Colonial Office to Law Officers regarding draft Instruction to Western Pacific High Commissioner (March 28, 1898)

Pitcairn's Island Notes Source Whalesite

Colonial Office to Law Officers regarding draft Instruction to Western Pacific High Commissioner
(March 28, 1898)

28th Mch 98

Law Officers

Gentlemen,

With refce to yr report of the 4th inst, respecting the case of murder which has occurred at Pitcairn Isld. I am directed by Mr Secy Chamberlain to transmit for yr conson the dft of a desp. and an Instruction which he proposes to address to the High Commissioner for the W.P. in ac-

cordance with the recommendations in the 3rd & 4th paras. of yr report under refce.

Mr Chamberlain wd be glad to be informed whether you consider the dft desp. & Instruction proper and sufficient for the purpose, and if not that you will indicate what modifications you think desirable.

[Apended]

Copy of yr report and a
copy of the W.P. O in C.
are enclosed.

[Anderson]
[H.B. Cox]

Notes.

Pagination of the original autograph has been maintained.

John Anderson (1858 – 1918) was a colonial administrator, who was once the Governor of Ceylon and Governor of Straits Settlements. In 1898 he was a deputy to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Joseph Chamberlain (1836–1914) was an influential British
businessman, politician, and statesman. He was Secretary of State for the Colonies, June 1895 to September 1903.

Harry Albert Christian was born on Pitcairn Island on Mar. 11, 1872, one of 12 children of Alphonso Downs Christian and Sarah McCoy. In the early 1890s a relationship developed between Harry and Julia Warren. A daughter, Eleanor Linda Warren, was born to the couple on Aug. 14, 1895. Some time later Harry's attentions turned to another woman. On Jun. 17, 1897, Harry killed Julia and the child and threw their bodies into the sea. Though the bodies were never found, the crimes were found out, and Harry admitted to them. Harry was tried on Pitcairn and found guilty of murder. He was taken on H.M.S. Royalist to Suva, Fiji. There, on October 8, 1898, in the Suva gaol, he was hanged for the murders.
Source: Pitcairn Islands Study Center "Who Are the Pitcairners?"

H. Bertram Cox was Assistant Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. He was recognized as a 'legal expert'.

Source.

Document no. 104. March 28, 1898. "Colonial Office to Law Officers regarding draft Instruction to Western Pacific High Commissioner". Pages 1643 to 1645.

This transription was made from a documents in a collection of documents at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Library.

Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Dec 16, 2024.