The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-03-01
THE POLICE COURT.
A Portuguese Servant Girl as a
Medium-A Case in Which
Spirits and Sorcerers
We're Numerous.

concerning the premises OF Mr.. Z.
L. Brito, on Punahou street. 1t
was in relation to the arrest of NJ.
J. Perriera, charged with malicious
injury.
The trial came up yesterday
morning in the Police Court before
Judge Foster and a crowded Court
room.
When the case was reached, by
consent of counsel it was changed
to conspiracy.
The defendant is big burly fell
low, and claims to be a half POrtu-
guese. His alleged accomplice in
the conspiracy was a Portuguese
girl about fourteen years of age,
a servant of Mr.. Brito's. From the
testimony adduced, it is learned
that he had criminal relations with
the girl, and with the intention of
taking her from the home of Mr..
Rrito, concocted scheme to
frighten her employers.
Mr.. G.. L. Brito, the complaining
witness, stated that on the evening
of Wednesday, January q, he was
annoyed very much by having
stones thrown against his house.
He listened for a while and finally
went in search of the cause armed
with large revolver. He watched
for two hours and saw nobody, but
the stones kept showering just the
same. The next night, the wit
ness asked the defendant to assist
him in catching the person or per-
sons who had been despoiling him
of his rest. After dinner both went
out to make a discovery. Although
the stones were continually fired
against the family mansion, no
human hand could be seen.
Whistling could be heard in
various places and other strange
noises, disturbing the peace
of mind Of everybody but
the tall defendant. Finally, a
policeman was called during the
latter's stay, the supposed super
natural powers were more active
than ever, showing that the general
contempt for the police is shared
even by the spirits. All this hap
pened about o'clock in the morn
ing. The witness said his family
thought spirits or sorcerers were
about. He did not, but on the con-
trary, was under the impression
that his servant-girl was the cause
Of the trouble.
The next morning Mr.. Brito had
to go to Eva on business, and on
his return he found that the family
had eaten nothing that day, but,
instead, had sprigs of rosemary be-
hind their ears. When asked
about their strange behavior, they
stated that the defendant had told
them to place the plant behind
their ears to keep off the spirits
and other hobgoblins. 1t seems
that manifestations had been nu-
merous the whole day, as the
kitchen was all in confusion, food
and other articles being on the
floor. His wife went to her ward
robe and found that a large number
of her favorite Sunday bonnets
were torn into shreds.
A number of other things hap
pened that nearly drove the wit
ness and his family to distraction.
They asked their supposed friend,
the defendant, to account for the
strange happenings. He said it
was the work of spirits, and volun-
teered the information that he
knew of an identical case in his
own country.
The next night the witness went
to town and brought some friends
to spend the evening with him,
There were no manifestations that
night. The evil spirits had dis
appeared.
Mrs. Brito gave her testimony
which was the same as her hus-
bands. She told how the defen.
dant had picked the rosemary and
requested her to wear it.
One day she was cooking beans
and stepped out of the kitchen fol
a moment; when she returned the
beans and cooking utensils were OF
the floor. She could not account
for it, and was very much worried
Julia Correa, the Portuguese
:. servant girl, was then called ant
q cleared up the whole mystery
5 H3eF testimony agreed with Mr.
Brite's about the mysterious hap
penings, and was to the effect tina
she was the cause of all the stone
{ throwing, and other supposed
spiritual manifestations. 1t seem
THAT the defendants mapped out
programme Of worry that woulC
surely cause her dismissal from
her employers house. He threat
d enea to kill her if she did not carr,
g:iE6nt his request. The witness ais
8. stated that the defendant prom
). ised to marry her if their combine
B efforts were successful. Their con