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the transfer of this brothel lot from Mr. Caldwell to a purchaser, but had not. He emphatically denied that he owned a single inch of land in the colony.
I observed that Mr. Caldwell had forgotten to say a word about paying the ground-rent with his own hands, which could not have been by mistake.
Dr. Bridges said he did not pay it with his own hands.
I said, "In a matter like that, I would rather believe the evidence of an impartial witness like Mr. Gilmour, whom we had heard, than the simple denial of the accused person;" upon which Dr. Bridges said, that he said nothing of the kind.
Mr. Forth, however, confirmed my statement of Mr. Gilmour's evidence.
I then asked His Excellency, whether he really meant to say, that any charge, brought by any person, above all a person in my position, could be disposed of, or even met, by the broad denial of it on the part of Mr. Caldwell.
The Governor said that he really thought Mr. Caldwell had met it—upon which the matter dropped. In consequence of this, I wrote my letter of the 13th May,[1] which has been put in.
Previous to the next meeting of Council, which was on the 14th instant, I received, from the Colonial Treasurer, the return of Crown-rents paid on 11 lots. I reserved this document until I should hear what would be the result of a discussion which I knew the Colonial Treasurer was going to commence on the subject of lot 241 B, and I advised him to say nothing about the remaining 10 lots.
As I expected, the Governor read from the chair, in reply to the Colonial Treasurer, a letter (L) from Mr. Caldwell, referring to lot 241 B, and reiterating the statements of his former memorandum.
Mr. Forth had, on the morning of the 11th instant, brought into the Governor's room Mr. Gilmour, who contradicted Dr. Bridges' statement of his words used on the previous day—and said that the rent of this lot was paid, as I had asserted, in propria persona, by Mr. Caldwell, on the 26th February. Consequently, Mr. Caldwell, unable any longer to deny this fact, admitted it; but added, that he did this merely to oblige a poor Chinaman, who was ignorant of our language and customs,—which to my mind, as I told the Governor, was a confession of agency for a brothel.
I then asked, whether Mr. Caldwell had made any explanation as to any other lots besides 241 B? and was answered, No.
- ↑ Resigning my office of Justice of the Peace for Hong Kong.
