Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-03-17
SLANDERS DENIED.


EDITOR Press: In the San Francisco Ch,o.
nicie OF March al, is an article headed "Triced
and Beaten, a Tale of Sandwich Island
Slavery" Therein the writer states that one
III. NJ. Benedick was sent to Oahu prison from
Hawaii together with note from Deputy
Sheriff Smith to the Warden of the prison TO
treat Benedick roughly, that he was knocked
down with a loaded whip, then triced up to
four ring bolts and whipped like dog, etc.
MIR. Editor, cannot allow the slandcrous
statements TO so by unnoticed as the charges
are so grave and in every way calculated to in
jurc us socially and morally. There is not one
particle OF truth in il, it is a lie made out of
whole cloth, as regards the monstrous treat
ment while in the Oahu prison. AS to the
contract with the Pahala plantation on Hawa-
ii, everybody that knows Mr.. Warren Goodale
will know that he is not the man to treat any
person in his employ in the manner stated, by
either Benedick or the reporter Of the Chto1i-
cit. MIR. Goodale will, no doubt, exonerate
himself from these foul charges. will now
state the facts in regard 10 the man Benedick
while he was in prison:
| received at the Oahu prison, having been sent
down from Kau, Hawaii, by Deputy. Sheriff
smith, having been convicted of refusing to
labor. letter was sent down at the same
time by the Deputy Sheriff, in which it was
stated, 81 have detained Bencdick mp here
longer than | anticipated, hoping that he
would soon make up his mind TO return to the
plantation TO work and also on account of the
prevalence Of the smallpox in Honolulu, and
did not wish 10 expose him to the same" Not
one word was said in regard to treating him
roughly.
As will be seen, he was convicted for refus-
ing TO work ON the plantation for which he had
received certain advance, and had signed a
contract. On his arrival at the prison, in
formed him that he must go to work until he
would consent to return To the plantation. He
was sent to work with the rest of the gang un-
I'll the iath day of May, when he refused TO
work any longer; SO he was returned TO the
prison by the Overseer. said to him that he
had better return to the plantation, to fulfill
his contract. He said mol but requested me
to allow him some writing material, as he
wanted to lay his case before the American
Minister, General Comfy, which did, and
had the letter forwarded to Mr.. Comfy, who
came to the prison Immediately on receipt Of
the note, and inquired of the man his COM
plant, and looked at his contract, copy Of
which has to be furnished each aborer by law,
which the man produced and said, he had
signed and acknowledged and drawn the adj
vance thetein mentioned. then telephoned
to Messrs. Brewer K Co., for the original con.
tract which they sent over, and General Comfy
compared them and found both correspondent
He then informed Benedick, that according to
the laws Of the country he was foolish to re-
main in prison any longer, for he could release
himself Immediately by consentinj to return
to his work, and on the 10Th Of May, 1851, he
consented and was Immediately released from
prison.
have now given you the facts Of the case
without any coloring or exaggeration, and l
hope that those who have seen the article in
the Chronicle, will be convinced that there
was not one atom of truth in it, other than that
he was in prison. People Of the country know
how prisoners have been treated, and let me
add in conclusion, that for the twelve years
and over in which | was jailer, no white man
was ever logged, as it required higher
authority than mine to order a man to be fog
ged. Yours respectfully, ID. X. FYFE.
Late Jailer Oahu Prison.