Liu Kun-kuan was then called upon to tell his story. He related that on the day in question at noon she was on duty at the Post Office. Mr. Weatherbe went to the Post Office and got a parcel and witness asked him to go to the Octroi "that the parcel could be examined for taxation—purposes. Mr. Weatherbe refused and went to his ear. He put his parcel into the ca and then assaulted witness, striking him on the chest with "his fist. Then Mr, Wentherbe tried to go into his car and witness got hold of ubis chauffeur. Mr. Weatherbe, who shad in the meantime got into the ear, slapped witness on the face, drawing blood, and afterwards a Chinese policeman came up arid separated them. Taking the parcel out of the car, witness still tried to persuade Mr. Weatherbe- to go to the Octroi, but the defendant, who still declined to do so, tried to drive away. The car began to -move off and. witness, who tried to prevent the car from leaving, was" knocked down by it. Mr. Weatherbe drove off into the Legation Quarter, leaving behind hig chauffeur and the parcel. Both were later on taken to the Chief of the Octroi, Mr. Tung.
"Phe complainant was then eross-examined at considerable length by Mr. Kent and.was occasionally interrogated by his Honour. This soecupied more than two hours, in the course of which he recapitulated shis story at least a dozen times, Did Complainant Use Force?
Replying to Mr. Kent, he said that his injuries felt painful after the assault and he was under medical treatment for more than two weeks. We denied that he had ever pushed, truck or threatened Mr. Weatherbe and asserted that the greatest degree of force he employed was to beckon' Mr. Wentherbe in the Gireetion of the Octroi and pluck him by the sleeve. On two previous foceasions, he said, Mx. Weatherbe "had been' to the Post. Office and on those occasions, although the defendant had paid no tax, there had not been any trouble.
Mr, Kent suggested that on this -oceasion the complainant had made up his mind that he would compel Mr, Weatherbe to pay the tax and Lit Kun-yean admitted that this was so. He denied, however, the uugeestion that he had arranged for one or two colleagues to be ready to give assistance.
His Honour asked the complain-fant to state exactly what his duty was and the latter said that he was apposed to direct to the Octroi Office people who got parcels from the Post Office.
The first witness called by the complainant, was the Chinese police man. who intervened towards the end. of the. dispute. This man said away and did not hear Mr. Weatherbe call for assistance.
The Court at this stage adjourned for tiffin.
Chauffeur's Alleged "Confession When the hearing was resumed this afternoon several more witnesses were called to give cor roborative evidence. One.of them, 'Mz, Shang Yen-sun, an Octroi inspector, bore out the statement earlier made by the complainant to the effect that Mr. Weatherbe struck him more than' 10 times." This witness said that a. policeman told. Mr. Westherbe to stop hitting the complainant, but, in spite of this, Mr. Weatherbe -still continued to assault him.
Mr, Shang handed up to the Bench a document which he said was a "confession" made by Mr. Weatherbe's chauffeur after he was taken to the Octroi office.
His Honour said he could not accept this as evidence as long it was possible for the chauffeur: himself to be called as a witness.
Mr, Kent mentioned at this stags that" the police went to Mr. Weatherbe's house two days ago to arrest the chauffeur without a warrant and, for some reason, they demanded @ guarantor. "As far as we fare concerned," Mr. Kent declared, "no obstacle has been put in the way of this man's coming to give evidence. We have tried to get him to come and he does not want to."
It was stated that the chauffeur was somewhere about the premises and "his Honour indicated that, if the complainant wished, the man could be called to give evidence.
The "Confession" Might Ditfe Mr. Shang then caused some amusement by suggesting that, if the chauffeur were called at this stage, it was quite likely that would make a different "confession" altogether. The complainant eventually decided that he would dis. pense with this particular piece of evidence und the case proceeded.
During the latter part of the afternoon Mr. Shang, who had been frequently interjecting onthe complainant's behalf, was permitted to sit near the latter and assist him. Tt had already been explained to the Chinese authorities, his Honour why it was not possible to permit the appearance of a Chinese:
The hearing will be continued tomorrow morning—Revter's Paeifle service,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.