It Happened in Bolivia!

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 986, 31 May 1930, Page 20

It Happened in Bolivia!

Humour in the Law Courts

nnHKn ANGEN’S reputation was i vSACCg? that he was shooting j from the hip—from the \ pjSMMVyf'x pocket like they do in ImSm ISKofi* *h° cinema. He probauiy learned it there.” This was one of the piquant passages in the cross-examination of Mr. Robert Solir, when the much-discussed Bolivia Concessions case came on, for the fourth time, before Mr. Justice McCardie and a special jury. Mr. Solir sued the directors of Bolivia Concessions, Ltd., for alleged deceit, conspiracy and neg-ligrence, and -\vrongrfid dismissal Anions’ the directors are Lord Askwith, K.C., and Sir Martin Conway, M.P. Mr. Sohr declared the company entered into a contract by which he was to be their emigration agent, and that they misrepresented the state of the land to be colonised, which was unsuitable for settlement. Replying in cross-examination to Sir Patrick Hastings, Mr. Sohr said (hat on liis journey into the interior of Bolivia he was accompanied by one of the five settlers. Filming the Mule

| Did you know when you started that j ■a film was taken of your efforts to j : mount the mule? —No. Were you laughing yourself and ; was everybody laughing as you started i off on your expedition? —No. There j was no laughing for me. A vivid description of a scene with the Bolivian manager of the estate \ was described by Mr. Sohr. “Mr. Faugen used strong language I toward me, and I said to him: ‘How I dare you insult me, who have been sent out by the board of directors to investigate what you have done? Howdare you insult me and ignore me? This place is the cemetery of the com pany’s fortune. Look at At. It is a waste: it is deserted.’ “I asked him: ‘How dare you sing the whole night and play the gramo- j phone?’ “I told him that I was not afraid of him. ‘I know- you never eat: your breakfast consists of gin,’ I said. “Mr. Fangen used some bad German oaths. He went for me and I got hold of his silk shirt, * which went to pieces. He looked like a prima donna of the bush. ; “When he tried to get hold of my I revolver I was quicker. I pulled ; the gun out and said, ‘lf you touch !me I shoot.’ Another man said, ‘Give | me your gun,’ and I gave it to him. i and said, ‘it is all right. I am j i sorry.’ ” I The man to whom he gave -the gun j | was the landowner, said Mr. Sohr. “It j

is the habit there,” he explained, “when you stay in a man’s house or on his laud you give him your guns.” Not a “Murderer”

“I am not a murderer,” declared Mr. Sohr later. “I would not have sent out women and children when I knew they would die of all kinds of impossible tilings.”

Sir Patrick Hastings, K.C. (crossexamining: For the purpose of attacking the credit of all the defendants you suggested that the whole of this company was a colossal fraud?— I said this company is a fraud, and I want to go and sue them for it. Did you know that Mr. Campbell (the chairman) is a very old gentleman. nearly 80? —He was very 1 young and energetic when he was telling things, active from morning till night. When you went to the office he was in, even on Derby Day. “You. can’t catch me; I know you are a most eminent man,” said Mr. Sohr, when Sir Patrick was putting further, questions to him. Mr. Justice McCardie: Is that correct, Sir Patrick? Sir Patrick Hastings: I will have inquiries made. “You want to squeeze me in a corner,” exclaimed Mr. Sohr to Sir Patrick, iater. Sir Patrick Hastings: i should hate to squeeze you in a corner. A Diary Revelation Sir Patrick Hastings read the following as the conclusion of the entries in a diary kept by Mr. Solir: “Thanks to God, I close this book on Sunday, May 9,192 G, with the greatest success of my life ready within a few days to be an accomplished fact.” “What was the greatest success of your life —getting this contract with Bolivia Concessions, Ltd.?” asked Sir Patrick. Mr. Sohr: Yes. Sir Patrick: And that is the thing about which you say these gentlemen with unblemished records have swindled you. Sir Patrick repeatedly protested that Mr. Sohr made long statements in answer to his questions. "I do hope, my lord,” he said, addressing Mr. Justice McCardie, “that I am being patient. I have never had an experience like this before.” “You are wearing me to a shadow.” he said to Mr. Sohr. Mr. Sohr: Your reputation is well known. You are very, very sharp. The hearing was adjourned.