Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-04-09
Supplement to the Saturday Press, April 9Th, 1881.

]
I after committing murder ma An indication of in
sanity, IL might bo to avoid pain, punishment or
disgrace from what | have heard of the circum.
stances of this case do not consider that polun
was insane when he committed the deed.
DR.. r. Mckibbin. Makes the same answer "a"
Ms made by DIR. Mctircw
DR.. !. Brodic, Physician and Surgeon. Been
prncticing four years At request of the Chairman
| of Committee visited Polun In prison Yesterday
/ and from my examination | do not consider him
to Ice of unsound mind have not reason to be
ievc him to be out of sane mind | would not be
able to form valuable opinion of his insanity
from street rumur (same answer ~
From the narrative given by DIR. Mckibbiu, sup
posing 1t to be true, I would not consider that
Polun was insane at the time he committed the
act would not consider 1t to be pIOof of insnnity
have heard the account of his draping his room
and sprinklmg cologne water about.
DIR. h. Hoffman Physician and Surgeon.
Surgeon and Medical attendant of Oahu Prison
for twenty years more or less, and am 10 now
Have seen Polua there several times, five or six
times have conyersed with him both, in Hawaiian
and English, he speaks English enough that
can understand him his physical condition liz
very good when FIRST saw him and now, ia in
very good health; he says himself his pulse il
good; have talked with him about the crime he
is very ready to talk about 1T he il not insrne
Having had charge for number of years of the
Insane Asylum have come to the conclusion,
that homcidal mania ~ very rare i'll Hawaians.
From my long iutercourses with Native Hawaians,
knew also that their naturally kind and amable
disposition il easily reused to passion by being
ridiculed, AZ Polua tells me- he was by his com
panions. Again think that jealousy excites their
anger beyond almost anything else, and in my
opinion under these mental Influences combined
with having taken okolehno, as Poua tells me,
he had taken, the murder was committed.
DIR. c. NJ. Hyde: Am n clergyman, residing i'll
Honolulu; visit Oahu Prison almost every Sund,y
morning. Have seen Polua twice; talked with
him. He talked without reserve. He seems like
very mild pleasant spoken man, of larger
physical frame than Hnwaiinns usually are. He
said that iutoxication the cause Of his
hitting the ofense: would not have done it but
for that. That was the only explanation he gave
me of the cause. l did not ask him about the
particulars of the crime, seemed very penitent;
said he felt hard ut first, but had repenied. Had
lead u bad life. But repented, said he now trusted
i'll Christ; prayed in u coherent and proper man
uer Seemed perfectly sane; said he drank from
habit of intoxication.
Rev. A. o. Forbes: Clergyman, born on these
Islands, lived here most of my life. Have seen
Polua i'll the Prison only once. week before last.
two Sabbaths ago. went with Dr. HYDE Con
versed with him i'll Hawaiian about five minutes.
Did not ask him about the particulars of the
crime. But spoke to him of the necessity of pun
ishment for the crime, which he admitted Spoke
to him about repentance, and of personal trust i'll
God and Jesus Christ as his Redeemer. lie seemed
remarkably self possessed. lie seemed to realize
fully his situation. There was nothing about him
to lead me to think him insane. He seemed to
have no harsh feelings toward any one; seemed
really penitent. Had religious books. Offered no
justification. Seemed to be preparing himself for
his coming fate. l signed the petition because l
WAS informed that new evidence had been found,
and that the circumstances might extenuate; l
know of no such circumstances.
1t was mentioned to me at the time, (the night
before the time appointed for execution) that he
had been SO ill-treated by the woman and her
paramuur: having been tied hand and foot and
placed under the bed. while they paraded their
conduct before him. and he had been driven to
desperation. At the time of signing the petition
understood she was his wife.
Cecil Brown: Lawyer. Was present at the trial
of Polua, at Waimea, Hawaii, last November; he
appeared perfectly sane. He pleaded guilty but
the Court would not allow the plea to he entered.
During the trial he appeared perfectly sane. ka-
lua and Nawahi We're assigned to defend him.
Nawahi, in my opinion is the best Hawaiian
lawyer at the bar. Kaua was not intoxicated
during the trial; Nawahi never drinks. The Court
never allows u drunken person in Court. From
the evidence adduced l think no foreign counsel
could have defended him better Mr.. Preston
prosecuted. l have no circumstances since the
trial, which would tend to mitigate the offense.
Have heard he was very jealous man, 80 the
natives of Hamakua told me. From the nature of
the crime and the evidence, believe he was fully
aware of what he doing when he committed
the crime. Kalua made very vehement address
to the Jury, but he had no evidence. +. Spen
was the clerk of the Court. He made no state
ments, and made no offer of any to the Court.
Three or four days (or week. passed between
takin" the plea and going to trial, ashford Spen-
Ger was also about the Court. Both he and +.
Spencer had every opportunity to offer evidence.
There was an unusually large number of persons
from Kau at that term of Court. have attended
that circuit for five years in succession The term
lasted more than two weeks.
John l.. kees l signed the petition. know of
no facts in mitigation of this ofense. Do not
think he could have been III good frame OF mind
at the time. Among Hawaians the love of man
for woman is sometimes very strong, 10 also IL
jealousy. Think this man was very much pro-
vOked
Elama Am 36 years old. Have not seen
Polua. l think Polua was crazy when he COM
United the crime. Among Hawaiians love and
jealousy is strong and il the woman leaves them
they commit suicide. When the love is strong
they do this. When made those circumstances
they commit homicide, ii in a sign Of temporary
insanity. Hanging should be- the punishment for
aItNau
thought, not in passion.
kamio: Polua was a good man, and when his
property in her interfered with he was over
powered and he carried away with anger He
looks like good man. In the case Of u Spaniard
| ON this Island who committed a murder, he was
| not hung, but only imprisoned. This Polua case
| WAS like Sans At Waikiki, Who killed his
wife then killed himself. l signed the petition
because I was asked u, and because Of aloha.
Mikasobe: I signed the petition. believed
that Polua committed the crime he In ignorant and
| blind. DO not know POlua, never saw him. Have
| read the newspaper account Of the murder Know
| of no new circumstances. DO not know whether
| she was Polua's wife not. The sentence Of the
Court wss just, but have pity for the man.
W. J. Wright: Do not know Polua. i signed
the petition; read the petition. think he was Of
| uns0und mind when he committed the deed. His
drspin9 his ROOM sprinkling perfumery and out
ting his finger made me think he was insane. !
heard that he sharpened the knife and out his
finger ~ try II It Was sharp, then went and killed
/ A.