Stories from Deli

Attacks on assistants in 1923
Sumatra Post 18-09-1923

The Planter reports the following attacks.

The 21st May 1.1 Rijn van Alkemade’s assistant at Gloegoer had shortened a Chinese field coolie because of threading tobacco leaves of insufficient length. On his way home by eleven, the assistant was attacked from behind by a conscious coolie and pulled over. A struggle ensued, during which the coolie took hold of the assistant’s stick and inflicted some blows with it. Shortly thereafter, however, Mr. V. R. V. A. gained the upper hand and managed to overpower the otherwise unarmed coolie. The case does not involve much, but it is nevertheless significant!

On June 26 and 1.1, the assistant Meisner at Patumbah was attacked with a parang by a Javanese coolie, whom he maintained about staying away from work. The parang was able to evade the assistant, after which he managed to steal the tools from the man. The judge acquitted the coolie, as two witnesses stated that the assistant had provoked the attack by threatening to lift the stick against the conscious contractor.

In August the assistant Rienks came into conflict with a Javanese coolie over chancol work at Luboe Dalam, attacked by the man and seized by the skates, whereupon other coolies finally separated the fighters. The coolie was punished with two and a half months in prison.

In August on the Hen of the Deli Moeda, the assistant Holst got into trouble with a Javanese coolie, whom he had not awarded the premiums because of bad taping, while he had also informed him that day that he would have him sent to the magistrate. . Then the man, received in the factory with the latex, committed an attack on Mr. Holst, who had received some stoppers with the lid of a latex jug. The judge sentenced the coolie to three months.

At the beginning of September the company Goenoeng Pamela the assistant Thoma was attacked by two Javanese tapper, one to whom he had slapped, whereby the people used a heap of bricks piled up nearby to pelt the assistant with them. . One of the missiles hit Mr. T. with such force in the back that a blood vessel in the lungs burst through it, causing the assistant to shed some blood for days on end, so that for the time being he was prescribed the necessary rest. (We concur that this is the same case on which we recently requested information from the principal administrator of the company concerned. We were then assured, however, that the incident was of no significance and that the assistant could simply continue to work.)

Attacks on assistants in 1925

De nieuwe vorstenlanden 14-01-1926

Here is a concise summary of the attacks on assistants that became known in 1925.

On the 29th of January the assistant Soetmulder was attacked on Goenoeng Menaco by a Javanese contractor with a machete. With the help of a colleague he managed to disarm the man. No injury.

On the 8th of February a Javanese coolie committed an assassination attempt on the assistant Buhning on the enterprise Medang Ara, with a fatal outcome.

On the 20th of April the assistant Leurs had to endure two attacks by a Javanese with a cankol on the company Boekit Rata. No injuries. However, a formal coolie riot of all this was the result.

On the 4th of May, two Chinese coolies on the company Batang Kwis whipped assistant Hess with chankol. Main consequence: a bruised arm.

On the 20th of May there was an attack on the company Goenoeng Pamela by a Javanese armed parang on the assistant Van Nunen. The attack was thwarted.

Also in May at the company Oepah, assistant Lewis was attacked by a Javanese contractor with a parang. The assistant successfully defended himself with a piece of wood.

On the 7th of June the assistant Koerman on the company Laras had to withstand an attack by about thirty Javanese coolies, who beat him with sticks, so that the victim had to be nursed for weeks on account of a head wound, among other things. Another Javanese an attack with a parang on the assistant Baars. No injuries.

On the 7th of July, a seizure with a deadly outcome had struck the assistant Bussink at the company Besar Maligas. The culprit was a machete, Javanese contractor.

On July 10, at the Bah Kapoel enterprise, a Javanese stabbed assistant Mitchel in the arm with a knife.

On the 19th of July on the company Bah Enda the assistant Mac Leod had to endure an attack by a Javanese coolie, who wounded him in the back of the head with a parang.

