The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-12-12
Murderers Convicted.

- aFNS4AA err u NlAGNiA ANllA y TIC AstAAl
Of Hawaii was held at Hilo on the 18th ult, His
Honor c. c. Harris, Justice Of the Supreme Court
presiding. Hon. f. S. Lyman. Circuit Jadge, and His
Excellency Attorney General Stanley appearing for
the Crown. The principal trial was that Of KAau-
kAi. KAApnhi and Xiii. on the 18th indicted for the
murder. on the 18th Of July last. in the district Of
Hilo, Of an old couple. named KahlkikalA aud Kane
h~uuamOku. For the purpose Of obtaining Sufficient
evidence for a conviction, q HOHs proseqai was en-
tered as 10 Xiii. and after a careful trial. the jury
brought in a unanimous verdict Of guilty against the
other two accused. In consequence Of confessions
made by the murderers after sentence. one Kepio, .
celebrated Kahuna, has been implicated and arrested,
and committed for trial at the January term Of the
Supreme Court at Honolulu.
On the prisoners Kaaukai and Kaapuni being
called up for sentence. they were told that now was
the opportunity if they had anything to say why
sentence of the law should not be pronounced against
them. Both spoke st some length, declaring that
they did not commit the murders. and duplicating
KepiO. The presiding Judge. addressing kaaukai
and Kaapuni, then said
The whole Of this investigation developes a woeful
state Of morals among you. According to your story
as you give il now, your own father, the father that
begat u and brought you up, is willing to sell your
life for $40. For TEN dollars. as you say, he has
charged you with this murder, and sheltered the man
who you say committed il; and she whom you call
your mother, and who is your step-mother, your
fathers wife, has joined with him in swearing your
life away. And for you, Kaapuni, you say YOU
Joined with Xiii in q plot TO swear that kaaukai COM
mitted this deed, and thereby bring him 20 the gall
lows, though you now say that you knew nothing Of
that which you before detailed with so much particu-
larity.
"a jury Of your countrymen, after listening to the
most positive testimony OF your own friends and reia-
tives, and to what you, kaapuni, now admit to have
been your own deliberate confession, have found that
you two young and healthy men, capable of earning
an abundant living for yourselves. in a community
where your labor is in demand and well remunerated,
enyied these elderly people the little store which they
had by thrift and industry laid by for themselves,
and coveted it to the degree that you were willing TO
rob them not only Of they money but of their lives.
You, Kaaukai, a man OF mature years, having a
family Of your own, have, as the jury believe, persu-
AIDED two young mer, boys in comparison with your
self, to embark in this uefarious enterprise. Their
guilt is not lessened by the fact that your temptation
first suggested the crime 20 them. 1t is too frequent
for Hawaiians to say that this man or this woman
persuaded them to commit an offence, and by that to
hold themselves absolved from all responsibility in
the matter. Their guilt, as I have said, is not less
ened. but yours is increased, for, in addition to plan
ming and executing the crime, you have drawn them
into the commission Of q most atrocious murder.
81 warn you both that you may not hope for any
Communication of the sentence which is now about TO
be passed upon you. l therefore entreat you that
you use the short time that will be allowed you to
prepare yourselves to meet your death; and for that
purpose you listen earnestly to those religious in
structors that may endeavor TO %enlighten your con-
science, to bring you to a sincere repentance for the
sins which you have committed during life, and for
the crimes for which you are about 20 suffer.
"Kihi, you are no less guilty than Kaaukai and
Kaapuui, and no less deserving of punishment, and
that punishment death. But it frequently happens
that to promote the ends of public justice, it is ne
cessary to use the testimony Of ~accomplices. For
this purpose the Attorney General has thought II ne
cessary to use your testimony, and it il not usual to
prosecute those whose testimony Is thus used. You
have therefore escaped this time, and l now entreat
you to think what a terrible crime you have commit
ted here if you have accused these your companions
falsely, and if they are innocent Of the crime, as they \
they are, that you do now say so. You are free
from this trial probably, but still you are not free
from this crime, and you will be obliged to walk very
hereafter to insure your safety. The
effect of this crime win always hang over you, and
idleness or the least irregularity will soon involve yout
again. 1t therefore, behooves you to look we'll to-
your ways, and more especially TO keep yourself con-
stsntly employed, and in sight of men, that you may
avoid the temptations to which II seems you have
yielded. When you shall listen 10 the sentence which
| am about to pronounce upon your associates in
prime, think how near yOu have been to death by the
hand Of q public executioner, and bear the memory
Of it constantly through life to your grave.
''The only excuse that you have been able to give
for having assisted in depriving two of your neigh
of their lives, is, that you were asked to do so.
that asking you to do a good thing would be
rs efectual as asking you to do evil Every day the
Hawaiian arranged before Courts offers as an excuse
for his offences that this man or this woman enticed
him. and seems to think that to be a sufficient reason
Tor bis wrong-doing, and that he even ought to go
unpublished. This idea is so very prevalent as to
a great encouragement TO the friends Of this ma
ion. The manner Of your giving your testimony is
far from giving me any assurance that you at
Ill appreciate the awful position in which you stand,
'r are in a proper manner r~epentant for the crime,
n the commission Of which you have assisted.
"Kaauksi-yoq haze been accused before this
Court Of murder, and a jury of your countrymen
pronounced you guilty. Wherefore, the SEN
enee Of the Court is. that you be taken hence 10 the
all in this town of Hilo, and be there kept in close
confinement until a fitting opportunity shall occur to
rsnsfer you to the prison on the Island of Oahu, and
hat you then be transferred to the said prison on the
aid Island Of Oahu, aud there be kept in close con-
until the second Friday in the month of
March next ensuing; and that on that day between
he hours Of six o'clock in the morning and twelve
clock noon, and within the walls Of the said prison,
ou be hung by the neck until you are dead, and may
Tod have mercy on your soul.''
The same sentence was pronounced upon Kaspuni.
two murderers were brought TO this city in irons
n the steamer which arrived frAn Hawaii on Monday
and are now confined in Oahu Prison.