Guilty "Crawley, it can't be done in Amica: it can't be done in anyway by American Judge Muto Court for China on Friday when he found Knight M. Crawley guilty of obtaining money by false pretences. considerable interest all over China.
In a seathing recital, Judge Purdy delivered his judgment immediately] after Dr: G. Sellett, the District Attorney, had addressed the Court, on behalf of the United States America and counsel for the defence had delivered effective speeches on behalf of the accused. Amidst an impressive silence the learned Judge in the over crowded Cot will say from all the evidence in this]
tion that this defendant is guilty of the offence charged and I find him guilty an all counts on the information.
Convicted Themselves'
I think it is only proper that should refer to one or two of the many matters that have forced me to that conclusion. In the first Place, it often happens in a criminal ease, I think, that the defendant's Witnesses convict themselves, as they have: done in this case and 1 think that these contracts, No. 2 and No. 15 are forgeries. I have not the least particle of doubt that the names of the complaining. witnesses were added to these contracts that have been offered in evidence for defence, and that - they fare tracings of exhibit 9, so far fas the signature of M. D, Yang concerned. I cannot possibly—come to any other conclusion.
have examined them very] carefully this morning before the arguments int Thave examined them through a glass and have taken into considerati¢n the experts who have testified on behalf the defence and the experts who have testified on behalf of the government and they all convince me beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sigraturjes on these two contracts—that have teen offered in evidenco—of Yang] and Crawley are rank forgeries, They are tracings. 5 Tt is Impossibie—absolately imtwo. signatures be so identical as the signatures of Yang and Crawley on exhibits 15 and 2 The spacing good] of the letters: the length the word: the length of the signature: the length of the initials: even to] the period "correspond absolutely. Anyone in this Courtroom need only sit down and write their name and then immediately write their nam in and it will be impossible for signatures to appear identical fs thave signatures appear. Certain, Ly they won't append Wentleal if Major Holcomb has submitted certain of his T'presume, amongst other things, that Major Holcomb is a different man entirely from this complaining} witnees—so far as signing signatures concerned. dated Jaly 7,—the cheques of Major Holcomb,—there are differences in spacing that are apparent to the eye: without measuring, It is marked that the space of the entire signature are approximately the same. Yes! Two signatures written on the same day probably one after the other on July 7, 1928, are apparently the same to the eye but anyone giving them the most casual inspection can soo that they are not identical Then, they have other charnel teristics showing the character of the signature which these signatures on the contracts do not bear.
Widler Just as Guilty There is no: other conclusion which Tecan come: to than that this man Widler is as guilty as Crawl even more so. He is the man who framed this thing up after ho had gotten his friend into this trouble—while he was in Japan—and I think, from Widler's testimony, his demeanour on the stand,-that on two occasions he deliberately testified falsely in the presence of the Court. How I can have any respect or confidence in such man's testimony, I cannot understand.
Tt is a rule which judges give to juries when they find a man deliberately testifying falsely in any material matter in a ease, that they} fare justified in rejecting the entire testimony except they may find corroborated by other credible and worthy testimony which they believe. cannot place the least particle of confidence in Widler's testimo cause he has. deliberately: falsified] material portions of his evidence while upon the witness stand.
The man Slevin, about whom not much has been said, testified referring to the Chinese, Yang. The whole manner of his testimony such as it is diffeult for a Court or jury to believe, When he testified to this complaining witness going] to his office some time in August—why, it is to his rom up on the top floor of the Ezra Building that he is referring to. "Blowing in' ashe says because he-left the door wide open and then the only evidence he has to support' that assertion is the Il eard'of this man Yang.
Of course, he had a card, can are easy to get. Widler had a and when Crawley got back here al found himself in trouble,'he had to have something to sustain this. vest transaction the way he had concocted it
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.