Also in July, a Javanese on the Bah Kisat company inflicted a severe wound on the wrist of assistant Grafhorst with a chancol.

In the same month at the company Soeka Radja Ilir, the Chinese assistant Lie Kim Seng was murdered by a Javanese coolie with a machete.

On the 2nd of August, seven Chinese coolies tried to beat assistant Van Rhijn van Alkemade at Gloegoer, and were partially successful.

On the 10th of August, that assistant Hession on Gadjah Meuntah sustained a head injury on him with a lalang fork inflicted by a Javanese worker.

On the 19th of Augustus, on Soengei Silau, Harinxma’s assistant was attacked by a Javanese contractor, who pierced his hand with a lalang fork. On the 21st of August, the assistant Veldkamp had to defend Kwala Piassa against a Javanese attacking him.

On the 22nd of August, several Chinese rather hauled up the assistant Bueters on Soengey Krio in front of the fermentation shed. Bloody head and bruises

28th August a Javanese attacked the assistant Jaspers in Paya Djamboe. The chief mandur was then able to take the blow with the parang.

On September 3rd, a contract woman at Tandjoeng Koeba stabbed assistant Willinck in the thigh with a knife.

l0th of September on Gedong Djohore the assistant baron Gerard de Milet van Coehoorn was bombarded with stones by Chinese coolies: No significant injuries.

In the middle of that month, assistant Dijkstra had to resist an attack on Hapesong by a Javanese, who wounded him in the hand with a knife.

On September 19, Scheller’s assistant on Goenoeng Pamela was engaged in a fight with two Javanese coolies. No consequences.

On the 4th of October the assistant Schulze on Paya Djamboe received a head wound from four Chinese coolies who had been attacked.

On October 13, assistant Smith in the sorting shed at Padang Boelan was treated by a Chinese with a piece of wood. if he had to undergo medical treatment.

On the 18th of October several Javanese workers at Suka Radja Ilir assaulted the assistant Droste, whom they mauled heavily with stones, so that the victim was admitted to hospital for weeks.

On the 17th of October, in the fermentation shed at Soengey Krapoh, one with a Chinese coolie struck the assistant Straelin in the loins with a dangerous stab.

An attack at Simpang Ampat slightly injured in a struggle with a Javanese coolie.

A total of 28 known attacks, of which 3 with a deadly outcome, and 15 others of a more or less serious nature, illness and incapacity to work for a shorter or longer period of time for

In 21 cases the attackers belonged to the group of the Javanese, in 7 to those of the Chinese contractors. There was one among the 21 first-aiders. . . woman ! Eight of the assaults were committed by two or more people together. For comparison with the attack statistics of previous years, we give the following figures:

1912 40 (one murder)

1913 41 (one murder)

1914 32 (two murders)

1915 26 (two murders)

1916 34 (three murders)

1917 32 (one murder )

1918 35 (two murders)

1919 13 (two murders)

1920 26 –

1921 19 –

1922 26 (one murder)

1923 31 (two murders)

1924 19 (one murder)

1925 29 (three murders)

14 years 402 cases, 21 death

With these figures in mind, one would be inclined to comment that the socio-economic history of the cultures of Deli and its environs for the past decade and a half has rivalled the Buffalo-Biil stories in sensationalism and adventure.

• De Telegraaf 09-03-1925

Cases in 1927

Algemeen handelsblad voor Nederlandsch-Indië. 14-01-1928

The Planter, the association of assistants in Deli, enumerated the attacks on assistants that became known in the past year.

On the 20th of January the assistant Kalhorn was drastically worked with a club by a Javanese contractor at the company Aek Loba.

On January 23rd, the assistant Illir had to endure an attack on Besar Maligas A by a Javanese worker, who severely wounded him in the arm with a long-legged fork.

On the 9th of February at Sukaranda the assistant Van Dusseldorp was attacked with a knife by a Chinese coolie. Because Javanese came to the rescue in the meantime, the attack had no physical consequences.

