1903/18 Rex vs. D.L. Ray and Wing Wo – murder (Trail)
As part of the Chinese Historical Wrongs Legacy Initiative, the BC Archives has digitized a selection of documents related to criminal prosecutions against the Chinese community from 1866 to 1914, found in GR-0419. These are mainly records created as part of the preliminary hearing held before a judge in order to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. There are often lengthy witness statements, and cross examinations by both prosecution and defense lawyers. The eventual verdict is sometimes recorded on the outside of the docket. They offer a fascinating glimpse into 19th and early 20th century criminal activity around the province, and ways in which the Chinese community was stereotyped. The records offered for transcription here are a small selection; for additional digitized material from GR-0419 click here.
*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum. Some materials may contain content that is racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. In addition, GR-0419 records deal with subjects such as assault, murder and abuse, which may upset some readers. The Royal BC Museum is only the custodian of archival materials; the content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Royal BC Museum.
*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person.
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A. Pancreas normal. In other words, all the abdominal viscera normal. Q Did you examine the person of the deceased, Doctor ,his clothing and personal affairs ? A. Yes. Q. Any faecal matter ? A. His underclothing contained faecal matter, otherwise the underclothing clean. I told you about the four scars across here (indicating) and the character, did I not ? Q You did not. A . There were four transverse scars-transverse parallel scars across about the lower portion of the thyroid, from a quarter to three-eighths of an inch-perhaps a little more than three-eighths-varying from an eighth to three quarters of an inch in length; right in the median line. One was to the right. Q Which one was to the right ? A The lower one was to the right; the other across, the median line of the neck. Q Describe the median line ? A A line drawn from centre of chin down to the straight line of the neck. Q What color or shade was the scrotum, Doctor ? A Sort of bluish black. Q. Is that a symptom? what is it a symptom of, particularly in medicine? A. Well, you may get it from strangulation, and you may get it otherwise. Q Anybody else present when you made this postmortem, Doctor? A. Yes, Mr. Frank Isley; and I might say Clark; it's all here in his handwriting. 1 think that covers it pretty well all, I may have left some of it out- Q . Did you know the deceased before he died ? A. Well no; they all look alike to me. BC Archives GR-0419 BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. Box 95 File 1903/18 Attorney General documents.