The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-06-19
ARE
IMPERSONATORS
RAPID TRANSIT BEGINS DEFENSE
IN THE McCULLY TRACT
SUIT.
DUMMY PLAINTIFFS AND FEIGN-
ED POWERS OF ATTORNEY.
Collector Chamberlain Had Valuable
Evidence in Registration Certificates
But Could Not Give 1t.

There were some sensational develop
ments when the defense began this
morning in the case of the Sun KwOng
Mau company against the Waikiki
Land and Loan Association, the Rapid
Transit Company and others. The
first witness put on the stand by the
defendants swore that not one Of the
purported plaintiffs is the man he
claims to be. 1t is claimed by the de-
fense that only one of the men who
formed the Sun Kwong Mau Company
IA years ago is in Hawaii today, and he
cannot be found Several are represent
ed by powers of attorney which 1t is
claimed are forged, and the alleged
plaintiffs in person are all false imper-
senators, according to evidence which
the defendants propose to introduce.
The plaintiff representing himself as
Lee Yin was declared by Dong Linn the
detense's first witness, to be the son
Of Lee Yin, the sgner Of the lease un-
der which the Sun Kwong Mau com
pany claims the Waikiki rice plantation
land and is seeking to keep the Rapid
Transit company away from it, Dong
Linn swOre that he was present when
the signatures TO the document were
made, ten years ago, in the Office of w.
r. Castle.
An effort was made to prove by the
testimony Of Internal Revenue COllec-
tor Chamberlain that the alleged Lee
Yin Is another man, who only came to
this country a few years ago. He
claims to have been one of the original
parties to the various agreements
| whereby the titles were acquired, over
ten years, ago, but his registration Ger
titcate as a Chinese shows, is stated
| that he came to Hawaii about years
ago.
Chamberlain was not allowed to tes-
tify, however. United States Attorney
Breckons who represents the plain
| tiffs, objected. He said he felt deli
| cate about advising the collector in the
matter as federal attorney, while acting
as counsel in the case, but offered to al
| low Hatch and MCClanahan to advise
| him and to accept their advice, after
! a few moments consultation, Judge
! Humphreys said he was ready to rule
| anyhow, but allowed a recess for the
! consultation. The result was unani-
NOUS agreement that the collector could
not reveal his office records, and Cham
| berlain was excused.
! Dong Linn testified that he knew all
| of the men who signed the lease in Cas-
| ties office ten years ago. The plaintiffs
in court were then asked by McClana-
han to rise, one after the other and
| Dong positively denied in each case
that the plaintiff was the man he claim
ed to be. Lum Wan is dead in China, it
| was stated, and all the others have
gone back to China, with the single ex-
ception of Cat Yit
I'VE have had two subpoenas out for
Cat Yit," said McClanahan, land can
| not find him"
| The next witness was called as
| Chung Kee," but when he produced
his registration certificate, il proved 10
be in the name of Cheuug Zip.
who's Cheung Yip?" asked Nicola
nahan.
81 don't knew"
What's this name on your certif-
cate?"
That's me. l used to be known as
Cheung Zip when I was a boy Now
my style is Chung Kee."
Chung said that he changed his name
because he got married, and then pro-
ceeded to tell what he knew of the do
ings of the Sun Kwong Mau Company
years ago 1t is said that more sensa-
tional testimony is coming, duplicating
the hui of Chinese who claims to be the
members Of the sun Kwong Mau Com
pany.