Commenting on the manner in which accused gave his evidence, Mr, Newman suggested that the jury must have been favourably impressed. He did not make a good witness, Very few truthful witnesses did, But instead of saying "I don't know"—the pet answer of a guilty man—he tried to find answers for the many hypothetical questions which were put to him. Speaking of Kentwell's failure Gischarge Dzung when some of his actions were open to criticism, Mr, Newman pointed out that omission to do what in the light of after event's was seen to be the ight thing to do aid' mot make Mr. Newman, next dwelt upon the question of Kentwell's know-edge of what was going on in his houses, and, that these things lit "be done without his know-edge, recalled a celebrated case in Shanghai history, a case wherein counterfeiting apparatus was found in the cellar at the residence of well known gentleman, who of course knew nothing at all about it.
Dealing with some finer _points tending to show the absurdity of the whole thing, Mr. Newman, observed that the witnesses for the prosecution had told the truth to a great extent, except when they got! to the point' when Kentwell had to be brought in, in order that they might eseupe liability themselves. As to where the remainder of the notes had gone to, Mr. Newman suggested the extreme probability of this being known to Tsu Sing-eng, who was the sole of the notes.
Was it possible, Mr. continued, that for the paltry $975, Kentwell by handing out forged notes which were appallingly bad, would be "spotted" at once, and easily traced back to him?
"Kentwell is either inno in it right up to Newman concluded: with all the energy and vehemence of which T am capable, that on the evidence before you, you have got to acquit Kentwell. "You must, and T know you will, Mr. Kentwell's Household closing speech for the the Crown Advocate submitted that if Kentwell was an entirely innocent person, the gang of forgers who made use of his house at Warren Road took unnecessary risks, Having taken this country house, accused allowed it to be staffed with servants chosen for him by Dung, servants whom he did not pay," who were inefficient, and who' were engaged in forging' notes. The Chinese who used Mr, Kentwell's attic in-making their photographs must have been a very lucky crowd indeed, for never once did Mr. Kentwell, on his way up to the roof garden to enjoy the surrounding view, discover what they were doing in the attle—in which event he would, of course, have communicated with' the police, The gang thus took. an entirely unnecessary risk.
With regard to the interview at which accused handed over the three people act ly did visit the house on the in question, and they were Tsu himself, accused, and the houseboy. If Kentwell had nothing at all do with the matter, why should Tsu have been so persistent in wishing to see him? Why go to see the accused at all if the notes were stowed away in the lumber room on the ground floor? It had been suggested that one of the Tsus engaged Kentwell in conversation while the other was below, getting the notes from the lumber room, but when this would, only have taken a few minutes the man upstairs would be an ass to wait half an hour to see Kentwell. Another point made by Counsel was that Tsu could not get a Mixed Court sentence reduced by five minutes merely because he might tell the court that Kentwell was engaged in the forgery.
His Lordship:—Surely any Court] would take into consideration, in sentencing an admitted forger, the fact that he was able to prove he was not the moving spirit in the forgery.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.