On March 19, a Chinese coolie attacked the assistant Hick, at Tandjong Morawa Kanan, with a chancol and then with a knife. The assistant’s back, arm and hand were injured.

On April 6, the assistant Collins was assaulted and wounded by nine Javanese at Si Pare Pare. Significant blood loss and bruising on the head and body.

On the 19th of May at Padang Brahran the assistant Lubcke got into trouble with a Chinese, who struck him with a picolan on the shoulder and on the legs.

On the 29th of May a Javanese contractor in Medang Ara committed an attack on the assistant Diederik, who received a deep wound in the armpit.

Early in July, Tillmann’s assistant on Tindjowan was attacked by a Javanese coolie who severely wounded him in the elbow with a parang, as well as other injuries.

On the 7th of July three Chinese coolies attacked the assistant Scheveers at Bekalla. By drawing his revolver, the assistant kept his attackers at bay and came off with a slightly injured hand.

On the 20th of July, a Javanese brought assistant Geerlings, to Patoembah, with an axe, some grief on the hand and thigh. Also in July on Adolina a Javanese attacked the assistant Czej ka, who was wounded with a machete on the lower part of his back.

On the 10th of August a contracted Javanese attempted to injure the assistant Bekker on Djohor Lama with a parang. Because other personnel came to the rescue in time, the attack had no consequences.

On the 17th of September, on Goenoeng Para, the assistant Schoneveld got the hang of it with a Javanese, who treated him with a few punches and took off his hat and stick!

On the 18th of September a mandur and two Javanese coolies tried to work the assistant Langenberg with a stick and axes. By taking flight, the ace assistant managed to get by.

On the 29th of October, a Chinese coolie delivered a parang haul to the head of the firm of Saentis, the chief Van der Mast.

On the 13th of November at Soengey c Etoembia the assistant Allan was murdered by a team of Lavender workers and more especially by the main perpetrators with axes and other tools.

The 13th of December brought, on Kwala I tCrapoh, a Javanese contractor den assistant Dumont suffered a significant cut in the neck.

A total of 17 known attacks, of which one with a deadly outcome. Half a dozen other cases were also learned, which, however, because of their insignificant character, do not seem worth mentioning. Twelve of the attacks were carried out at the expense of Javanese coolies, in which in three cases they acted in conjunction with two or more persons. In 5 cases, Chinese coolies were the party on the attacking side, only in a few cases being agitated by them in association.

For comparison with the relevant statistics of previous years, De Planter gives the following overview:

1926: 27 cases

1927 17 cases (one murder)

1929 73 cases (including Aceh) and 3 murders

1927 strikes almost a minimum record, which gives hope for further improvement in the future.

1929 cases

The 1929 attacks in Deli. De Indische Courant 06-06-1930

In total 73, of which three murders.
The Planter provides a complete overview of all attacks in 1929 and conclusions hurts:
In total, it had ended years in the regions S.O.K. and Aceh 73 attacks and threats take place on assistants and administrators. Of these 73 attacks, 5 on administrators and thus 68 on
assistants, including 2 murders (1 on an administrator and 1 on an assistant), while
because of the murder of an assistant wife is regrettable. Furthermore, 4 of the attacks
direct serious injuries as a result, 29 cases were of fewer serious nature and the rest, or 39 cases,
fell under the more or less brutal threats. In two cases became an attempt by the pull-
know of a revolver while one case involved serious sabotage (bar-laid on the way to serve the assistant would pass with his motorcycle).
Now let’s consider the trigger or causes of cases, then we find:
in 4 cases hit or hard-handed acting, in 14 cases acting inactive, but in by far the most threat-
cases, namely 38 facts, as cause an unmotivated brutality, passive resistance or laziness of the coolie, while 10 cases arose from wage, employment and re-engagement issues and the rest under the inexplicable reasons to be classified would be ceeren.
It is immediately noticeable that one large part of the attacked or threatened to threaten the younger assistants heard, namely 41 assistants with one years of service of 3 years and less, while the
relationships with regard to the older assistants were: 10 with one years of service from 4 to 6 years, 4 from 6 to 10 years and 18 of longer years of service.
51 cases included the attack-Irish or threateners also belong to the still no 3 years here working in the cultures being coolies.
For the most part, the attackers or threateners were Javanese country (in 57 cases). This is curious, because the Javanese (at least the one, native to South Central Java) is not naturally rebellious or rude. It might not be unhelpful, when the Labor Inspectorate agrees could effect a classification of
the attackers to the regions of coming (district-wise).
With regard to the other cases the attackers were among the following : 1 Madurese, 5 Sundanee
zen and 10 Chinese.

