The North Borneo Herald. WEDNESDAY, 2ND NOVEMBER 1910. THE SEGALIUD MURDER

THE NORTH BORNEO HERALD AND THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE

EDUCATIONAL SERIES BY BORNEO HISTORY

No. 21 - VOL.XXVIII. SANDAKAN, WEDNESDAY, 2ND NOVEMBER 1910.

The North Borneo Herald.

WEDNESDAY, 2ND NOVEMBER 1910.

THE SEGALIUD MURDER

The Police were informed at 1 p.m. on Sunday 30^th ult. by Panglima Tarip that one Ibik, orang Sungei of Kampong Segaliud had at 7-30 p.m. on the previous night murdered his wife Unau in his house. The news was brought to Sandakan by Mulang, a man living in the house, and Takbir, (both orang Sungei) the younger brother of the murdered woman. One hour afterwards Mr. E. G. French, Acting C.P.O. left Sandakan by launch with Dr. Chill, Sergt. Chanda Singh, P.C. Kishin Singh, a Chinese Detective, Panglima Tarip and the two informants. The Kampong was reached at dusk. Two gobangs which had been towed up from the Telegraph Station were used to affect a landing. The boy, Takbir on being told to point out the house ran away, the Panglima afterwards indicated its direction and also disappeared. It was found that Mr. French and his party then approached the front of the house and called on Ibik to surrender, the only reply being a bullet from a snider, pushed through the wall, which passed between Mr. French and Pte. Kishin Singh who were standing a yard apart, at so short a range that the powder was felt on their faces. The party then took cover behind a fallen tree close to the house. Mr. French, after being assured by the Panglima that there was no possibility of Ibik’s escape, settled to return for reinforcements sufficient to enable him to surround the house. Sandakan was reached at 11-30 p.m., and by 2 a.m. Mr. French left again with Sergeant Manggal Singh, (Gaoler) Sergt. Odum Singh, two Lance Corporals and 10 privates. Owing to the launch having run aground at the Kuala, the Kampong was not reached until 7 a.m. Panglima Tarip was then sent to inform Ibik that if he surrendered he would not be harmed, and after ten minutes returned with the reply that if he (Ibik) was wanted the Tuan had better come to fetch him at his house. Mr. French after calling on him to surrender and receiving no reply gave orders to the Police to fire on the house. A volley was fired, and Mr. French whose orders had been misunderstood, ran forward by himself and got underneath the house, the floor of which was some 8 feet from the ground, Mr. French then saw Ibik trying to point his snider at him through the bamboos, of which the floor was constructed, which he eventually succeeded in doing at very close range and pulled the trigger, mercifully the cartridge did not explode. Mr. French them made for the open and as he passed underneath the doorway Ibik after throwing away his rifle jumped down just behind him with a spear, Mr. French then took a snap shot with his revolver but missed, and then slipped upon the muddy ground, whereupon Ibik threw his spear and struck Mr. French on the loin just above the right hip-bone, the spear dropped down, Ibik then drew his parang and struck at Mr. French’s head, the blow was received on the side of his left wrist. Mr. French then caught hold of the parang with his right hand to prevent Ibik striking him again and held until Sergeant Odum Singh had run up and arrested him. Mr. French gave instant orders that the man was to be taken alive, and so he was not promptly dispatched much to the disappointment of the Police. As soon as Mr. French’s wounds had been attended to, as far as circumstance permitted, a start was made for Sandakan which was reached at 2 p.m. Dr. Chill was in attendance, and after putting Mr. French under chloroform at his own house where he had immediately been taken, examined and dressed his wounds. The spear wound on the loin being 2 inches long and 3 inches deep and the parang cut on the wrist being 4 inches long and about an inch deep.

Mr. French is at the moment progressing most favorable. He speaks very highly of the behavior of the Police in both instances. In the latter one he considers his Malay was at fault, as after the volley, the order he wished to convey was to charge the house in a body. The onslaught from Ibik was so sudden Mr. French had no chance to give further orders.

We wish to convey our sympathy to Mrs. French in the anxious time through which she is passing, and trust that Mr. French will quickly recover from his wounds.

 -/ss