Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-04-09


Folua. think he must have been insane to do
such thing. Know nothing of the circumstances
lie had great love for that woman, and from
anger and jealousy killed her.
The Committee then adjourned
Tump DAY.
On Monday morning the Committee upon the
case of Polua resumed their investigation.
Claude Jones Stated that he had been present
ut the trial Was well acquainted with the facts
of the as the man had desired him to not in
his defence, but that when he found he could pay
no retainer, he Ind declined to undertake grave
responsibility without being temuneratcd for his
trouble. He considered the fcebly
defended. No plea of insanity was raised He
looked at 1t from professional point Of view
merely to see what grounds could be raised and
he considered that the plea of insanity the
only line to take. He had stated this to Mr..
Frank Spencer. He reasoned that man deficient
III reasoning power, of strong passions, became
abnormnlly excited Mt the dcscrton of his
paramour and her intimacy with others his
wounded self-love produced insane jealousy, act
ing under which he prepared deliberately to com
mt the deed. some questions were asked and
answered as to what witness considered normal
and abnormal excitement He then continued
that he did no consider this case of Juror byeris
or sudden pruvocation These points he would have
urged had he conducted the defence. He con
sidered the man of weak intellect on account of
answers which he made about his family and
friends. The evidence which made him think the
man was insane came out in trial but If he had
been in the position of Judge. 1t would not have
made him alter his sentence. Had the man been
married he would have viewed the from
different standpoint. When asked if any Courts
of pardon had exercised their pardoning power
upon the grounds which he advanced. he said that
during course of 10 years experience he
had known them to do so, but at the zine
reasons being published. Mir. Gibson inquired
what effect suicide would have upon his idea of
the mans sanity, and asked if in insurance
ii had not been ruled that men were insane who
committed suicide. 1t was stated that there had
been no such ruling After some further remarks
upon suicide the witness retired.
,I,pl IL. hal
the trial, and that Mr.. Knlua who defended Polua.
was perfectly sober. n statement which he repeat
ed several times. kalna had been intoxicated n
week before He worked hard to obtain verdict
of manslaughter. He considered Hawaiian
counsel would be better with Hawaiian Jury
than II foreigner.
the murder took place on the night he left. Knew
the man well. was acquainted with his domestic
troubles There was nothing out of the way about
the man; he was not over intelligent. but he was
not io'o; he was very willing, but lacked judgment
when intrusted with work by himself. He came
to the plantation with reputation for bad
temper, but during months experience with him
he had never shown it. When the left
him, Polua came to witness to complain that she
had an improper intimacy with q teamster,
and asked him if he could not get her buck. Wit
ness hunted the woman up; she complained that
Polua ill used her; he had knocked out two of her
front teeth; polua himself had driven her away;
this witness had himself heard The planta-
ton hands were very crowded ut the time, and
there difficulty in keeping the California
hands from visiting the native quarters In reply
to Mr.. Gibson, there were 200 meii and women
on the plantation. The woman stated she WAS
going to marry the teamster; she declined to
marry Polua. On the day he left the plantation
he Polua ut work on the trash grounds; he
appeared as usual. but asked witness why he did
not use his authority to get the woman back for
him. The woman had been absent week, and he
had frequently made the same request. he worked
harder and better than usual under the idea that
witness would do something for him. On the
morning of the murder he had asked to be excused
frDm of he I'M yyna re-
fused and went to his work as usual. When in
Honolulu. he had at Polua's request, tried to visit
him III Jail, but was unable to keep his appoint
ment. He met Mr.. Fyfe, who told him the man
was crazy. The man was little different after
the woman left, but was not insane. He was not
jeered ut by his neighbors or the gang workmen.
he was healthy. Never saw him under the in
huence of liquor.
Jamieson Was carpenter on the plantation.
Knew Polua. Thought him insane. Saw him
few hours before the deed; asked him about the
woman and advised him to leave and 20 to Puma.
Polua said he was done with her; he was not right
in his head; he had not eaten slept for three
days. Polua had done work for three days;
had been loafing about in his best clothes; had
done work at all that day; the general impress
sion about the plantation was that the man had
done no work. He was witness helper He had
heard that Polua spent much money on the
woman. He was the first man down at the scene
of the murder; did not soc how he cut his throat,
but Polua told him after that he had sawed it by
taking the knife in both hands. Polua was able
to talk in native nationally. There was cross Of
bandaged with veil. Had heard of no fresh cir
cumstances.
ID. X. Fyfe stated that he had only jokingly re-
marked 10 Carter that the man WAS crazy; he had
spoken on Saturday last. He had no reason to
think the man insane.
The Chief Justice then remarked that there WAS
no obligation for any to come, the Committee
had been appointed by the Sovereign to enquire
into the cass, and all that was wanted was that
people should come forward and state what facts
they knew. The expression Cited" which was
used in the circular issued by the Committee
meant called"
As the Committee were ON the point Of retiring
DIR. Webb camc and stated IN follows He con-
sidered that Polua was insane at the time Of the
murder. When he visited him in prison this
morning. he found he had heart disease, from
which he had been suffering before he committed
the murder. His pulse was high and fuctuatin9.
When he commenced talking 1t was los, In 30
minutes it was 49, and ia 70 minutes more Il was
l22. Al proof OF his insanity Mt the time, he
argued that the man had been three days without
food and two nights without sleep; that during
the third day he had drank bottle Of okolshao.
That before killing the woman he had tried the
knife ON his own hands, and that the wounds gave
him no pain; this was just the condition Of many
insane patients Of whom the doctor had had
charge; cited the case OF q woman who bit piece
out Of her arm and felt no pain. shs had had pins
stuck In her back without feeling them. This led
him 70 think tbs man Was insane. but that the
moment be had cut his throat the blood letting
brought him 70 his ssnsss. and he understood his