Coolie attacks in the first half of 1938 (De Sumatra Post 14 Oct 1938)

Coolie attacks in the first half of 1938 The statistics give a favorable picture of peaceful place.
We have obtained additional information from the statistics on attacks and threats perpetrated by coolies on the companies in the first half of 1938. Some data may follow below.

On the East coast of Sumatra a total of 23 attacks and threats were committed in the said semester, to be specified as follows:

Attacks on: Administrators none; Assistants 3; Mandoers 12; Tandils 4.

Threats against: Administrators none; Assistants 1; Mandoers 2; Tandils 1.

The statistic for Aceh indicates 2 attacks and no threats: one attack on an assistant and one on a mandur. The latter, at the North Redelong company, had a deadly end. For Sumatra’s West Coast, the statistic mentions only one threat directed against a mandur. In the remaining part of the circle of office of the Medical Labor Inspectorate, Tapanoeli, Riouw and the Western Department, no attacks and no threats were reported.

It is difficult to draw conclusions from this statistic compared to previous years. With regard to attacks on assistants, it can be appreciated that the favorable trend which has been revealed in recent years in the figures continued in the first half of 1938. The East Coast statistics for the whole year 1937 mentioned 5 attacks on assistants. The year before, 1936, was extremely favorable; only one threat against an assistant was reported.

In general, it may be noted that statistics of attacks on East Coast assistants since 1931 have begun to show a favorable picture. It should be noted in particular that since 1931 no fatal attacks have been carried out on assistants. We have before us a statistic from 1912, in which the year 1929 is the most unfavorable: 73 attacks on assistants, three of which have a deadly outcome. Also in 1925, although there were “only” 28 attacks in that year, three of them were deadly.

As said, the number of attacks fell sharply after 1931 and since that year there have been no attacks with a deadly outcome. It can be regretted. , that it must now be established that the record low of 1936 (one attack on an assistant, not with a fatal outcome) was not beaten in 1938, even not reached, on the other hand, a semester statistic with three attacks on assistants all without a deadly outcome, are certainly not considered to be alarming, and on the basis of these six-monthly statistics it may also be said that the peace of work on the enterprise gene off the east coast of Sumatra is only very sporadically disturbed by clearly isolated incidents.

Attacks in Deli. (Bataviaasch nieuwsblad, 06-10-1927)

Three Chinese coolies from the Bekalla Estate, who have attempted murder on assistant Scheveers are brought to the landraad Medan sentenced to 5 years each. They confessed that they waited for the assistant with parangs on the way he cycled home, because one of them was scolded. The assistant escaped with his revolver and shoot it in the air.
Furthermore, a coolie of Goenoeng rinteh was sentenced to 18 months. This one had attacked assistant Briët with a tjangcol. The tandil saved the assistant, but which in turn became the next
day attacked with an axe, other coolie managed to save the tandil.

