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Draft letter from Colonial Office to Treasury
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11 Apl 1898
The Sec to the Sir, I am directed by Mr Sec. Chamberlain to transmit to you, to be laid before the L.C. of the Treasury, copy of a letter from the AdmY covering a report from the Commanding Officer of H.M.S. "Comus" upon a double murder recently committed by one H.A. Christian at Pitcairn Island in the S. Pacific. Their Lordships will observe from the accompanying copy of a desp. which after |
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reference of the case to the L.O. of the Crown, it is proposed to address to the H.Cr for the W. Pacific, that it is intended to remove the murderer to Fiji for trial in the Court of the High Commission. Their Lordships are aware that a small provision is made in the Colonial Service Vote for the "Judicial Expenses" of the W. Pacific High Commission owing to the distance between Pitcairn & Fiji, the expense connected with [the] trial must inevitably entail an excess on next year's Vote; but as at present it is impossible for this Dept to frame an estimate of the exes which will be incurred. The High Commr will be instructed to make such arrangements in conjunction with the Naval Authorities as may ensure that the proceedings may be conducted with the strictest regard to economy, and |
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to furnish a statement of the probable expenditure as early as possible. In the meantime, in view of the importance of maintaining law & order & of executing justice in the outlying parts of H.M's dominions, Mr Ch. has no doubt that their Lordships will agree to the necessary expenses of the trial being charged to the W. Pacific Vote. I am – |
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Notes.
Pagination of the original autograph has been maintained. Joseph Chamberlain (1836–1914) was an influential British 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. Charles Prestwood Lucas (1853 – 1931) was Assistant Under-Secretary for the Colonies in the Colonial Department. He was the editor of the The Pitcairn Island Register Book published in 1929. |
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Source.
Document no. 106. April 11, 1898. "Draft letter from Colonial Office to Treasury regarding costs of H.A. Christian trial". Pages 1648 to 1653.
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, Aug 7 2022.
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