The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-05-05
WHAT THE PEOPLE say.

We ri l1 s1hiec ssp or geSsr. o. opinion from tse puLhs upon
head Of the ADvERrIsER. such communication should
be authenticated by the name of the writer as a qua
rantee Of good faith, hut not necessarily for pnblica.
Our 1o Object /. to offer the fulles, oDpo,too,,v for . v.r,.,v
of popular discussion aud inquiry.
TO all inquirers we shall endeayOr to furnish inforInA-
which they may be Interested
Mr. EDIToR:-ln n late number Of one Of your
contemporaries | zee AN article headed, - The
Hilo Affairs, . IN which the author attempts TO
modify his attack on the iueficiency Of the police.
by traducing the character OF one whom he
knows nothing about. when he speaks Of the
right man being found as . stool pigeons, iudg-
ing from their antecedent while living IN Homo
lulu. Now It happens that John Burnett never
was in Honolulu. bur came 20 IlilO direct from
San Francisco, arriving IL the ida Schuaner a iew
day before Christmas last; and against hIs own
will has been on Hawaii ever since. Bot the
most unfortunate part Oi the -aid article lies in
tie writers scrapiug up stoIics aud comparing
the characters OF the men on both sides; az n
Discerning public lacked the senrc 10 Judge winch
was tho T sht and moral side Of tie affair. with
out reference 10 the men r characters. And but
for the fact that | consider myscli in duty bound
to make public the truth IA regards this ~unfortu-
nate young stranger, knowing something of him,
having boarded and lodged and worked with him
the greatest portion Of the time he was in Hilo
previous to his acceptance Of the sltnation as
detective, | would not in this way have anytbipg
10 say in the matter. The writer in sueaking Of
the good character Of the men who were shot.
notably Tenneut and McCollum, he asks. - can
any one say as much for the shooters?' can
say TINT D. Burnett is highly respectable.
both IN manner, action and appearance; n Young
man Mo came to the Islands in search of emnloy.
ment, to recruit his delicate health, see some Of
the world, pass tie winter here, and return IN
coms"rt his love and widowed mother in tho
Eastern States. And but for uncontroIobIe
events. through a telephone misuuderstandinc
last February he left his employment to come 10
Honolulu, but wac unable 10 do so for want or a
settlement with his employer. Waitin, vVcoL
alter week, lac joined Mr.. Caspcr. thinkin, :,
would only be for a few days; and as the obiect
proposed was a legitimate one no harm cS,Id
come OF 1T. As | know Burnett he il anv-
thing but a mischief maker. He EXPRESSED den
regrets 70 me for having had anything 10 do win
the a1air. lie felt the insults and cold shouIdo-
Ifom those OF whom he expected different treat
ihent, ana being haTassed and bounded far yeoLs
us uhanIe 10 leave the place for want of means
" employment which he sought. lie was told
ny oe merchant. alter n promise of a ioh tho,
certain parties would neither deal nor yort To-
toem In this state, and under these circum.
,'anres Inc two outcast men wakencd in ali nro.
"a"iilty from their slumbers-witb n deathis
nen anu cross bones staring them in face. os bad
"e7 threatened three weeks previous tn the anor
"oo" on which u was posted in tLe v;Ilooo
Urging them to leave the place. Euyiable nos;'
,In! is there any wonder that the two wer.
leu 70 1eS peratIon against the FIVE who made The
Being the lightest men, and one as
"aVe saIu before, physically weak. Sad as This
anS "a rs, II Is to be hoped justice will be done
anu w matter thoroughly investigated.
iourS truly j. A. DOVER.