Chinese kedeh keeper murdered. (De locomotief, 02-07-1928)

Some time ago, a body was found in Dolok Ilir, reports the Deli-Crt. It turned out to to be a kedeh keeper, and that the man is of course dead. The body that had been there for some days nowshowed signs of serious violence. The throat was cut while several other wounds indicated it
that the man had been beaten with sticks. Under the head lay a knife with which apparently the murder had been committed.
The field police in Siantar suggested immediately conduct an extensive investigation and has now succeeded four Javanese contract coolies, who have already confessed to the murder.
The coolies were playing dice and had lost all their belongings.
However, they knew that the Chinese kedeh-holder in the evening along a certain away to the enterprise and that the man must have a lot of money with him.
They waited for him and attacked the Chinese armed with pieces of wood, on. robbed him of the money he had in his owned and just wanted to run away then their victim showed some sign of it
gave life. This was the reason for the coolie thing to return to their step and to cut off the wretched neck. The knife was placed under the head of the corpse. The four are Currently in pre-trial detention.

The Murder at Tandem Hilir. (Algemeen handelsblad voor Nederlandsch-Indië, 11-11-1924)

A Chinese coolie from Tandem Hilir was killed by his fellow Chinese coolie on the plant road with a knife stab because of an amount of NLG 8.50. The murderer after that escaped the woods and stayed for days. Nevertheless, the culprit was arrested later.
To summarize, we read in the ‘Deli Crt’.
Obviously he couldn’t be in it long, because Saturday-afternoon 1 Nov. he passed the police post in Diski. He was then arrested and questioned. He gave confused answers, said to come from a company where he did not belong, etc., so that the posthuis commandant is advisable considered holding him for the time being. Further investigation soon came to the light that it was the fleeing
Coolie from Tandem Hilir was. ‘ He was transferred to Bindjei

The Murder of assistant Hoytsma Mulier
The murder of Mr. HAG Hoytsma Mulier, assistant at the Tandjong Djati company of the Deli Maatschappij. The “Deli Courant” of 14 September 1910 writes:

Like a running fire yesterday the round that Mr. Hoytsma Mulier had fallen in the afternoon as the victim of a vile assassination attempt. Mulier, still a young man, with an open, honest character, to whom the future smiled brightly, considering he all who had come to know him more closely, Mulier was treacherously turned upside down yesterday afternoon for a futility by one of the representatives of the Chinese scum, referred to by the name of contract coolies. The circumstances of what happened were as follows; In the morning, in the barn, Mr. Mulier had criticized a Chinese coolie for his sorting. The man was not satisfied with the observation, whereupon Mr. M. summoned the chief tandil, who made the coolie understand that he was wrong. The assistant then mixed the tobacco that had already been bundled together again and, when the coolie assumed a cheeky attitude, the coolie gave a twist to say something to Zander or – at least as far as is known – to do something about his kawans. As it turns out, the coolie has apparently quietly left the fermentation neighborhood at 11 o’clock. Suspecting nothing wrong, Mr.M. returned to the fermentation shed in the afternoon, walked through the corridors, watching alone as the coolie in question followed the instructions given this time. No sooner had he gone a few steps than the Chinese, armed with a sharpened knife which he had hidden under his coat, leaped after him like a tiger and thrust him, bending his arm over the body of his victim. hot weapon up to the handle in the abdomen. Mr. M. gave a scream, which was heard by the caretaker, staying in the reception room, but which he did not heed. But when a second cry hit his ear, he began to understand that something extraordinary had happened and he rushed to the scene of the disaster. There he found pine. unfortunate assistant, leaning against a pole. “I think I was stung,” Mulier said with difficulty. The caretaker led the victim to the office, removed the knife from the wound, and put on a temporary bandage, after which he took him to his home. The poor boy has only lived twenty minutes. When the doctor, summoned in all honesty, arrived on the scene, his help was of no use. An internal bleeding ended the life of a good fellow who fell as a victim of his profession. This afternoon his remains were buried at the cemetery in Bindjey. His ashes rest in peace. The murderer is caught and confronted with the body of his victim. He confessed with shocking calm that he had committed the murder, even with something like satisfaction.