COURTS (7) Continuation.
252
and a graceful high jumper. To-day he is one of the popular **lawyers** and a decent all-round fellow. Mr. Stokes is a much better lawyer than many rivals, with far greater pretensions.
Godfrey Cornwall Chester Master is the third partner in the above-mentioned firm. He is an amateur race rider and a fairly good oarsman. G.C.C.M. is Secretary of the Victoria Recreation Club.
This article will be continued in to-morrow's issue.
COURTS (8)
Yesterday I reproduced the first half of an article on Hongkong barristers and solicitors written in 1891, and by the colourful Robert Fraser-Smith, editor of the Hongkong Telegraph. Following is the second half of the article, which appeared under the none too complimentary caption of the Local Devil's Own.
Henry Gadge is the managing clerk, to that well-known trio of legal lights Johnston, Stokes and Master.
He is a genial young lawyer, gifted with consummate assurance and evidently knows his business. He is a very clever feather-weight gladiator and is well liked whenever he is known.
William Wotton (Wotton and Deacon) has been many years in this Colony and is considered to be the Roland of the local Police Court. He is a prominent director of the National Bank of China and other successful institutions. In his public capacities, he is chiefly noted for his loud and sonorous voice, penetrating glances and persuasive manner. Mr. Wotton knows his profession thoroughly and his line of country has always been respectable.
Victor Hobart Deacon is another partner in the firm of Wotton and Deacon. He is the leading conveyancer in the Colony and is a thorough gentleman. It is only necessary to add that such do not grow profusely upon gooseberry bushes in this part of the world.
John Hastings, clerk to Wotton and Deacon, does most of the hard work for the firm and does it well. He is a slow speaker but generally manages to get there just the same.
C. D. Wilkinson, The Rupert of Debate is a popular man with the Chinese, a good lawyer and courteous to everybody. His Lord Dundreary style occasionally excites amusement.
Mr. Creasy Evens is a lawyer who gained considerable local experience as Clerk to the Chief Justice. He is reputed to have greater weight with the Chinese than any lawyer in the Colony but this may be owing to the fact that Chinese are credited with having a good deal of sway in his business. Evens is said to have gained a vast knowledge of the working of public companies while General Manager of the Green Island Cement Company. He is a careful lawyer with a well-balanced mind, but is somewhat reserved.