknowledged themselves
III lheir different capacities. The Pan-yu
men assured us of his friendly disposition, of
ms desire To avoid rather than create trouble.
oi the sacred duty he was about to discharge,
and appealed to Heaven for the Judgment or
the motives by which himseIfwas actua,ed.
lie then asked what defence the A americans
were prepared to make for the prisoner. 1t
Was replied our evidence can prove that the
jar, winch is said 10 be- the instrII,nrn, thai
causeu her death, was safely delivered hy the
accused, into the hands of the woman and
that she fell overheard at the distance of 80
ieet and upwards from the Emily, that she
was seen from on board the Hero. of NsIown
an English vessel laying near the Emily. to
iaii overheard whilst in the act of scuug her
boat aud that n" jar or any such Instrument
was thrown al her, aud caused her falling into
the "attr-that from the relative situation of
Inc BOAT WITH the ship, ii was impossible to
Strike the woman on the side of the head on
which the wound was inflicted; and that the
Jar could never have cut the hat in the manner
In which we then saw it. We declared as our
neiei, That the woman having been swept Nv
the strength OF the tide some distance from
me snip, In Der anxiety TO regain her station
had by ID mis-step, fallen OVERHEARD : and
WHIST In the act, had struck her head against
the pivot on which the scul moves. or the
sharp edge of the boat, which caused the
wound upon the head.
This defence we urged in general way :
and stated our ability to substantiate by ev,
dence, what we had then declared. The Pan
yu then called for the Chinese witnesses the
husband oil the woman drowned. woman
belonging to hoppe boat alongside, and two
children, from to 12 years of age. who gave.
their evidence on their knees, their heads
bowed to the earth, but which tiae Pan yu had
never explained TO us. We requested that the
woman, who appeared to be the PRINCIPAL wit
ness, should speak 10 us in English, as she un-
dersood 1T far better than the Ijnguist. who
from ignorance, could not explain her test-
mony, or from the fear of offending the Pan
yu, VINO we bad already discovered, bad pre-
Judged the matter, and was eager for fin.
mans conviction, gave us Incorrect statements.
This request was refused, but we were then
informed that this woman saw the lar thrown
and the woman fall overheard in conse o,,.pc,.
of the blow.
We immediately attempted to convince the
fan-yu, that, from the position of the hoppe
boat, riding astern of the ship, il was impossi-
Die i0r tins woman ~ have Witnessed the
transaction, and that she had declared beCur.
several gentlemen, who were then nr,.seni.
her total ignorance Of the affair, untl her Mt
tentl0D was called to the cries of a child. whpo
she saw hat hoatingon the surface of the IVA
ter and man scullmg anxousIy towards H..
We urged that as she had given contradictory
statements, her evidence should be wholly
dispensed with The Instruments of torture
were then produced, but not applied. and the
woman Intercepted by the Pan-yu adnerins
to what she had Just stated, was excused by
him, by saying " she had spoken differently
! to gain the favor of the Aunrrirans. hut che
/ now spoke truth ifnof, heassuredus Heaven
would punish her" We then proved thai
the children produced as witnesses. saw ma
part the affair, as they were brought from
shore some time after il had occurred TO
this, nor to any thing we urged, would the
Pan-y u listen, and invariably siIcnced HoDqua
and the inguist, when they were explaining
| orr statements lie said he had himself seen
the woman and the jar he believed the man
guilty II he had Judged wrongfhly il was
Heavens business and in passion rose from,
his chair 10 conclude the trial We tbeu
| complained Of his conduct 10 the Hong n,er.
chants, and accused them ofa breach oftheir
contract inasmuch as they had not heard our
witnesses. The PaD-yu was prevailed On ia
resume his chair, and an American sailor was