THE DAILY PROVINCE
OCTOBER 27, 1914

LAWYER WARNED HE IS TO BE KILLED
-------------------------J. E. Bird Declared He Was Informed He Was
Marked by Hindu Assassins.
--------------------------

That Mr. J. Edward Bird, a barrister, who was prominently connected
with the fight to admit the Hindus from the Orient on the Komagata Maru has
been informed that he is a “marked man,” and may be killed was the statement
he made to Magistrate Shaw in court his morning when urging his worship to
admit H. Rahim, the Hindu Socialist leader held on a charge of inciting to
murder in connection with the killing of Inspector Hopkinson, out on bail. Bail
was not granted, Magistrate Shaw saying that the attorney-general might take
the case out of the Police Court and indict Rahim, Sohan Lal and Kartar Singh,
who are all held on the same charge, before the grand jury.
Mr. Elder of Mr. Bird’s office appeared at an application of a similar
nature yesterday, and was told by Mr. J. K. Kennedy that he would take the
matter up with Mr. A. D. Taylor, K. C., crown prosecutor, in the Assize Court
and ascertain if the attorney-general’s department contemplated such a step.
This he was able to do yesterday, and Mr. Bird appeared in person this
morning to renew the application.
“This is too serious a matter,” Mr. Kennedy declared, “to be taken
lightly,” when it was suggested that the men were held on one of the wild
rumors that tare in circulation.
“I may say,” he continued, “that long before any of these tragedies we
had in our possession an affidavit to the effect that plans had been formed for
the killing of Argan Singh, Ram Singh, Bela Singh, Buttan Singh, Inspector
Hopkinson and Mr. Reid. Argan Singh is dead, Ram Singh has stood trial for
murder, Bela Singh is being held on a murder charge, and Inspector
Hopkinson and Buttan Singh are dead. The only man mentioned in the
affidavit to whom some harm has not fallen is Mr. Reid.”

THE DAILY PROVINCE
OCTOBER 27, 1914

Counsel for the other Hindus demanded to be shown the affidavit in
question, but was refused. Mr. Kennedy saying that he did not think it was
incumbent upon him to divulge the name of the person making the statement.
“I may say, however, that we had it for some time before any of these killings.”
“If a baby in arms,” the prosecutor continued, “made an affidavit
predicting certain things and those things came true, we would be forced to
pay attention to it, and so it is in this case.”
“Why,” laughed Mr. Bird, “I was telephoned to yesterday that I was a
marked man and was going to be killed, but I only laughed, and here I am
trying to get the man whom you are holding as inciting the murders out on
bail.”
Magistrate Shaw informed Mr. Bird that he did not know anything to the
charge against the men yet, but would find out whether it was the intention of
the attorney-general’s department to proceed with it before the grand jury
and would consider an application for bail at a later date.