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Second, that, in every supreme government, there endures ever the right of direct initiative and controlling interference with every office in the State, was openly acted on.
Chinese convicts and gaol-birds of Mah Chow Wong's gang were employed as spies, and preferred to the ordinary detective service. Mah Chow Wong himself, from his cell, had the honour of directing one or two false arrests and malicious conspiracies, to pervert the administration of justice.
The functions of the stipendiary police had been carefully defined by the Colonial Legislature. From those proper duties they were now constantly with drawn, and, under "Sam Kwei's" management, employed on whatever service it seemed good to the intruders to set them.
Arrests were made without warrant or just cause. Nocturnal visits to respectable tradesmen's houses upon groundless pretences—forcible entries—vexatious searches—all kinds of annoyance were brought to bear upon the obnoxious.
Nor were the outrages confined to Hong Kong. Illegal forays for the same purposes were made against the Chinese of the mainland, the subjects of the Pekin Government; and in some of them, innocent men were kidnapped in their beds, brought to Hong Kong, and afterwards discharged.
In every instance, the informer was either Mah Chow Wong himself, a member of his secret society or clan, or some one in some manner connected with him or it. In no instance can the same be said of the outraged victims of the system.
The police were most unwilling instruments. They detested alike Dr. Bridges and Mr. Caldwell, by either
