The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-01
TRYING To
PROVE IT
The Chinese Libel
Case Is Still
On.
TROUBLE OVER A
100000 NOTE
Mrs. McCully Higgins Sues the
Queens Hospital for
Possession.

Wong suey King. the defendant in
the Chinese libel case, has undertaken
TO prove that all the mean things the
Sun Chun Kwock Bo said about Poon
Kwai Leung, the Chinese consuTs in
terpreter. are true. The prosecution
closed it's case yesterday afternoon
with the story of the prosecuting wit
ness and Mr.. McClanahan for the de-
which was denied. He then followed
up with his opening statement in which
he said: I'VE propose TO prove the
truth of the allegations made in this
than an honest criticism of Mr.. Poon's
actions, in connection with the fire
claims" The day was taken up by con-
tinual squabbles between the attorneys
progress made was very slow. There
was still 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
first thing in the morning to testify as
an expert about the meaning of the ar
tic!e which, it is alleged, constituted
the criminal libel. Crawford. however,
stated that he only knew little Chi
nese and couldn't translate accurately,
and he was excused upon the objection
OF the defendant.
Lin Shen Chow was next called and
managed to qualify as an expert, after
reciting his capabilities in that direc
ton, as graduate OF an English
school in Hongkong, as translator for
the British Ambassador. and as inter-
prefer for the Customs Collector. Ev-
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
err, who was next called, translated the
heading as meaning, Taking the part
OF the Indian" while the prosecuting
witness. Poon. said il meant, Seeing
matters are not just"
All Heen, who is president of the pa
per which published the article. was
asked by Mr.. McClanahan:
lis your paper opposed to the Chinese
consul in politics."
The consul hasn't anything TO do
with it," was the answer. and the
court sustained the objections as to
what is the political status OF the pub
LEGATION.
poon translated the sentence about
snakes and elephants as meaning that
a snake was trying to eat an elephant.
and had overreacbed itself. The trans
lators agreed pretty generally to the
reference in the article to the 'fleshy
eyes" OF the consul. though the defend
ant insisted that any remarks derog-
atory Of the consul had nothing to do
with the facts at issue.
Mr.. Andrews announced that his case
was closed. and Mr.. McClanahan i'm
mediately moved for "A non-suit on the
ground that there had been no proof OF
innuendo connecting Che prosecuting
witness with the article. and tina; he
was referred TO only in the opening
Judge Gear denied the
motion. and the defendant then moved
to strike out the evidence OF Ii Cheung
and Poon relating to the translation as
they had not been shown To have seen
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 a very clever witness ana
successfully eluded all attempts to
draw from him admissions as to the
la.111
article He said that he had at first
10 take up the Chinese claims
because OF his short residence in the
islands. but had later consented at the
request Of the consul He was To re-
ceive a salary for the first four months
OF $3.50 per month. which later was cut
to 5000 He testified that he had not
received any OF the money as yet. and
was not 10 get il until the government
paid the fire claims. over 300 claims
had been submitted 10 the consul, but
about 700 OF that number had been
turned over TO the United Chinese So
ciety which was to make the trans!a-
tons He denied having taken any
money from any of the claimants. or
having had anything 10 do with the
order in which the claims we're pre-
sented 10 the Fire Commission. simply
stating that he superintendent The work
o. preparation.
A K. Cunha was next called and les
titled that he had had an office IN the
United Chinese Society building while
the claims were being certified by Poon
and on several occasions saw the pros
ecutin. witness come out in the hall
way and pick some claimant Ia take
with him into the room. for prepare
ton az his claim.
There was an interruption at TINS
Doint in the arrival OF Poon Chew IN
the custody or an officer. The Chinese
bov had been summoned As witness
BY the prosecution. and upon his fail
ure 20 appear a bench warrant was is