39 



Court, surrounded by armed Punjabi soldiers, sometimes in a 

 village rest-house, as at Wekke. The proceedings are very 

 summary, and it may be presumed that evidence which a duly 

 constituted court of law would not accept finds its way into the 

 proceedings, of which no due record is kept. The cross- 

 examination of the counsel for the defence in the Court-Martial 

 held at Wekke, on June iyth and i8th, was limited to about 

 two minutes, and the address to about five minutes. This was 

 the first Court-Martial. Others held in Colombo have 

 convicted and sentenced to execution, Messrs. Pedris and 

 Wijeyesekere, two of the richest and most prominent Sinhalese 

 shopkeepers. Pedris was about 27 years of age and Wijeyese- 

 kere' was younger, about 25. 



Proceedings were originally initiated in the police court, 

 and, in some cases, later remitted to Courts-Martial. 



Extract from 

 " The Ceylon Morning Leader? June 8th, 1915. 



Mr. N. A. Wijeyesekere, head of the well-known firm of Messrs. 

 N. S. Fernando, Pettah, is also under arrest since Saturday night, 

 on a warrant issued by one of the Additional Magistrates on a 

 charge of causing grievous hurt with a revolver to a Coast Moor. 



Messrs. Allan Drieberg and R. L. Pereira, instructed by Mr. 

 J. E. R. Pereira, appeared for Mr. Wijeyesekere, and Messrs. C. 

 B. Elliott and M. D. Abdul Cader, instructed by Mr. Ismail, for 

 the prosecution. 



Bail was allowed and the enquiry was postponed for to-day. 



Extract from 



"The Ceylon Morning Leader," July i^th., 1915. 

 July 7th, 1915. 



PRISONERS : i. Jacoris Silva Jayasuria. 



2. Dionis Silva Weeratne Jayasuria. 



3. Peduma Hennidige Mathew de Silva. 



4. Sarukalige George de Silva. 



5. Hikkadmya Liyanage Thomas de Silva. 



6. Sarunkali Gallapatige John Silva. 



CHARGES : (i) Treason; (2) Riotously damaging a mosque. The six 

 prisoners were found guilty. 



SENTENCES : Seven years penal servitude. 



PRISONERS : i. Johannes Wiratunga. 



2. Carolis de Silva Wijewickrama. 



3. Hawpe Liyanage Telenis. 



4. Bastian de Silva Wijewickrama. 



5. Boralesse Yapage Don Hendrick alias William. 



6. Uragodage John. 



CHARGES : (i) Treason; (2) Riotously destroying buildings. The six 

 prisoners were found to be guilty. 



SENTENCES : Ten years penal servitude. 



