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Colonial Office minutes regarding Instructions to
Western Pacific High Commissioner
(April 6, 1898 to April 7, 1898)


(Subject)

Pitcairn Island Murder Case

Approves draft Instns to HComr & despatch subject to alterations made in red ink.

(Minutes.)

Mr H.F. Wilson

                        C.T.D 6/4

Mr Cox,

      The L.O. say that it is not necessary to ante date the exercise of the jurisdiction under the Pacific O in C on the ground that though the procedure initiated by the direction comes into play only from its date, crimes committed before can be tried under it. They have therefore struck out the words 'as from the 1st January 1897' both from the dft instruction to the HC and the dft desp.

      ? Now send both out as amended & ? print the LO's letter & instruction as they may be useful hereafter.

[H.F. Wilson]           
6/4                 
Mr Wingfield
            ? So proceed
                        [C.P. Lucas] 7
[Sidenote: "The instruction will require Mr Chamberlain's signature (not stamp)"

[At once]

[E. Wingfield] 7 Apl

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'.

      Sir Edward Wingfield KCB (1834–1910), was a British barrister and civil
servant who held the position of Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1897 to 1900.

Source.
Document no. 105. April 6, 1898 to April 7, 1898. "Colonial Office minutes regarding Instructions to Western Pacific High Commissioner". Pages 1646 to 1647.

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.

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