The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-08-07
THE MICHIELS OPIUM CASE.
Trial Of the Defendant ia the Police
COurt-The Evidence for the rose
cutiOn, Etc

Police Justice Blckerton. There was
quite large attendance of spectators il
the Courtroom throughout the day
His Excellency the Attorney Genera
conducted the prosecution, and the Hon
| Paul Neumann and Mr. Charles Creigh-
ton appeared for the defendant Ahuna
! the Chinese clerk, was arrested the same
| time with Michiels, and charged in the
Police Court with the same ofense; bu
the cases are heard separately, at the re
! quest OF the Attorney General
The valise containing the opium was
produced in Court and examined by His
Honor and counsel, after which the fol
lowing evidence was taken:
John II. Soper, sworn, stated: / was
Marshal OF the Kingdom on the Both and
31st OF July. know Michiels' place of bust
ness on Fort street. entered his store
on the morning of the 3Ist of July. |
went there with this warrant (produced)
The premises described in the warrant
are the same as those | visited. | went
at half-past 6 in the morning to Notes
store, and saw Michiels' clerk open the
store. The clerks name is Ahuna. A
few minutes after Ahuna had opened
the store | went there. l first saw him
taking down the shutters. 1t was about
ten minutes from the time he came
when l entered the store During that
ten minutes l saw Chinaman named
All ChOy enter the store. Did not see
anyone else. [ saw All Choy when |
entered the store. Ahuna was at the
door, and when he saw me coming he
went along the store, and 1 followed
him. All ChOy was at the rear end of
the store. He pointed to a valise be-
hind the counter. l took hold OF it, and
found it contained thirty-seven tins
of opium. l telephoned to the
Attorney General, leaving Officers
Good and Hopkins in charge
When l returned l asked Good if he
had read the warrant. He said he had
Michiels asked Good where that stuff
pointing to the Opium) came from. |
told him where 1 found it. He said
els it possible ?" The opium has been
in the possession of the authorities ever
since. | entered the premises on infOr-
nation l received. Special Officers
Good and Hopkins were with Inc. l
took Michiels over to the Station House
He made no statement to me from the
time we left the store to arriving at the
Station House.
Cross-examined-The same key is in
the valise now as when found it. The
valise was not locked, but the straps
were buckled.
John Good, sworn, stated: l was a
police officer on July 3lst. l went to
Michiels' store little after half-past
o'clock on the morning of the 31st OF
July. 1 saw lying on the floor between
the Marshal and the clerk Ahuna this
valise with packages in it. Hopkins
came in, and the Marshal requested him
to open one of the packages. He did so,
and took out a tin of opium. The Mar
shall showed the Chinaman the search
warrant. The valise was then closed
and locked. Michiels arrived in the
store before ] left do not remember
whether he said anything. l read the
warrant to Michiels, as the Marshal was
away He suggested that no further
search be made until the Marshal ar
rived. Michiels gave the valise kick
and asked what it was. He lifted it up
in his hand, shook it and placed it on Il
stool, then back on the floor He again
placed it on the stool and opened it, saw
the paper packages inside, and then
closed it, locking it. He said: ''What is
this?" I said it looked like some brown
paper packages. He opened it again
and fumbled around and found the pack
age opened by Hopkins, and then closed
it again. He asked his clerk who
brought it there. Also said to Ahuna
"What made you bring it here?"
Ahuna made some kind OF an answer,
the tenor of which was that he knew
nothing about it; he did not bring it
there. The Marshal then came in and
took charge of the premises. Hopkins
took Ahuna and the valise to the Sta
ton House, and Mr.. Soper left with
Michiels in charge. The Marshal re-
turned to the store, and Hopkins and
myself made further search. There may
have been more valises like this one in
the store, but do not remember. While
we were searching the store at about 8
o'clock, Michiels said the arrest was a
great trouble to him. do not remem-
Der anything else being said in presence
of Michiels.
Cross-examined-I have assisted the
Marshal in searches before. l did not
search as closely on this occasion as l
would have done had been searching
Chinaman's store. There was i reason
for it. When the Marshal came back
he asked if there was any use in search
ing the place further. l said yes. We
found nothing else.
Observation-Disclosures seemed to be
rather intimidating, and raised his voice
considerably.
Cross-examined-I know Michiels by
sight. l cannot say whether he is a
/ dangerous man.
/ Edward Hopkins, sworn, stated am
attached to the police force, and was on
| duty on the Both and 31st of July. l