The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-01-21
BRIDGES THE HOMICIDE,
His Trial, Conviction and Sentence.

L
Nov. and do not now need to be reoounted. As
sufficient public notice had been given of the ex-
pected trial the Supreme Court room was well
| filled on the morning of the date mentioned, with
an audience eager to listen 10 the evidence offered
1 by the prosecution and defence.
| The prisoner Bridges was in court seated by his
/ counsel, w. X. Castle and j. Austin Esq's; and
| appeared i'll at ease, casting nervous backward
glAnces at the somewhat noisy and constantly in
| creasing crowd behind him. He was dressed in a
neat fitting suit of black and the third fingers of
either hand were Ornamented with rings, that on
the left hand being evidently diamond from the
constant care and rubbing which it received from
| the prisoner. Bridges is small in stature being
only about feet inches in height, and has not
being peculiar dull expression in the eyes which,
with habit he has of contracting his brows, rem
ders the face at times unpleasant.
Attorney General Paul Neumann conducted the
prosecution for the Crown assisted by the deputy
attorney general, W. Austing Whiting Esq.
At 1905 a. m. the proceedings were opened JUS
tioe Judd the bench, by Clerk Foster calling the
following gentlemen, all of whom answered as
jurors: W. Lishman, j. f. Bowler, Z. H. Hendry,
s. Roth, Abe Bolster, n. Z. Burgess, j. l.. Bushee,
| .. N Clifford, L. G. Ables, ]. w. Hingley, Z. S.
| Cunha, w. II. Baird.
Justice Judd stated that Mr.. Z. II. Hendry
one of the jurors called, employee of tue
Board of Health, and as other persons engaged in
the office would be called as witnesses in the
| case, the duties attendant on despatchIng the
steamer MOk0it, which was to leave for the leper
settlement that day, would devolve entirely upon
him, Mr.. H. and he desired to be excused from
sitting as juror. No objection being offered Mr.
Hendry was excused and q. ]. Mccarthy called in
| his stead
Attorney General Neumann said that he hoped
that any juror who considered he could not try the
case fairly and impartialy would now say
Mr.. J. i. Bowler stated that the man killed, Pat
ten, was personal friend of his and he thought
he could not, as juror, do the prisoner justice.
he was excused and j. F. Carpenter called to fill
| the vacancy.
A. = Rotb ona.Lar Juror sa;5 a.. sra, IN ,t.
same fix Dir. Bowler, Patten in life being per-
sonal friend of his. Excused and Edward Hatton
called.
At IO:l5 the jury was sworn in and the counsel
| for the defence w. II. Castle Esq. proceeded to
question the jurors categOrcally relative to their
fitness as impartial jurors, with the following re.
| suit
Carpenter had not formed OF expressed any
opinion, he had read the newspapers but the ac-
| counts had made no deep impression on him, had
read great deal of like matter in California pa
| pers; he was not acquainted with either party.
Clifford had formed an opinion from what he
had read in the papers, opinion could be changed
by evidence, had not expressed any opinion, felt
| that he could pass upon the case in an nnpreju-
| died manner.
Cunha had not formed nor had in any way eE-
pressed an opinion on the case "as he knows of. :"
Thought he could try the case impartially. The
| rest of the jurors expressed themselves as compe-
tent to try the case being free from prejudice or
bias.
The defence then peremptorly challenged
Messrs, Clifford and Hutton and their places were
| filled by F. ]. King and William Clark, and the
jury as thus constituted was accepted.
W. Austin Whiting the deputy attorney general
opened the case for the Crown presenting IN a
clear and comprehensive manner the facts which
| the prosecution hoped to prove and, after ad-
| dress of five minutes in length, called the first
| witness for
THE CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION.
DR.. Robert McKibben sworn states, Am a re-
gular practicing physician, have practced medicine
| for q years, knew the deceased in life; saw him
| in November last, heard of his death, was going
up Fort street when heard that the shooting af-
fair had taken place, saw the dead body of Patten
in Benson and Smiths drug store, was requested
| to make post mortem examination of the body
which / did the next day in company with DR..
Emerson Found body had 3 external wounds.
The witness then described the nature of the
wounds and the one that caused death.
| Gross Examined. Have examined bodies before;
if the muzzle was held down the ball might take a
downward course; course of a bullet most uncer-
tain thing should say that whoever fired the shot
that killed, stood in front of deceased and that the
pistol was probably pointed downward; all the
| other organs of the body were healthy.
| DR.. n. b. Emerson: Am regular practicing
physician, assisted in the post norton eXamna-
ton of the body of L. r. Patten, there we're three
| external wounds; chief wound ii inches above
the navel, the ball followed downward course
and to the right cutting through the lilac artery
took ball out of wound and handed to DR.. McKi5-
| bin, say him hand 1t to deputy marshal; (ball
1
| being no mark wound was necessarily fatal;
death was caused by hemOrrhage. Attorney
General Neumann desired witness to state his
| theory of the shooting, and, in so doing, DR.,
! Emerson stated that the second shot fired was the
probably fatal one.
