The Hawaiian gazette., 1877-06-20
Confession and Sentence of KeOni
kapaOa, the Murderer.

The prisoner Keoni Kapaoa having been convict
ed of the murder of Akaka Ia ChinamaD) on being
brought into Court, was asked if he had nyIhing
to say why the sentence of the law should not be
pronounced against him. He then made the follow
ing confession:
urged me to follow her. When | got to their
house, the Chinaman was beating his wife She
called me TO help her. l separated them. went
outside the house. Sue called me to kill him.
said "No, you run off to where there are people
and wait till daylight" She would not listen to
this, but said must kill him. l said a. No." She
said if you release him I'll be pilikia She was so
persistent that killed him (hana naaupo au ka
pake). So killed the Chinaman. The woman and
l were together. / said her 4" FL get into trou-
Bile on account of what you have done" The
Chinaman was not then quito dead. kept still.
The woman then went into the house for knife
and gave it to me. ! said again " l am pilikia on
account of your duings." She very urgent that
i should flush the Chinaman. / thought within
myself Shall kill him or not?" Sue said Kill
him now" When he was dead, she said /" Let
take him off aud bide him." We took him ON the
horse 10 hue him aud she went with me, when We
threw his body over and hid il. We returned to
the house together, and hid all the small articles
as the saddle, bride and cloth, etc. The knife was
thrown into the goat pen The money, SO in sill
yer. was hid outside the pen. / said " going
home" She said "Dont go till daylight" AT
daylight went home, and she went to The Judge
and made complaint that her husband had beaten
her"
The Court then said "Keoni Kapaoa, you have
Deel CONVICTED o. crlQe Oh murder. Alter lime
has been granted you to obtain such evidence as
was thought might help you, your trial has taken
place, and twelve of your own countrymen have
returned verdict that you are guilty.
You deliberately took the lille of fellow being,
to whom it was as precious MS to You. A China
man, Akaka by name whom you, as appears by the
evidence, had already wroDged by disturbing the
peace OF his family.
The mode of killing adopted by you was horrible
and atrocious in the extreme, and it shows de-
gree of malice and endishness Of spirit which it ID
difficult TO believe human nature could be possessed
OF, and which your appearance would not indicate
In the darkness of night in that lonely spot yor
struck down the poor man who had done you nc
injury; cries of his for pity reached your savage
heart and having taken his life you dragged him b.
the neck over mile of rough country, hurled hi
body, which God has made the temple of the soul
off precipice and vainly endeavored 10 conceal it
In less than three days the body was discovered
the only living witness of part of this bloody deed
unable longer to conceal the dreadful secret, hat
unwiilingly disclosed your guilt, and you were ap
| pretended TO await your trial.
There was nothing developed at your trial to ex
tenuate your guilt. Besides yourself, God alon
from whom no secrets are hid, knows if any existed
Your confession, just made, though implicatn,
the woman Makaele more deeply, does not excul
pate you.
The law of the land, which you have thus VIC
lated, demands your life as the penalty for its in
| fraction.
During the few months that remain to You of lif
| upon earth, let me entreat you 10 earnestly see
pardon and forgiveness for your crime Of the Merci
Jul Father. You cannot expect pardon unless 70
heartily repent Spend this time that you may no
enter eternity unpreparedl
Prisoner OF the Bar, listen to the sentence of tn
law against you: The sentence of the Court il
that you, Keoni Kapaos, be taken from hence 1
the place of your confinement in the prison OF th
Island of Oahu, there to remain until the last FIR
day In the month of September next ensuing, an
that on that day, between the hours OF eight o'coc
in the morning and twelve o'clock at noon, 20
be hung by the neck within the walls Of the afore
mentioned prison, until you are dead. And ms
! God have mercy on your SOUL"