The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-05-29

"A MurderOus chinese sOcietS
Exposed.
The May term of the Circuit
Court of the Third Judicial Circuit
was held at Hilo, Hawaii,
opening on May 9TH and closingE
May 27th, 1889. Fifty-nine cases
were disposed Of, there being lac
jury trials. The "Honomu murder"
case occupied eight days and result I
ed in verdict of conviction agait sts
Wo Sau of murder, and of acquittalp
against Aki and Ten Yick, chargedH
as accessories before and after theE
fact. On sentencing Wo Sau thei
Chief Justice said:
Wo Sau: You have been convict.
ed by the jury of one of the highcstI
crimes known TO the law-that of
the murder of one of your fellow
countrymen, Kwon Zip by name, al
Honomu, in the night of the oath OF!
July last. The jury which heard!
the evidence in your case and fou ldi
you guilty of this awful crime wercE
selected after day and q half spent
in examining some 75 persons su u
moned to serve, and none were &C.
cepted in your case who disClos adl
bias or prejudice from what they!
may have heard against you. TIE;
main evidence against you was tlat|
of accomplices with you in this
crime, but this oral evidence las
been substantiated and correborat ed
in 80 many particulars by indisput
ed facts and circum stances as to
leave no doubt in the mind of tue
Court that you were one of these
ten who killed Kwon Zip.
am of the opinion that this IL an
rendered himself obnoxious to y)u|
and others Of your class by reas on
of his having become an inform err
to the authorities of the offenses too
common among the Chinese, of h;v-
ing opium in possession, of gam
bling and illicit selling of intoxicAt-
ing liquors. l think there is no
doubt that this murder was planhed
in a room of the zee Wo Hing Co., :,
in this town, society formed from
among the Chinese, with large
membership, with ostensible objectS
which are good and praiseworthy as,
shown by its rules which were hung
in its hall where the public could see
them. Enough has been shown
during this trial to create a strong
suspicion that the real character OF
this Society is of a far different
nature than its public rules would
indicate, land certainly if such bloody
deeds are concocted in its sanctuary
as that shown to the jury in your
case, it is most dangerous organ
ization and standing menace to the
peace and good order of our commu-
nifty. The death of this obnoxious
man was deliberately planned and
he was by you allured to a lonely
place in valley away from public
notice, there feasted to surfeiting,
drugged with Intoxicating liquors
and opium and his life crushed out OF
him, and his poor body carried like
Il dumb brute's and buried ois.
inferred and buried again in secret
and ecluded spot. But con-
science haunts the guilty, and t.
avoid the detection of this crime
the bones of the victim were again
dsinterred and buried in secret anC
unlikely places and distributed
where it was hoped they would no
be brought to the light of day Bu
these very means of avoiding detec
tion have proved in the Providence
of God to be the means of your con
viction. / think the thanks of th
Government and the community ar
due to the Sheriff of this Islant
whose patience and skill FINAL,
brought this dark and wicked dee,
TO light. 1t is much to be regrette,
that no others of your co-consp ra
tors and co-murderers have been al
rested. All who took part in an
witnessed this murder have escaI ed
as is thought, from this kingdom
except you and those who have h ee
used as witnesses for the State.
The law says that your life is Iol
feited as the penalty for having pal
tlcipated in the killing of Kwon J il
l earnestly exhort you to pref ar
for the eternity into which you wi
soon be ushered by repentanc. {
your sins and faith in the Lord j
sus Christ.
Prisoner at the bar. Listen to I'll
sentence of the law: 1t is that 20
be taken hence TO the place of ysu
confinement in the prison of the is
and of Oahu, there to remain unt
the first Monday in the month {
August next, and that on that da
between the hour of O'Clock
the morning and twelve o'clocI, ;
noon within the walls of said priSo
you be hung by the neck until yc
are dead; and may God ba'
mercy on your soul