An interesting application as to the disposal of six diamond rings, with intent to defraud the complainant, issued forged, false and bogus native bank orders, and worthless cheques and promissory Det.-Sgt. Beer was present for the Police, Mr. H. D. Rodger represented complainants, and Messrs. K. E. Newman and J. E. Lemiere acted for the defence of the two pawnshops.
Det.-Sgt. Beer gave evidence of the finding of the diamonds under a Mixed Court search warrant.
Mr. Newman submitted that the search could have been carried out in an entirely different way than it was. His clients were convinced that it was not properly carried out. The diamonds had come to them in an entirely business way and, he asked, if his clients did not own them, since they had paid the full price for them, who did? They would like to know to whom the diamonds belonged. lhe pawnshops had committed no crime in respect of their receipt of the valuables as they had been purchased from different persons. Pawnshops throughout the Settlement now all feared that they would be similarly searched by the Police and be compelled to surrender goods for which they had legally paid. Mr. Newman submitted that the diamonds should ba returned to the pawnshops.
Mr. Lemiere suggested that the diamonds remain in the hands of the police if they were not returned to the pawnshops. Ho suggested the latter course.
Det.-Sgt. Beer, re-called by Mr. Rodger, said that the search had been carried out in an entirely proper way. Witness conducted the search himself and there were with him Messrs. van Bessen, Stripen, MacDonald and Rodger and two Chinese detectives. All searches had been carried out the way this one was conducted.
Continuing, witness said that the master was out at the time of the search, but the accountant was in. a diamond brooch, and five, The master was sent for and when diamonds seized from the Tong! request was made, the books were Yih Pawn Shop, 114 Swatow Road, very willingly produced. He could and a pair of diamond earrings not tell from where the diamonds seized from the Wei Yuen Pawn! were produced, but when they Shop, 236 Shanse Road, was made were shown to him, he and Mr. by the Police before Magistrate Van Bessen examined them.
Li and Mr. Davis (American Asses-In answer to Mr. Lemiere as to sor) at the Mixed Court on Th whether the warrant was for the day morning. books, witness said that before one The complainants in the case, get the property one was obliged Messrs. R. and D. Goldmuntz, a to go through the books.
Belgian' fin, 25 Jinkee Road, Mr. Newman—I would like—. alleged that the managers of the two pawnshops "unlawfully and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.