108
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the Government would be found to be equally liable for the legal expenses of the former suit. He declared that "A-Hok would most probably succeed in convincing a jury that the Government did in fact so support and countenance him in making a claim against Mr. Belilios as to render the Government liable to indemnify A-Hok for those costs." The Acting Attorney General reminded the Government that if they should unsuccessfully contest A-Hok's claim, there would be another heavy bill of costs for the Government to pay. He therefore advised that the Government should agree to pay to A-Hok $11,200, (that is $17,700 less the $6,500 which he had received from Mr. Belilios) and the taxed costs (which were found to amount to $9,351.70) of the suit A-Hok v. Belilios. The Acting Attorney General then pointed out that the Government would thus be in a favourable position to bring in their claims against Mr. Belilios for the sum $11,200 or a portion of it; though the cost of the suit would be irrecoverable and must be written off as a dead loss to the Government.
While intimating that some portion of the expenses, at least, might be recoverable from Mr. Belilios, the Acting Attorney General did not hesitate to show why the Government would do wisely to come to some compromise with Mr. Belilios which would avoid the necessity of going to law. He quoted the following extract of a letter from Mr. Chatham to Mr. Belilios dated June 14th, 1898. This letter did certainly not tend to strengthen any claim of the Government against Mr. Belilios.
Regarding the extra cost (that is,
over