The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-23
Some Inside Facts About the Dual
Life Of the Late Kala-
kaua.
Ills Great Ambition to Restore the
Government OF His
Fathers.
Tho Part Played by Joseph Rosenberg. the
Ex-peddIer of CIiances in the
Lottery.

nav. the Sau Francisco Examiner. A grea
deal has been written and published abou,
him since and before his death, but LITTLE
has been said of the handspring of his am
b;tion and hope. although whole volume;
might DO filed on the subject. The par
pose of this article, however. IL not to pre-
aept n critical analysis OF his character, but
simply to depict a few incidents III his
career which may possibly furnish a key to
II. For David kaIakaua led a dual life,
and the reality in his case is far more fas-
cjnating than tn, improbable and revolving
creation Of Stevenson's brain. which has
taken such a hold upon readers of sensa-
tionnl literature.
David Kalaksua was an ALI or high CHIEF
of the Hawaiisn islands. His ancestors.
once powerful in their own districts, had
been completely overshadowed by kame-
hameha and his followers, and he inherited
little beyond the pride of birth and q capa-
CITY for animal enjoyment for which ms
family had been noted for ages accord
entered into his head that one day he should
he called uron to rule the kingdom created
NV the genius of kamehaneha, and CONSOLE
dated by the patriotism and talents OF MS
descendants. II such a dream had ever
heen presented to Kaiakaua's brain 1t might
have modified his character and awakened
his ambition ut an earlier period. But as 1t
was he simply lived to enjoy life Ill an I'M
dignifei way until bis own and his wife's
patrimony had beer d~issipated. Even when
the lightning of \ purchased Legislature
struck him and he began to rule the king
dom CIV the grace of God" his credit did
not rapidly improve, and he was driven to
q great many ingenious shifts to gratify his
appetites and keep up appearances.
10 the day of his death. during every "
cissrtude OF chance and fortune. David ha-
Iakaua was a Hawaiian chief, living prefer
ably az close to the old life of his people az
was possibIe under the fierce puritanlsm Of
the missiouary fathers and their descend
ants. After ascending the throne he took
special pains to appear as a rehned ana pa
triotic ruler. HIS foreign travei. wnich
gave him q fair shine of outside polish, was
nndertaker in a measure to this end, and to
inform himself on the methods OF foreign
rulers that he might conform generally to
tue surface requirements of his exalted sta
ton. while secretly indulging his tastes ac-
cording to the usages OF his fathers.
The ancient Hawaiian chiefs were priests
"a vell as kings. Their will was absolute
in all things. They had the powero Of divin-
alton. could read omens and forecast the
fntnre far more accurately than was COM
mon among professional soothsayers and
prophets, for the reason that they nad the
noweY of life and death, of Wal and peace.
Fl misery or prosperity, in their own hands.
When n nrorhet is able to verify his predic-
tion he has an immense advantage over one
who has to take chances or its fuihllment.
Hence it happ sned that the ailis OF the olden
time, when they sacrlnced \ read the
omens. seldom IeceA'e" " iSh"s n4o''"Ho
from the gods.
The common people stood in awe of them.
To cross their shadow was death: to touch
their sacred psrsons WIS., death by torture.
The lifs Of a 'lanska was the most hopeless
and miserable slavery. The common peo-
pIe were living under a system of kapu or
taboo which rendered existence q daily and
NIGHTLY terror for fear of its breach. They
hsd ma nroperty and no rights, not even the
right of existence. Life was Mt the discre-
ton of the chief, who was nearly always
crafty, cruel and sensual.
The family from which Kalaksua was de-
scended was noted among the Hawaiisns
for the possession, in an exaggerated form,
ri the vices and crnelties of the tribal no
biIity. II Kalakaua inherited these faults,
the opportunity WAS wanting for their ex-
ercise. Kapu WAS o tnIng OF the past.
Slavery had been abolished. The common
psople were endowed with lands. Forced
service WAS no longer exacted by the chiefs,
and the king, the Supreme ruler, was no
more sacred than his servant in the eye of
the law; while the old gods had been aban-
doned and a new theology imposed upon
the people by the superior intelligence of
foreigners who had come to stay.
David Kalakaua secretly surrounded him
self with kahunas, o. prophets, who taught
him the traditions of olden tines, and eg-
tablished what might be styled 8 school for
prophets. He entered into this study with
great earnestness and soon became one of
the most potent and proficient among
them. He WAS specially AFFORDED by tie
idea that he WAS destined to restore the an
cient ways, and yet while secretly practic-
ing heather rites and encouraging debas-
ing superstition. he was posing III the eyes
of the world as a civilized ruler and q SHIN
ing example of the eleyating influence of
Christianity. From the Christian 1t era
ment at the altar in the Episcopal cai he
drai to the heatnsn IN the pii-
vacy of the palace was said not to BIG an I'M
usual change OF scene III the dual lie OF
this remarkable man.
As far AS possible kapu was enforced, and
AZ instances Of big power as a kahuna be-
came noIsed abroad the kanakas began to
fear him. In this way his influence OF the
maiIpn kind gradually extended. One ofhis
first pubic measures to carry ont his policy
WAS to establish what he styled the board
Of genealogy of Hawaiian chiefs, presided
over by his fayorite sister-in-law, who Was
heart and soul IN sympathy with him III his
Teactionary pians, which she hoped would
rid them of the foreigners. The officers of
this society were natives, and mostly
females. for 1T is a remarkable fact that the
Hawaiian women fell most readily into his
plans and methods.
lhe board OF genealogy wag supported by
public money, but it never accomplished
anything noteworthy except q imposed
identification of a chiefs bones by the aid Of
dlSining pig, which appears to have been
q sacred animal of superior intelligence
and held in high esteem by tho king and
has superstitious associates. Indeed, q
black pig figured prominently in this school
oil ctvlnstIon, and probably was entitled to
quite ss much respect as the human beings
VINO used 1t for such a purpose.
The board Of genealogy was followed by
the founding of a mystic order called the
kilo-hIio society, OF which Kalakaua wa
the sacred chief. This society Was the out.
come of his own brain, aided by an old ad-
yenturer from the coast, whose occupation
of peddling lottery tickets had been rem.
dered Improbable by police vigilance II
San Francisco and who pretended to hay.
discovered the statutes of Kiio-Kilo in an.
cient Hebrew records, several million year
before the Hood, If not, indeed, prior +.
creation itself. Night after night JOSEPH
Rosenberg read aud translated thl
apochryphal Hebrew lore to kaIakaua, ant
day after day Joseph became sleeker an
happier, while his royal dups threw of al
disguise and prepared TO play the role @
the Emperor Julian on a small scale. II
other words he thought the time had com
when he could restore the ancient custom
If not tbs ancient Worship of his race.
The kilo-Kilo WAS organized and incoi
pofated as q benevolent society. Officer
were appointed and members enrolled. an
for several weeks the palace was the seer
nj nightly nrnlea uhile the fsu or uvrnb.