The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-09-07
THE CHINESE TROUBLE
AT KOHALA:

Some of the late iDstalment of Chinese
on the Hawi and Union Mill Plantations,
being dissatisfied with the small amount
to them from their pay after
deduction of Government deposit and
proportion of passage money, claiming it
was insufficient to support them, went to
consult Mr.. Aseu, who had brought them
out from China, to see if some modifica-
ton could not be effected in the contract.
On their way to see Mr.. Aseu they called
at the kohala Plantation and prevailed
on some of their fellow passengers there
to join them.
The course of events thereafter, as
nearly as they could be ascertained from
various sources, appears to have been
about as follows:
Arriving at Mr. Aseu's, about hun
dred in number, they waited until he
had returned from church and made
known the purpose of their visit to him.
There was no expression OF anger nor
any demonstration OF a lawless nature.
They willingly consented to wait until
Monday and then meet at the court
house for general consultation, and
some forty or more of them camped on
the ground for the night.
On Monday morning little disturb
ance was raised by stone or two being
cast into their midst By some native
boys, but this was soon quelled by Mr..
Aseu's native employees and some po-
licemen whom he had summoned for
protection, two or three of the Chinese
receiving bruises, not serious.
Proceeding to the court house, 800 Of
them more or less, waited in vain for
Mr.. Aseu to appear until late in the
afternoon, and were then advised by
their employers to go quietly home and
see what could be done the next day.
Many of them had done so, but others
held on until late. Being prevailed on
at last, they were permitted by the de-
putty sheriff to leave the court yard in
squads which turned off in different
directions toward their plantations.
Being we'll away on the Government
road, one of these three squads appar-
emily became uneasy at seeing them
selves closely followed by the deputy
and large number of plantation natives
who had been impressed as special po-
lice and armed with bullock whips, and
one or two OF the men stopped to pick up
a stone. They Immediately found them
selves in the midst of a general on
slaught, being ruthlessly over-ridden
and welted with the bullock whips.
Boiling through the fences as fast as
possible, they disappeared in the cane
fields, but these valiant masters of the
bullock whip were not satisfied. One
quarter mile makai OF the road were a
number of houses occupied by men who
had taken the advice Of their luna and
stayed at home, where they were quietly
enjoying themselves in various ways
among them was a sick man in his bed.
The Whip Brigade made break, by the
shortest routes, for these houses, demol-
ished every window, strewed the prem
ises inside and out with stones, seized
every Chinaman they came across, and
yanked forty or more by their queues to
the leper cells, where they were sum-
marily crowded in. Cinnamon were
seen with their tails twisted about the
pommel OF saddle, dragged at gallop.
The sick man found himself dangling at
the side OF a horse, under the arm of a
native, like helpless slab of beef. All
their clothing was appropriated by the
mob.
Mr.. Editor, this sounds like terribly
rough tale OF events in heather China,
not in civilized Hawaii-save the name
but disinterested spectators are good
witnesses, and your correspondent will
venture to say that the foregoing state
ments will be fully substantiated on any
honest Investigation, and that, too, by
white witnesses, and that the senti-
ment of this community will approve
the most rigid investigation and vista
ton OF justice upon this lawless mob.
A trial was held the following day,
Tuesday, and the Court released some
fifty battered Cinnamon with good ad-
vice, and it is said by their friends that
even now they have no complaint to
make against the Government or the
plantations, but want to find Mr.. Aseu
and his two sub-agents, who have dis
appeared with all their belongings, his
house being now under the protection of
the police, but they will send home such
reports as will prevent any further i'm
migration of Chinese to this country.
They insist that the Interpreters on the
ship at Mahukona interpreted falsely.
Had Mr.. Aseu kept his appointment
with these men, much trouble might
have been avoided, but his knowledge of
Chinese character appears to have in
disposed him to face three or four hun
dred dissatisfied countrymen, even under
the protection of forty or fifty bullock
whips.
Kohala, August 81.