The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-03-04
TRYING To
PROVE It
The Chinese Libel
Case Is Still
On.
From Saturdays daiy)

Kwai Leunr. the chinese cuusuIs Joe
tcfrrcter. are true. The prosecution
closed its case yesterday afternoon
with the story ~ the pr1seouting Wit
g and Mr.. Mechanism Tor the dee
PENDANT then moved FOR nun-suIt.
which was denied DE then followed
up with IFS opening statement DO which
ne said: I'VE propose % prove the
truth Of the allegations made 100 this
article, and that u was nothing more
than an honest criticism ~ Mr.. Poon's
actions, In connection with the hrc
claims" The day was taken up by con-
tinual squabbics between the attorneys
Andrews and Northumberland the
progress made was very slow. There
was sin an attempt to bring In the
differences OF the Bow wong Society on
several occasions, but all questions Of
that nature were ruled out by the
court
Willie Crawford the official Chinese
Interpreter for the fire claims commits
sion, and in the past FOR the Circuit
Courts, was put upon the stand the
first thing in the morning to testify as
an expert about the meaning OF the ar
ticle which, IL is alleged. constituted
the criminal libel. Crawford, however.
stated that he only knew a little Chi
nese and couldn't translate accurately,
and he was excused upon the objection
OF the defendant.
Lin Shen Chow w,s next called and
managed TO qualify as an expert. after
reciting his capabilitie. in that direc-
ton, as a graduate OF an English
school in Hongkong, as translator for
the British Ambassador, and as inter-
prefer for the Customs Collector. Ey-
cry translator OF the article gave a
different version Of the libellous mat
ter, though they agreed upon all ma
terial points. Chow translated the
heading as Seeing things not fair"
Ii Cheung, the official court interpret
er. who was next called, translated the
heading as meaning. Taking the part
OF the Indian" while the prosecuting
witness, Poon. said 1t meant, Seeing
matters are not just"
All Heen. who Is president of the pa
per which published the article was
asked by Mr.. McClanahan
rs your paper opposed to the Chinese
consul in politics."
The consul hasn't anything to dc
with it," was the answer and tn,
NouIl NuSldlHti inc bbJttllpnS as u
what is the political status OF the pub
location.
Poon translated the sentence abou
snakes and elephants as meaning tina
a snake was trying to eat an elephant
and had overreached itself. The trans
lators agreed pretty generally to tn,
reference in the article to the "neshy
eyes" OF the consul, though the defend
ant insisted that any remarks derog
atory OF the consul had nothing to d,
with the facts at issue.
Mr.. Andrews announced that his cas-,
was closed, and Mr.. McClanahan i'm
mediately moved for a non-suit on th'
ground that there had been no proof o
innuendo connecting the prosecuting
witness with the article, and that II,
was referred to only in the opening
paragraph. Judge Gear denied tn,
motion, and the defendant then move,
TO strike out the evidence of Ii Cheuni
and Poon relating to the translation n
they had not been shown to have seer
the article in the paper. This motion
was also overruled.
In the afternoon the defense was be
gun by recalling Mr. Poon to the stand
He made n very clever witness ant
successfully eluded all attempts t
draw from him admissions as to tn,
charges made in the alleged libellou.
article. He said that he had at frs
refused to take up the Chinese claims
because Of his short residence in tn,
islands, but had later consented at tn,
request of the consul. He was to re
ceive a salary for the first four months
of $3.50 per month. which later was Gu
TO 5000. He testified that he had not
received any of the money as yet anG
was not to get ii until the government
paid the fire claims. over 800 claims
had been submitted to the consul, but
about 700 of that number had been
turned over to the United Chinese So
clety, which was to make the transla.
tons. He denied having taken any
money from any OF the claimants, OF
having had anything to do with the
order in which the claims were pre-.
scented to the Fire Commission, simply
stating that he superintended the work
OF preparation.
A. X, Cunha was next called and ties
tilted that he had had an office in thu
United Chinese Society building whil'
the claims were being certified by Poor
and on several occasions saw the pros
ecuting witness come out in the hall
way and pick some claimant to tax
with him into the room, for prepare
tion OF his claim.
There was an interruption at thi
point in the arrival OF Poon Chew ii
the custody OF an officer. The Chimes
boy had been summoned as a witnes
by the prosecution, and upon his fail
ure to appear a bench warrant was is
sued for his arrest Chew said that h
wanted 10 come. but that he worked a
the Hawaiian hotel, and Manager LAX
refused to let him. unless he Shove
proper papers. Mr.. Lake was then sen
for and upon his arrival said that h
thought the boy to be joking at tn
time. and did not believe he was want
ed as witness The matter was con
sequently dropped.
The last witness Of the afternoon wa
N1 Ling who was a fire claimant II