Gross Examined. The body was healthy, riyor
morris well marked, the artery was apparently IN
good condition except the wound
| David Dayton, sworn states: Received this bull
let, which | hold, from Dr. MCkibbin saw DR..
Emerson take it from the body of Patten, it had
| been ever since in possession of witness.
James F. Noble sworn knew Bridges and Pat
| ten, saw them November 18th last on Fort
street in front of Williams photograph gallery 1t
was a little past O'Clock, in the afternoon, each
had hands on the other, Patten had left hand
on Bridges right shoulder right hand raised and
holding a stick, Bridges made a movement to
clear himself pulled his sx-shooter and fired, saw
the firing of the first shot and started across the
street, the second shot was fired while was cross
ingBrid ges thenr anup the street. went to Patten
and saw his vest on fire, said to Patten you are
hurt" he said No, i am not hurt put out the
fire on his vest with my fingers, walked with him
| down Fort street. nearly to end of Lycan's store,
noticed pallor in his face, he reeled and fell a
gentleman came up and asked him to assist me
TO take Paten TO Benson Smith drug store, after
we got HIM there he made few gasps and died,
| he never spoke a word,Iwas half way across the
street before the second shot was fired, the quick
ness of the shots made me think 1t was self-cock
ing pistol.
heaing noise of talking could not say which
one, talking was loud but could not distinguish
| the words, saw a sick in Patterns hand, when the
first shot was fired Patten was facing maHkd then
he slowed adkai, after the first shot Fatten looked
dazed, stranger assisted me in carrying Patteni
think event occurred about $40 pm.
Police officer Marcos and deputy Dayton identi-
he'd the revolver, cartridges empty Shells clothing
&c, which was offered in evidence. Deputy Day
ton further stated that no weapons were found on
the body of Patten the articles found on his per
son consisted of two small penknives, pair OF
4. 49, l.fua -HwNT naVa
silver coin, $40 in paper money, and gold watch
and chain.
Recess was now had until O'Clock pm. the
jurors being allowed to 90 to their homes.
| The afternoon session was attended by as large
and Interested a crowd had been present at
the morning session. The case for the prosecu
tion was continued the next witness called being
James j. Williams a photographer who testified
| to being an eve witness of the wrangle between
| Bridges and Patten. and hearing the shots fired.
| W. NJ. Gibson Minister of Foreign Affairs and
F. II. Hayselden his son,in-law, both testified t.
seeing the fracas, the shots, and the running
| away of Bridges Mr.. Gibson further testified to
the arrest of Bridges by himself on the premises
of F. Horn, the father -in-law OF the homicide, and
the placing Of the prisoner in the custody of m
| officer.
E. W. Jordan. sworn, stated that he was stand
ing in the doorway of J. I. Waterhouse sstore on
Fort street on the afternoon OF the In OF Noyem
Der, was in converse with Patten and Mr.. Starkey
Patten suddenly left the party and went in the
back part of the store returning almost imme-
diately with stick in his hand, remarked
4 whats up now Patten made no answer but ran
across tine street and then walked rapidly up Fort
street until he overlook short man whom ht
struck over the head or shoulders two blows, moi
, wishing to be witness in a case OF assault and
battery retired into the store Then heard the
report of pistol and almost Immediately Z
second report, stepped TO the door again and saw
the smoke passing. The stick which Patton had
was one used to roll table oil-cloth on.
The cross examination developed nothing new
, nor did the testimony given BY Mr.. Starkey thu
! succeeding witness.
II J.W. Ginsberg sworn, states, Am clerk bl
occupation, am engaged at the dry goods store Of
C. J. Fishel. Was at my place Of business on No
Tember I2lh. heard shot, locke dout in the direc
ton and saw Bridges and Patten standing pretty
close together heard a second shot and saw
: Bridges run, Henry Arrnitage was running afte
him then ran out of the store and tried to heaG
Bridges of but was unable to do so followed afte
him and was gaining on him when he turned int
Horns bakery, went in there, was stopped b
1 some women who were in the store they askeS
r what was the matter, some one said that, ''tha
| man has shot Patten,n some of the women sais
served him right be ought to have been sho
lone 400.