Page
February 13, 1896.]
there will be very great difficulty in collecting them.
His Lordship then questioned debtor as to his private expenses.
Debtor stated in answer that he lived at "Ravenshill," for which he paid $100 a month. His Lordship What about your household expenses?
Debtor-They would be about $500 a mouth. His Lordship-What did you pay for your furniture ?
Debtor-I think about $2,000. His Lordship-You know it only realised $900
Debtor-Yes.
It was sold by auction.
His Lordship--Did it not occur to you that you might come out here and start in a simple way and take a furnished house ?
Debtor--The firm was supporting me and I wanted to keep up the respectability of the firm.
His Lordship-What do you put down as the cause of your losing, according to your own showing, the difference between $10,000 stock- in-trade, with which you started business, and an indebtedness now of about $13,000, making abont $23,000 loss.
Debtor-In the first place the installation of new business, heavy losses incurred in chartering steamers, and additional loss by the quarantine of steamers in Manila. Secondly, în consequence of an announcement in the local papers which ruined my credit and caused me to make considerable sacrifices in selling goods.
The debtor bére handed an express
to his Lordship, which he said was circulated in Hongkong, and an announcement to the same effect was published in the local papers. His Lordship read the notice which was as follows
"The public are hereby notified that Messrs. Villa & Lopez, of Barcelona, are in no way connected with the firm of Villa, Lopez & Co., of Hongkong, the members of which latter firm are believed to be Messrs. E. T. Birchal and J. A. Barretto.-Johnson, Stokes and Master, Attorneys for Villa and Lopez, Barcelona."
His Lordship-The solicitors must have had instructions from the firm in Barciona to issue that notice. Have you not had any communica- tion from them to that effect?
Debtor I have not. That was the first
intimation I received. -
His Lordship-It looks rather curious. They said they were in no way connected with your firm
Debtor-I have letters here which will prove that they were connected with us.
His Lordship Did they write to you and say they hail ceased to have connection with you?
.
Debtor-No. I telegraphed to them, but up to now I have received no reply. That was the cause of bankruptcy. It is of course nutrue. His Lordship-Are the firm in Barcelona put down as creditors?
Debtor-I do not recognise them as creditors at all..
His Lordship Your point is that if they had not issued that "express" you would have recognised them as creditors. Can you show me any letter stating that they are partners ?
Debtor No.
His Lordship-I thought you said you had letters to that effect. Who represents them here. Debtor-I do not think they have any repre. sentative.
Debtor here handed in a letter from the Bar. celona firm stating that he was authorised to establish a branch in the Philippine Islands.
His Lordship-That does not give you power to establish a business in Hongkong.
In the course of further examination debtor said he wrote to the firm in Barcelona intimat- ing his intention of starting a branch in Houg kong. He had not got the letter with him which he received in roply.
His Lordship Is it their contention that you are simply their agent
Debtor-They simply want to disconnect me and leave me liable. What I maintain is that they are liable for the losses hore:-
His Lordship-I think I had better adjourn the examination now. The question is whether there shall be an adjudication now.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Debtor's counsel arged that the matter be pushed forward, as debtor was unable to caru his living bore and was only remaining to assist in the collection of the assole.. -
His Lordship said he would adjudicate the debtor and adjouru the examination till the 20th ist.
129
was exceedingly pretty and was deservedly ap- plauded. Much tasto was displayed in the costumes.
Mr. 4. P. Iammert mado a very handsome and imposing Sergeant Kinque and acted the part well. Of his singing it is sufficient to say it was what might be expected from such a capable, vocalist and his song In time of
THE AMATEUR DRAMATIC CLUB AT Pence, introducing the chorus and march men-
THE THEATRE WOYAL
在
:
|
tional above, was excellently roudered. As. Bumblebant, the miser. Dr. F. Chark was I also exceedingly good and acted the greedy old On Saturday evening the Amateár Dramatic zúan's' part, fo' the life. The way in which Club gave a performance of Gilbert and Sulli, he offered his gningas after the spell was, van's Trial by: Jury " precoded by Lilbert's
cast upon him gansed much merriment. Mr. musical fairy tale in one act. Crektures of
W. 8. Frowd RN who took the part hearsal for several weeks, and were produced and his justification of cowardice and his Impulse." Both pieces had been. in fetivo re-
of Peter, displayed gouniuc histrionic ability on Saturday in a manner that well sustained involuntary squaring up were most amusing: the traditions of the Chib and afforded Captain Welman also acted well in the small ́ the most complete satisfaction to a large part of Jacques Mrs. Clark made a very and enthusiastic audience. "Trial by Jury is invested with a certain amount of historic the stage. Pipelle, however, is the character pleasant landlady and was quite at home on interest in Hongkong and its reproduction that affords the nost opportunities, and Mrs. on Saturday was looked forward to with
Welman took full advantage of them, her pleasant anticipation. It was in this amusing. representation of the shy and simple maid operetta that our local amateurs first broke being a really excellent performance and ground in the musical comedy line eighteen oroking much langhter. She also sang with years ago, and several who on that occasion much taste and her song If there is one thing took part in the performance were, on
more than others was warmly encored. Mrs. Saturday evening in the audience as spectators V. A. Casar Hawkins made a charming witch and auditors of the efforts of a younger and acted with much vivacity, and Miss Lam- generation. The 28th March; 1878, was
mert was vory attractive in the small part of Lisa. the date on which "Trial by Jury" was first Altogether the performance was an excellent given in Hongkong. The Choral Societyone and affords no opportunity for fault finding. was then responsible for the production and it was given in the Lusitano Theatre. a pleasant little theatre which now, alas, no longer exists. A most pronounced succoss was achieved, and the Choral Society was justly congratulated upon it. Saturday night's performance was a repetition of the success, and the A.D.C. are equally to be congratulated.
