["Quarter Sessions", Broome Chronicle (WA), Saturday 26 June 1909]
Quarter Sessions
Wednesday--Friday, June 16, 17 and 18, 1909.
Before the R.M. and Messrs. R. Gray and Archie Male, Js.P.
Alleged Receiving Of A Pearl.
(Continued from last issue.)
Mider said he was a pearler, and a partner with accused, carrying on business in Broome; have five boats; went to India for a trip in April, 1907, and returned in October; left accused to manage business; when he came back he had a conversation with accused about pearl; he said he bought a pearl and sold it to Davis for £400 to Davis; he also said he had some more pearls on hand, and showed me some pearls and barroque; told him to sell them to Mr. Davis, and he got £120 to £130 for them;..
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from something he heard from the crew came into Broome and saw accused and Janis; asked if it was true he had been getting some pearls from Mr. Percy's schooner; he replied that Bacchi the diver brought a pearl and gave it to accused; then asked accused if the Pearl came from Percy's station; he said "Yes," and that he had given it to Mr. Davis for £400 advance; witness asked him what sort it was, and said a single button;..
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A. Davis, pearler and resident manager and attorney for M. Rubin; know the members of the firm Mider and Co; Dean is a partner with Janis; Miden and Co are customers of ours; their boats are mortgaged to us.
Mr. Coleman: How are they with you financially?
Witness: I decline to disclose that.
Mr. Coleman pressed the question and the Bench ruled that Mr. Davis must answer it.
Witness: The firm of Mider and Co owe us over £2,500; in 1907 the account was bad, and it has been bad ever since; further security was required, and the jewellery business of Janis and Co. was taken; the stone was handed to us for sale in September, 1907, but we could not agree on a price, and it was agreed that the stone should be sent on consignment to London; an agreement (copy produced) was drawn up and Dean signed it on behalf of Miden and Co; the further draft read was a ratification of that agreement; there was nothing secret on the part of Dean; it was an ordinary bona fide business transaction all through; paid Dean £400 in advance; it was a 64 1/16 grain high round button pearl, and was in its natural state; can tell if a stone has been cleaned; pearl merchants call a cleaned pearl a made pearl;...
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