Actions arising from Opera, given a local setting. If, Rigoletto v. Duke-'Mantua.—Sensational Development-Charge of Abduction—Proceedings in Mixed Court, The action of Signor Sylvestro Rigoletto, Maitre de Ballet at the Cafe Highlife, against Mr, Dukes mantua for damages for alienating the affections of) Miss Gilda Rigoletto, took a most sensational turn yesterday when a criminal charge of abduction was lodged against the defendant, Inspector Garters, after proving arrest, asked for a remand for one week, ly there would be a further charge preferred against the ace cused—that of cating garlic. This wag vigorously opposed by Mr. Lo, of Messrs. Hi, Lo, Jack and Game, who represented—Duke-Mantua. The Saharan Assessor, (Mr. Desert Sands) after a lengthy conference with the Magistrate, ordered—the hearing to proceed, "Mr, Lo then Gisputed the jurisdiction of the court over accused, claiming that Duke-Mantua was an Eskimo citizen, He read a letter from the Eskimo Consul-General, stating that the accused had been' "naturalized the day before, after having slept two nights on the ice and eaten 15 Ab, of gum drops; and peremptorily demanding that the case be tran: ferred to his consular court.
Mr. Desort Sands reminded Mr. Lo that he had accepted the jurisdiction of the court in respect of the civil proceedings which had now been dragging for a month. He was not prepared to recognize the claim to Eskimo nationality without evidence that the accused had passed the Aurora Borealis and Polar Bear tests. In the meantime, the Court would hear the charge, Miss Gilda Rigoletto, 18, of 52b, Quitesome Gardens, Hongkew, entered the witness box and deposed that since the death of her mother, she had kept house for her father at the above address, assisted by fan aged duenna. Her domestic duties allowed her very little time for play. Her father slept most of the day and returned from work.
the small hours of the morning when if the spaghetti was not to his liking, she heard from him about it. In answer to the Assessor, she denied that her father was cruel to her. He was greatly overworked, it being necessary for him to think up a new name each week for the same dances. He was badly underpaid, and it was difficult to make both ends meet.
"Cross-examined by Mr, Lo, she denied that she had voluntarily accompanied the accused to a roof garden, He had forced his way into their home; and as he had a fine tenor voice, she had invited him to call. again. As to the - roof garden episode, despite her protestations that she might not leave the house for fear that the spaghetti would be ruined, he had bundied her up in a bed quilt, tucked "her under his arm and boarded a bus with her. Arrived at the roof garden, she had been so unwise as to drink a glass of sarsaparilla and had lost consciousness, She had awakened to see her father bending over her. He had taken her home.
Signor Rigoletto then corroborated. the finding of his daughter ili the company of the scoused on the roof garden. Accused had accounted for his daughter's condition. by stating that they had danced too much.
Lo subjected the witness to a examination, in which it developed that Rigoletto was formerly employed by Duke-Mantua to write jokes for him, this being but a mask for the accused's real profession—that of a tendance hound. " Witness' duties had been to g0 from lounge to lounge and secure good place for the accused from which to ogle the Indies. Witness had no love for the accused and had kept him in ignorance of his address on account of Miss Gilda, Mr. Lo then exploded a bombshell by calling Emilio Sparafucile, professional bravo known to the police as "The Bolshy Boy." Witness deposed that after the roof garden episode, Rigoletto had called upon him for an estimate to Duke-Mantua. Mr. Lo demande that a counter-charge of conspiracy to murder be lodged against Rigolotto. The latter was stoutly denied the charge futile had mentioned ike of Duke-Mantua and witness had thereupon suggested that if he (Sparafucile) were to give Duke-'Mantua a thick ear, no tears would be shed and there might be a for him, Mr, Desert Sands hereupon ordered the hearing to be stopped and directed that Sparafucile taken into custody on the charge of perjury and that Rigoletio also he held as a material witness. Mis:
hysterically pleaded for hee ther's release, passionately protesting that otherwise she must on spaghetti for a year. The Court was much moved and admitted Rigoletto to bail in the sum of Ts. 500 which was furnished by Mr. I Showemhow, manager of the Cafe Highlife. Duke-Mantua was at the same time released on his own cognizances, The hearing of the perjury charge against Sparafucile has been set down for next. week.
Stop Press: The community has been arouse by the dastardly murder of Miss Gilda Rigoletto, Mr. Duke-Mantua has voluntarily surrendered to the police, disclaiming any knowledge if the deed. The police, who have hitherto kept secret the escape of Sparafucile from custody, suspect that he the criminal and have asked the Chapei Authorities to assist in his apprehension. The management of the Cafe Highlife extend their sympathy to the bereaved father and announce the suspension their cabaret until further notices the annual report of the Hankow Br ish Municipal Council, is mentioned that "the observer at the Grifith John College is about to publish his meteorological records for the past ten years. The records of even ten years are of very considerable value in weather forecasting in this, the continental, type of climate. The rainy seasons (monsoons) can be well predicted, the average temperatures, winds and pressures are now know! with reasonable certainty. This publication will constitute the most, important record hitherto made of the climate of Central China Yangtze Valley."
We have received a copy of the first issue of a now Chinese weekly journal, the "Independent, which is a one sheet paper.. Apart from containing editorials, telegrams, outport and local news, a excellent cartoon is published. This represents a Bolshevik Rugsian sitting on a temple platform, bold-1 in one hand several rifles and and boy and girl students, all of 10m, it would appear, are praying for either or both of these igs. The caption is "The Power of the Money Ged of Russia." The "Independent" fs essentially an anti-Bolshevik paper and will without doubt be received with acclamation by the Chinese community whole.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.