An interesting story of an invention by a Russian was related in the Mixed Court on Wednesday when Mr. N. Ivanow (Senior Consul's Assessor) sat with Mr. Tsang, Magistrate. The case was one in which a Russian, by name Jakor Scrulevich, sued Liang Cheng-chien and Kwauk Dzi-song for two months' salary on the ground of wrongful dismissal. Mr. A. N. Fishman appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. T. C. Leong, a Chinese barrister-at-law who recently returned from London, was for the defendants.
At the outset Mr. Leong intimate ed that he would like to ask for an adjournment as his clients and others intended to enter a counterclaim. He said that his clients were approached by a British subject named Goldenberg and an American named Katz who introduced to them the plaintiff, Serulevich, and asked them to finance a special invention which the plaintiff had. Plaintiff agreed to give the invention to the Chinese.
Defendants then took plaintiff into their employ and paid him a salary of $200 a month for eight months. During this time it was found that he had no actual invention. He had an unfinished article, had no materials or tools for use and the company had to finance him in these. The company, as a result had sustained losses of thousands of dollars. At the end of the eight months, Mr. Goldenberg, seeing that. plaintiff did not carry out his part of the contract, dismissed him. As Mr. Goldenberg was away, Mr. Leong asked for an adjournment in order that his evidence might be taken, Mr. Tvanow—The application is refused.
Mr. Leang—On what ground?
Mr. Ivanow—The application is refused and no counter-claim can be brought against plaintiff.
Mr. Leang—I repeat my question, sir, on what ground? I am entitled to ask for an adjournment and am entitled also to file a counterclaim.
After more argument, the Assessor consulted with the Magistrate and an adjournment for a week was ordered.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.