The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-10
GREW CANE
AND RICE
Chinese Testimony
Not Believed
by Estee.
PEARL HARBOR
CASE NEAR AN END
New Valuations Placed on Homo
lulu Plantation Company
Leases.

j Arguments may begin today in the
Pearl Harbor case. The reading of the
proceed gs of the first days of the tria
was concluded yesterday afternoon anC
the Honolulu Plantation Company prac
tically completed its defense, excepting
a few witnesses who viii be called this
morning. Judge Estee emphasized yes
iterday the need of haste in finishing UP
the case, and informed Mr.. Silliman that
he would not be allowed to repeat the
testimony upon points which had already
lbeen proved.
At the opening of court yesterday
morning, G. Bolte was placed on the
stand and placed an estimate of from
$3.50 TO 100000 on the leasehold in1er-
est of the defendant. On cross-examina-
ton he admitted that the estimate was
based upon certain superstition as to the
yield of cane upon the land in question,
and also upon what the sugar would
bring In response to a question he said
| that If these conditions were not true,
| then his deductions would not be COR
rect.
| It was during the examination of this
| witness that the Court stated that he
would allow no more evidence as to val
uation. He sad that the same facts had
been testified to half dozen times, and
the estimates of these experts had not
been disputed consequently no more Wit
Nnesses Were necessary to prove that part
of the case.
Judge S.lliman replied that had he
the number of witnesses, he would not
have called so many Plantation manag-
ers but relied more upon the evidence of
these other experts. The Court replied
that the evidence of all these witnesses
was practically the same, and had not
been contradicted.
The attorneys then resumed the read
ing of the proceedings of the early days
of the trial. This was concluded at about
3 O'Clock and the defendants resumed
their presentation by placing W. R. Cas-
tie on the stand. He estimated the value
of the lease at $25O.OOO, and on cross-ex-
animation showed his reasoning to have
been practically that of the other wit
nesses. Mr. Crawley was then called up
on to testify as to an examination he
had made of the soils On the condemned
land and also of other plantations in the
vicinity He testified that they were
practically the same, adobe soil and red
coral The Court sustained the objection
of the United States Attorney to a ques-
ton put to this witness for an estimate
of the land value based upon the examin-
alton of soils
Wong Koon Chan, the Chinese, who, up
to this time had been a very mysterious
figure in the case, was next put on the
stand. He IS the man said to have rails
ed sugar cane upon an acre of land in
the condemned tract. Witness testified
through an interpreter that he had grown
cane. rice and melons on a tract of land,
about thirty acres in extent, upon the
condemned ste This had been in the
of the well.
Mr. Si!liman then offered in evidence
4 check for $500 which had been paid
Dy w. G. Irwin to the Chinese firm for
heir leasehold interest in the land. Mr..
Dunno objected TO the offer of anything
which had to do with lands other than
he condemned site. Mr.. Sill:man replied
hat he had a right to make the offer
md have the check Identified by the wit
ness. The witness, in response to a fur
her question. replied that rice had been
raised on the land for a number of
years.
Judge Estee stopped further exanina-
ION of the Chinese witness, interruptins
counsel with the remark:
so far as this witness is concerned,
he Court and the jury have been down
here, and know that no rice has been
-aised on that land or can be raised
here"
I'VE have right to prove that" re-
,lied Judge Silliman.
Then bring white witnesses here. The
Court will not listen to Chinese witness
IS in this case, when the Court knows
THAT is the truth, and that no rice could ]
,e raised on this land"
With that remark the witness was ex-
used, and Manager Low was called to
he stand
81 want to ask what has been raised
ipon his land, to your knowledge" ask Il
q Mr.. SiIliman. +
For the past five or six years rice, n
Melons and sugar cane have been grow r
ng there. on about thirty acres. near this
veil; the water being carried by means T
If fiume to the crops" n
Questioned about the check, Mr.. Low t
stated that 1t had been given to the a
ather of the last witness In payment for
he lease of thirty acres in the condemn I
a property. The check was for $500 a
iCned bV W q G. ~ =,
aid to the Wong Now Wal Company, O
December &C. 1900. t
On cross-examination. witness stated c