Harbin, Aug. 3.
The Local Lower Court was Jilled with journalists during the hearing of am action for libel brought by a Russian employee of the Superior Court against the editor of the "Novosti Zhizni." 'This employee had been previously arrested by the Public Prosecutor of the Higher Court on the charge of having stolen the Seal of the President of the Court, but he was released by order of the Minis' of Justice at Peking. The "Yovo. Ghiznt" gave details of what the man was said to have done, and also particulars about his previous cavees, alleging that he had swindled money out of a flour milling and foreign exporting company when acting as cashier. According to Chinese law there is no such thing as criminal libel, but, according to Statue 163 of the Code of Laws, it is not permitted to defame a man's character, even when what is written about him true. The editor of the "Novosti Zhi: produced documentary evidence and argued that the fact that the Public Prosecutor had the man arrested upon a further charge showed that he had no character to lose.
The Judge, however, said he was forced to abide by the law and that he had no alternative but to enter a conviction and impose the minimum fine of $30. On the same one of the proprietors of the "Novosti Zhizni? sued the ed of the "Dalnyvostockny Vermnye for libel. The latter said that the "Novosti Zhizni? first attacked his paper, which was running @ lottery in order to increase its circulation. In this case a fine of $50 was imposed, it being soon over, for, when the plaintifis counsel wished to put forward his argument, the Judge told him to cut it short and judgement was given immediately afterwards. It is most probable that both cases will go the Superior Court, for the defendant in the first case is not satisfied, whilst in the second both plaintiff and defendant wish to appeal against the decision.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.