SLIMY SEARL

NZ Truth, Issue 160, 11 July 1908, Page 6

SLIMY SEARL.

BADLY BUMPED BY LYONS.

Edward J, Searl is a person who has loomed large m the piublic eye for many years and hag earned a highly-spiced reputation as a caterer for the gastronomic requirements of man, and it may be added, with a touch of delicacy, for woman, too ! But it is mainly m his character as a financier of the first water that the Searl man is best known, as his reputation, like unto that of the Rothschilds, has been tested m the fiery, furnace of public approval, and, needless to say, like that of the Rothschilds, the Searl reputation for stability remaineth untarnished BY A SINGLE SPOT. Such is fame, and when oaeThos. P. Lyons, a plebeian, merely a cabby, a Jehu forsooth, persuaded the illustrious Searljc which name might be construed into ! . S. Earl, son of an Earl— or feon of a gun or some other offensive weapon— to shed some of his brilliance on the cabby person, that driver of gee-gees dou,b!tless felt, like Searl, that his fortune was made. But somehow Caibby Lyons appeared to have paid dearly for the pleasure of /basking m the sunshine of'thc arrogant Searl, with the result that cabßy said things which offended the delicate ears of Searl. 'Of course a religious paper like "Truth" does ,not preUend to say whether the utterances of the cabby were truthful or not, but leaves its readers to gather "any opinion they like. The words to which superiah Searl objected were alleged to have been uttered at that famous meeting 1 of Searl' s creditors, when the slimy and slippery chap got a hell of a doing. " Searl was so mesmerised at the fearful words that he felt knocked . into a cocked hat and rushed oft to the Supreme Court attended by Barrister Dunn, claiming £1000 as damages from the cabby Lyons, who m turn was attended by Mr Skerrett, K.O. and Mr Bunny. A lot of evidence was given hv Searl and his attendant witnesses, to show how terrible was the cabby's accusation, and the purport of the defence was a denial of the unpleasant assertion. Incidentally it may be stated, that a lot of talk took place over AN ALLEGED ABORTION, . said to have been procured, or performed by one of Searl's employees, but which that worthy denied all Knowledge of, though m examination by, Mr Dunn he stated that it would be dangerous; for him to express himself by denying the allegation. Lyons sard to Searl, "Sack the giril," arid , Ssarl replied, "Do you call yourself aVblanky man ?" Lyons replied, " £ou seem to be the only man here." Searl replied, "If she goes I go too." and Lyons said, . "Then 'I'll co three. I .' ■„ A lot of evidence was adduced by Lyons and his witnesses to show that Searl had stated he would damage May's kitchen range-rSearl previously occupied May's premisesVso that they could not open. It wa*s"" also stated that Searl said he would beat Hannah over his case by entering his premises at night and returning , certain electric light fittings for which the superiah Searl was being sued by Hannah. , Then it was alleged '■ t THAT SEARL TOOK CASH from the cash register, diij altogether a lot of hard things were said of the Searl; or Ear) m connection with the partnership with the cabfoy man. . Needless to say Searl stoutly, emphatically, aggressively, constantly, loudly, frantically, methodically, dramatically and forcibly' denied the truth ; . of all the assertions made by tne Lyou wj/feesses, and his whole air was one ofJ'Everyone but me is,,a liar." However, after the jury had. listened to what was a most interesting narrative from the witnesses, counsel's addresses, and, Mr - Cooper's , summing-up, they retired and quickly returned with a verdict m favor of the) plebeian ca'frhy Lyons, so that the - superiah , Searl' went out on his pink ' ear, and will doubtless now feel more Surly than ever. "Truth" has nothing to add, except that a person who manages to- have four ' bankruptcies m fourteen years is a most remarkable person.