When five children were flung into a Hong Kong drain by a mentally unsound man

“Little Michael Paine was the victim of one of the most extraordinary outrages ever witnessed in Hongkong, when, yesterday afternoon, an apparently demented Chinese seized five European children (three girls and two boys) and threw them into the nullah adjoining Murray Barracks,” reported the South China Morning Post on June 23, 1934.

“The deceased child was swept through the nullah into the harbour near the Victoria Recreation Club, where he was rescued in an unconscious condition by Private O’Kelly, of the South Wales Borderers. [Michael died in hospital last evening, and the other children were rescued by various Europeans and Chinese before they were swept into the enclosed portion of the nullah, which, fed by yesterday’s torrential rainfall, was running high. These children are suffering from shock and exposure. An unknown Chinese was rescued from the nullah at the same time as the children. He was sent to the hospital suffering from a fractured skull, and his condition was reported to be serious late last night.]

“‘I left home at about ten minutes past three,’ said [witness] Mrs Fairburn, ‘and, as I approached the Peak Tramway, I heard screams coming from the direction of Tramway Path. I turned and saw a Chinese, wearing an old fashioned sailor’s straw hat, pick up a small boy in his arms and throw him from the bridge, which carries Tramway Path, into the nullah. I thought at first it was some game and until he picked up the little girl who was standing there, and threw her in as well. I did not realise what was happening.

“‘As soon as he had thrown the girl into the nullah he jumped off the bridge himself. I ran across to the bridge and saw the little girl kneeling, up to her waist in water, on one of the steps under the bridge. The little boy had been washed down and was scrambling to the side. There was no sign of the Chinese. A crowd of chair coolies from the road above came down and stood gaping down at the girl. I shouted to them ‘Save missee, save missee’ but they took no notice’.”