The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-10-18
ATTEMPT TO KILL.
James Gibbs, a Painter. Tries 70
Shoot Hon. r. ". Wilcox.
An Exciting Time on King Street
About DuSk-The Present
Political Struggle is
the Cause.


At last lawlessness has broken
out and on the side of the following
of the ousted Ministry.
The outbreak took place last
evening about dusk on King street
Immediately in front of the office of
the Liberal, which is situated on
the ground floor of the K. of P.
building, and might have resulted
in the death or wounding of Hon.
Robert w. Wilcox.
/ HOW 1T HAPPENED.
From an eye witness the follow
ing account of the affair was
! learned:
About 80 o'clock Mr. Wilcox,
who had been standing on the cor
ner of Fort and King streets talk
ing to friend, started towards the
office of his paper and when about
ten feet away from the place was
accosted by James w. Gibbs, pol
itician, who applied a vile epithet
to the law maker Wilcox noticed
that his insulter appeared to be
under the influence of liquor and
merely gave him a shove and told
him to get one side. By this time
both men were in front of the Lib
eral office, when Gibbs stepped
from the sidewalk and was seen to
put his hand to his hip as if reach
ing for weapon, and in a second
the cleaning barrel of a pistol was
seen, but whether the revolver was
drawn from the would-be murder
er's hip pocket or inside coat
pocket, there is doubt.
THE AssAILANT PINIONED.
Mr.. Wilcox was alive to the Sc
rious nature of the occasion and
Immediately grappled with Gibbs,
who in the meantime was trying
to get an aim, but fortunately was
unable to do so, and in the final
struggle he made supreme effort
to get free and at the same time
fired the pistol, but owing to the
position in which he was held, the
bullet passed harmlessly by the
legislator and buried itself in the
earth but few feet away.
After the murderous shot was
fired assistance came to the relief
of Mr.. Wilcox and the weapon was
taken from Gibbs. The news
spread like wildfre, and in a few
moments an immense throng col
lected near the spot of the attempt
ed assassination. In the mean
time Gibbs was released and
Immediately sought refuge in
hack standing by and implored
the driver of the vehicle to take
him to the Station House, which
was done, while the crowd followed
the hack.
THE DEFENSE OF GIBBS.
Gibbs was taken to the Marshal's
Office where it is understood he de-
MED the ownership of the pistol
and claimed it was the property of
Mr.. Wilcox, and further, that the
last named gentleman did the
shooting.
The prisoners defense is ingeni-
Gus, but in this case, in the minds
of many, it will be of little avail as
there are at least three eye witness
ses to the affair, one of whom is a
disinterested party and is positive
that Gibbs drew the pistol while he
was standing in the street.
The revolver is of the American
bulldog pattern, about SO calibre,
and when taken from Gibbs but
one chamber was empty.
LET DOWN EASY.
Gibbs is charged with an assault
with a deadly weapon and was re-
leased on bonds shortly after his
surrender. His case will come up
in the Police Court this morning.
Gibbs is an old resident here and
while he is addicted to the use of
liquor he has never been regarded
as dangerous man. He has med
died in politics for some years and
is one of the leaders of local Or
ganization known as the Mechanics
Union, an appendage of the Ma
tional Reform Party.
He has never had any previous
trouble with the man he attempted
to kill and no reason, other than
political enmity, can be assigned
for his cowardly action of yester-
daV.