The sensationed Canton Road Opium case has concluded. On Friday ast, leading counsel on both sides delivered their final addresses, and all that remains is the verdict of Messrs.
A. J. Martin (British Assessor) and Kuan Chun (senior Chinese magistrate).
The Defence.
Dr. -Sellett, on behalf of Yih, opened. He detailed the charg and mentioned the two com Plainants, N. E. B, Ezra, an allezed Spanish protege, and a man nar: ed Dadanashvilli, a Gorgian subject. Going back to the raid at 61, Canton Road, counsel comphasised that all the opium found there, with the exception of 25 Ib, of Indian growth, was Persian, Counsel said that he would not attempt to investigate all the evidence, because he thought. that nine-tenths of it was irrelevant and immaterial. He would take Ezra first; and then went on to relate how Ezra fled a petition on January 7 claiming that Dadanashvill and self were the joint owners of the cargo of opium' that had disap peared. Two or three months later it was discovered that Ezra was not going to have his case tried before the tribunal he thought. Then he revealed his position. He stated that Mr, Fishman called him to investigate the loss Dadanashvilli's valuable cargo, Ezra, continued Dr. Sellett, had himself been engaged as an opium dealer 15 years ago. Then, for some Feason, he turned reformer, After all this time, he was found to be ar-sisting Dadanashvilli in recovering damages for the loss of a valuable cargo of opium, and he (Ezra) was to profit by $65,000, Ezra took advice of counsel—and even someone higher than mere counsel—and signed an agreement with Dadanashvilli, an agreement which, according to' American Jaw, was an illegal Regarding the point as to whether holder of a Dill of lading could be considered the owner of the goods covered by the document, counsel contended that the posses. sion of a bill had no significance whatever so far as ownership of the property was concerned.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.