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


The Committee then adjourned.
TuRp DAY.
On Monday morning the Committee upon the
case of Pona resumed their investigation.
Claude Jones: Stated that he had been present
at the trial. Was well acquainted with the facts
of the the man had desired him to act in
his defence, but that when he found he could pay
no retainer. he had declined to undertake grave
responsibility without being remunerated for his
trouble He considered the man was feebly
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 WAS the
only line to take He had stated this to Mr..
Frank Spencer. He reasoned that man deficient
abnormally excited Mt the desertion of his
paramonr and her intimacy with others his
wounded self-love produced insane jealousy. act
ing under which he prepared deliberately to com
init the deed. Some questions asked and
answered rs to what witness considered normal
and abnormal excitement He then continued
that he did no consider this case of fToy bJeUjs
or sudden provocaton. 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 II he had
been in the position of Judge, it would not have
made him alter his sentence. Had the man been
married he would have viewed the case 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 40 years experience he never
had known them to do So but at the same time
pss bs 65sgnsn bs wAGa5
what effect suicide would have upon his idea of
the mans sanity, and asked if i'll insurance
it had not been ruled that men were insane who
committed suicide. 1t was stated that there had
been such ruling. After some further remarks
upon suicide the witness retired.
Marshal Parke stated he had been present at
the trial. and that MIR. kalua, who defended Poua
was perfectly sober. statement which he repeat
ed several times. Kalua had been intoxicated
week before. He worked hard to obtain verdict
of manslaughter. He considered Hawaiian
counsel would be better with Hawaiian jury
than foreigner.
4. Carter: Had been employed at Kapapala;
the murder took place on the night he left. Knew
the well, acquainted with his domestic
tronbes There was nothing out of the way about
not io'o; he 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 woman left
him. Poua came to witness to complain that she
had an improper intimacy with teamster,
and asked him If he could not get her buck. Wit
ness hunted the woman up; she complained that
Polua i'll used her; he had knocked out two of her
front teeth; Polua himself had driven her away ;
this witness had himself heard. The planta-
tion hands were very crowded Mt the time, and
there was II difficulty i'll keeping the California
hands from visiting the native quarters. In reply
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 Poua ut work 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 a 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
from work account of the ,rdhiue but
fused and went to his work AS usual When in
Honolulu, he had at Poluas request, tried to visit
him in jail, but was unable to keep his appoint
ment. He met MIR. Fyfe, who told him the man
was crazy. The man was a little different after
the woman left, but was not INSANE He was not
jeered Mt by his neighbors or the gang workmen.
He healthy. Never saw him under the in
tluence of liquor.
Jameson: Was carpenter. on the plantation
Knew Polua. Thought him insane. Saw him a
few hours before the deed; asked him about the
woman and advised him to leave and go to Puma
Polua said he done with her; he was not right
in his head; he had not eaten or slept for three
had been ioafing about in his best clothes had
done work at all that day; the general impress
sion about the plantation was that the man had
hard that Polua spent much money the
woman He was the first man down at the scene
of the murder; did not how he cut his throat,
but Polua told him after that he had sawed it by
to talk in native nationally. There WAS cross of
black stuff the window; the mans eyes were
bandaged with VEIL Had heard of no fresh cir
d. X Fyfe stated that he had only jokingly re-
marked to Carter that the man WAS crazy; he had
spoken on Saturday last. He had reason to
think the man insane.
The Chief Justice then remarked that there was
no obligation for any one to come, the Committee
had been appointed by the Sovereign to enquire
into the case, 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 came and stated ~ 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 Auctuating
When he commenced talking it was lO6 in 81
minutes it was 10, and III 70 minutes more it wal
l22. Al proof Of his insanity at the time. be
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 " woman who bit piec,
out Of her arm and felt no pain, abe had had PIN
stuck In her back without feeling them. This Lex
| him 70 think tbs man WAS insane, but that th,
moment be bad cut his throat, the blood lsttin,
brought him 70 his ssnsss. and he understood hi
responsibilities. He considered the state of th,
| mans heart very strong point. man viii
| hoav no Rail a., -