Mr. G. PLatimert. Dr. F. Clark.
For Creatures Impulse" the cast was as follows:- Sergeant Klooque Bombfehardt (a miser). Peter Is young farquer) Mr. W. S. Frowd, R.N. acques (a villager)... Capt. A. Pole Welman, A.S.C. Martha (Landlady of the Three Pigeons) Mrs. Clark. Mrs. Welnitan. A Strange Old Lady Pipette (her niece)
Mrs. V. A. Cusaf Hawkins. Lisa (n peasant).
Miss Lammert. Villagers... Mesdames Cox, Grimble, Metallim, and Woolley; Misses Bain, Clement, Halues, and Humphreys; Messrs. Arustrong, Chapman, Shel- don, Hayward, Lowson, F. Lammert, Meadows, Mirow, Newbury, Sharp, Stevens, Wafmônth, R. Witchell, and J. Witchell.
"
་་
those
+
Creatures of Impulse" is only a trifling little piece. but it is very amusing and on Saturday night was excellently staged.
After a commendably short interval, consider- ing that all the characters had to change, the curtain rose on Trial by Jury," for which the cost was as follows
The Learned Judge... The Plaintill
The Defendant
|
Counsel for the Plaintifl'. Usher
Forenman of the Jury First Bridesmaid
Mr. C', H. Grace. Mrs. Dalrymple. Mr. G. P. Lammert.
Mr. E. A. Mensor. Dr. J. Lowson. Dr. Meadows. Miss Lammert.
Bridemaids, Visitors, &c... Me-dunes Chapman, Cox, Dodwell, Grimble. Hawkins, Inchlaid, McCallum, Velman, and Woolley: Mises Bain, Clements, Holmes, and Humphreys, Comsel, Solicitors, Jurymen, British Public, &c. Messrs. Arnistonig, Pird, Chapman, Duncan, Frowd, Holnes, F. Hayward, R. F. Laumert, T. Lammert, R. W. Mailatul, Mackay, Mirow, H. Newberry, Percival. Sharp, Sheldon, Stevens, Waymouth, Weftuan, I. Witchell, and J. Witchell.
The jury etupunnelled to try the import- ant case was, it may be romarked, a most intelligent e, comprising such well known members of the community as Mr. Thomas Jackson, Mr. E. C. Ray, Mr. Fullerton Henderson. Mr. M. N. Mody, and Mr. G. H. Wheeler, beides a couple of young gentle- men who appeared in proprio persona and an elderly foreman in black kid gloves and of solemn countenance who looked rather like an
undertaker. Amongst the Counsel seated at the table, too, was a representative of Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C., but not quite true to life, because he kept his mouth rigidly
closed and did not come in even as amicus curiæ. Mr. C. H. Grace took as his model of "a Judge and a good Judge too" onr late Chief Justice and tumbled. his wig about his head in an amusingly character- istic style. Altogether the mise en scène was very cleverly conceived and the actors individu. ally showed excellent taste and humour in their differout characters, i
The plot of the piece may be very briefly described. Sergeant Kloogne returns from the wars, covered with glory, to spend a farlongh at his native village and puts up at tho Three Pigeons. At this well appointed in an old lady has taken up her quarters and refuses either to pay or to leave. The landlady explains her trouble to her friends and it is resolved that they shall each try in turns to induce the unprofitable guest] to clear out. The strange old lady, however, turus out to be a witch and she places a spell upon oach of
who interfere with her. Peter, a notorious coward, tho has a great objection to coming in conflict with men but is not afraid to use force to un old woman, is condemued to go on squaring up to every body he meets und inviting them to come on, a prospect which is very repugnant to him because he thinks somebody will hit him. Sergeant Kloque, on the other hand, a fine young fellow who was never afraid of any- thing, is condemned to dodge and duck and say don't to every one. Pipette, a young lady who is so shy that she turns her grandfather's Of Mrs. Dalrympla es The Plaintiff we can portrait to the wall when
dees laudly spunk in forms of tochigh praise." Shedis- her hair, has 10 ask
one; played both vocal and histrionic ability, and to kiss her. Bomblehard. the mit is con- secured the complete sympathy of the audience. domped to give a gaines to every one he meets, both her singing acting being warmly sp and Martha, the landlady, has to turn every planced. She looked charming in her bridal one away from her inn. The unishments costume and in her tearful moods and inflicted by the old lady on her victims when anking love to the jury and dignitaries nattrally give rise to a succession ansing of the court was quite irresistible. Mr. C. H. situations and the piece is full of fun from Graco was excellent as The Learned Judge and beginning to end. The incidental music intro- gave a very fine rondering of the song
"When ducqd was of a very taking character and the I, good friends, was called to the bar." Mr. chorus ably supported the principals, One of the G. P. Lammert was The Defendant and acted features was a march which, though it might and sang well: his song "Oh, gentlemen, listen, have been a little better rehearsed by the ladies, I pray," with chorus by the bridesmaids,
7
V
: