A JUDGE OF LIARS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1932, Page 6

A JUDGE OF LIARS

“CIRCUMSTANTIAL” AND “TIMID” AND THE ARTISTIC.”

WITNESS WHO “STORMED HEAVEN.”

LONDON, January 9. Observations on tiie various kinds of liars were made by Mr Justice Meredith in the Dublin Court when hearing an action brought against Emilio Scala, winner of the.lrish sweepstake in the Grand National. “The conflict of evidence,” declared the judge, ,“is almost unprecedented. J have heard a large number of witnesses whose code of morality and whose veracity equation makes them quite different from any assemblage of witnesses with which anything l have hitherto tried has made me familiar. “Yet the impression produced on my mind,” proceeded his lordship, “was not altogether unfavourable as regards

many of tbe witnesses. I am reminded of the well-known lines of Ryron beginning, ‘We were of all tongues and

creeds.’ I would like to insert two lines before tbe last, and make the passage conclude: .

Some were sellers, some were buyers, Nearly all were priceless liars (laughter) Yet through the wide world you might search Nor find a mother crew nor blither. (Laughter).

“On neither side have I to deal with a pack of unmitigated ruffiians who have come into Court to commit perjury for the sake of gain. On the contrary, I have received an unconquerable impression that both sides have a general belief that the real merits and the real justice of the case are with them.

Mrs Apicella, in the witness box, held an interesting and attractive set of beads in her hand quite nnostentatously, and as she was sworn she took care to place the cross on the Hook. I am convinced that" Mrs Apicella had been attending Mass regularly, and had stormed the heavens with prayers that this case might be won, and that she trusts her prayers will he answered. 1 am convinced that that is so, whether she perjured herself in the box or not.”

Continuing, the judge said Scala’s evidence that he did not dictate an agreement to Mrs Apicella must be definitely rejected. “The word ‘signed,’ ” he remarked, “was not in that previous agreement, but it was in the three agreements between Scale and his relatives. I regard this as conclusive evidence that this agreement in its original form was dictated by Scale, and, as he was very circumstantial in his denial, I must regard his statement as a deliberate falsehood.

“Persons -who give false" testimony are almost invariably consistent in their method of living. There are the artistic liars--,who endeavour to gain credit hv being in the main perfectly truthful, occasionally even making apparently damaging admissions, and reserving the lies for some essentials

I “Then there are the timid liars, who are reluctant to tell a lie if it can be ; helped, and who prefer to evade or forget. Mr Scala is one of the type that adopt the policy of taking the hull by the horns. He never minces matters. He consistently seeks to cut the ground completely from under his opponents' feet.

“There are some litigants who cannot leave a good case alone. They must improve and eopper-fasten their case. I have no doubt Scala is such a litigant. Rut r must not jump to the conclusion that Scala is not entitled to win on the true facts just because he has personally made a number of false statements.”