The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-03-12
DOUBLE EXECUTION.
Two Chinese MurdererS Suffer the
Last Penalty Of the Law
usru DrcoEuw AND PRECISION.


ruo Chinese murderers-Ahap
aaafa and Akaua-paid The last
penalty 81 The law on the scafold.
r-Hal Sepcr and all the officers under
direction carried out the disagrseable
devalViug upon them with decorum
precision. The execution was
5-ivate-only officers Of the law,
physicians. members Of the bar and OF
press. and a few Others rendering
special service, being present, viz. :
Marshal J. Il. Sopgr, Deputy Attorney
General A. T.. Peterson, Deputy Marshals
t.. /. Hopkins and c. Creighton; Capt.
Staples, Tailor Of Oahu Prison; Doctors
G.. r. Rodgers prison physician). J. II.
hafall. j.. /. Miner and G. B. Wood /;
--a--=. T. Emmeluth, Prison Inspector;
H. Dow, Deputy Warden Oahu
Prisons I. ". Damon, Chinese missien-
arr= s. IT, Graham, Marshal's Clerk;
- E.nr. carpenter, J. W. Kalua, J. /.
E4ullEoa- i Cheung, Interpreter; II.
r. Williams, undertaken; Kim Cha, and
r=e-aatatives Of the ADVERTISER,
-a.iu and Elele.
ahalra was convicted at the November
a cI tae Third Judicial Circuit Court
fTamea. Hawaii, OF the murder Of
E-=E Eapahee at Puma on September
Justice Bickerjon pronounced SEN
s-a 20 death upon liim, November 9th,
and tlalate ri his execution was fixed
1r Monday, February 25th. On
The 81. that month, however, Ahapa
r-- granted respite until March 5th,
admit oi consideration 10y the Prlvy
Council oi q petition from various Chin
a=e merchants Tor communication OF SEN
.elce. This petition was disallOwed al
most unanimously.
Az1ua was convicted at the same
.eru 10 the murder OF All Sing ut
Eaul1u1o on Nov. Sd, receiving the
sentence OF death on Nov. 29th. His
execution was appointed originally for
tle lav On which 1t occurred.
Although Ahapa was proved to have
been deeply concerned in the murder for
which he had TO suffer death, it was gen
orally believed that the principal in the
toni deed was his countryman, who foiled
.le course of Justice by committing sui
.lle with poison on board the steamer
IE g. Hall while being conveyed to HO-
lllu-l 80 await trial. Akana had no aC-
rglplce so far as known, and, ii viii be
raneul beTe3, made an attempt to obi
a-e evidences of his guilt by burning
e body OF his victim in the house they
had Jointly occupied
Ever since the tate of the two malefaC-
tors was scaled they bore themselves
with die Characteristic stOlidity OF their
-aae- Daring the last ten days OF their
lives II "ir calmuess purported to be the
szsalol born of the Christian religion,
which -hevpr1iessed underline assiduous
-15-istrlious OF Mr.. Damon, missionary
1 the Chinese OF these Islands. They
slept well n nights until the eve of the
fatal day, when broken slumbers indi-
Gated Intensified realization OF their aw-
iCl position. They awoke at O'Clock in
she morning and asked Tor chicken and
~lizkay The former was furnished
hem bot the latter was refused, and
aEr eating the men took another nap.
The double execution was fixed Tor
Tuesday morning between the hours OF
and u o'clock. At 6 o'clock the cree
ton ID the Eallows was begun. 1t was
l- apparatus used on former occasion
and was soon in position, at the rear end
1f tle main corridor in the yard. \ tenn
n1rarv inclined platform led from the
l1g- up 10 the trap.
About O'Clock the doomed men
were taken TO the prison Office, where
Lr. Damon and the official interpret
remained with them. 4 few moments
after eight Marshal Soper, interpreted
Psi IL CheuuE, read to them the death
u1-rsnts. These were engrossed in
large characters and bound with red rib
bon. Is was a quarter after eight when
-ll march TO the sCaffold took place,
lr. Damon accompanying the prisoners
and speaking gently to them in their own
language. an three knelt while the min
-ste= offered prayer. officers then pinion-
I'd them hand and feet over their decent
black Chinese costume, the deep black
caps were drawn down to their shoulders,
and with as little delay as possible the
moose was adjusted about the neck OF
each. During ali ihis ordeal the men
bore themselves calmly, and not word
OF muUuUr did they utter Ahapa,
tlse elder ole-he being ilty-oEe years
old while Akana was only twenty-five
near rle close showed signs OF weakness
and was supported by an officer
ar Damon offered a brief prayer and
1n his uronouncing amen" private
signal was given The cord attached to
the belt and running into an inner room
was pulled. Ii stuck first with an audible
click. lut the suspense was only Tor an
Instant At SIS sharp the trap few
down and was pulled back on Its hinges
tva counter-weight The men had
3rlg 81 eight or nine feet, and death was
undoubtedly instantaneous. Ahapa never
moved q muscle again, while q very
s-- Witching OF Akana's left fingers,
noticed In Hour minutes, was not consid-
erred ly The physicians as indicating
feeling At the end OF twelve minutes
the physicians made an examination
and pronounced both men dead. When
hanging twenty-five minutes the bodies
were lowered into plain deal collins
painted black on the outside, and with
out any exposure OF the features having
been made the lids were quickly nailed
down. This operation, however. revealed
t8e TACT that both mems necks were
broken. Within the hour wagon de-
Tssrtei from the gate with the collins for |
Intarment ut Makiki Cemetery.
j was the unanimous verdict OF all |
present that the execution could not |
hate been carried out in q more decent. |
skilful and humane manner than was |
me case. This Is all the more credit
able 70 the police and prison officials |
- Il. L.