New-York tribune., 1922-03-05
TropicalCouple
Fined $5O,64l
For Contempt
Cuban Sugar Planter and
His Wife Ignored Order
to Testify i'm Action Over
$43 200 Lent by Lawyer
Woman Must Pay $3,623
Junket to Spain and Other
Luxuries Followed Loan
Given to Save Plantation

Julio de Sorzano Jorrin. Cuban sugar
planter, promoter and formerly an at
tache of the consulate of Cuba ia New
York, and his wife, Mrs. Virginia Fos-
ter de Sorzano Jorrin, were adjudged
in contempt of court yesterday by
Justice Whitaker, of the Supreme
Court, who fined husband and wife to-
gcther s47.01S and Mrs. Jorrn individ-
uslly $3,623.
The contempt proceedings arose out
Of the failure of the couple to present
: themselves for examination before trial
IN suit brought by Warren McConihe,
\ lawyer. who sought to recover money
he lent Mrs. Jorrin to enable her hus-
band to lift mortgage on his sugar
plantation, but which money, it is al
legged, Mr.. and Mrs. Jorrin spent in a
luxurious tour of several countries in
Europe and stay at the Spanish sea-
shore resort, San Sebastian.
Daughter of Former Judge
Mrs. Jorrin is daughter of former
Judge Robert NJ Foster, of St. Louis,
Court in st. Louis from 1902 to 1903.
Judge Foster was member of an old
Southern family and his daughter was
prominent in the society of the Mis-
souri, city.
.Mr and Mrs. Jorrin were living at
the Hotel st. Regis in 1919, when Mr..
McConihe began his suit Learning
that they we're about to leave the coun-
try, the plaintiff served them with or
ders to testify before trial, so that Mr..
McConihe could prove that the loans
were made, husband and wife having
denied them. Fearing that their leav-
ing the country would impede his ac-
ton, Mr.. McConihe was anxious to OBJ
tain summary judgment or attach
ment against property they might have.
Mr.. and Mrs. Jorrin ignored the orders
to testify.
In an affidavit Mr. McConihe said.
that in May, 1919, Mrs. Jorrin came
to him and represented her husband S
financial affairs as in bad shape, saw
ing ne needed at least $4,000 to save
his plantation from foreclosure by
Cuban banks. Mrs. Jorrin, said Mr..
McConlhe, told him her husband had
paid off 100000 of the mortgage and
that when he got it all paid off Mr..
"oA III Nooiu earn SA,UUU,UUU. SIM ar
statements are attributed to Mr.. .Jor-
rim.
Lawyer Tells of Loan
Upon receiving their notes Mr.. Nc
Conihe deposited s43,2O0 in the Lin
coin National Bank to the credit Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Jorrin. Mrs. Jorrin drew
out $4,000 of this money and sent it
to the Havana branch of the National
City Bank. She also drew check for
$4,000 to her husband to pay prem
lum on $125,000 life insurance policv
Mr.. Jorrin took out at the time Of
their marriage. Mr. McConihe objected
to this use of the money and the $4,000
was used to reduce the loan.
In July, 1919, Mr.. McConihe learned
that his debtors were to sail for Eu-
rope for an indefinite stay, and on their
visit abroad they expected to be pre-
sented to the King and Queen of Spain.
In another affidavit it is related bv
Mr.. McConihe that the Jorrins told
him Mr.. Jorrin had been working as a
laborer at 81 day to get money to
help pay OFF the mortgage on his prop-
erty and that Mrs. Jorrin's only income
was $500 a month from her father
which, Mrs. Jorrin said, represented the
interest on bonds valued at s45O0O
owned by her and held by her father.
Mr.. Connie said he had informa-
tion from Judge Foster that he held
no such bonds owned by his daughter
but that he was defrayinp the sunnor+