The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-01-03
GIVEN TEN YEARS.
Illinois Wise Has Narrow Es-
cape From the Gauows.

Illinois Wise, the colored cook
who was accused of numbering a
Chinese on board the bark w. II.
Dimond in April last, has pleaded
guilty to a charge of manslaughter,
and was sentenced to ten years
imprisonment. The following par
ticulars are taken from the San
Francisco Call:
There was an interesting case before
Judge McKenna Of the United States
Circuit Court yesterday Goth inst, when
Illinois Wise, eolored man, vas called
for sentence.
Wise was indicted for murder on the
high seas and pleaded guilty to a charge
OF granddaughter, which was accepted by
the Government. His case had been
heard before the United States Commits
sioner, and yesterday the testimony was
rehashed to the Circuit Judge.
The charge against Illinois Wise vas
the murder OF a Chinese in April last on
board the American bark w. II. Dimond
while lying in the harbOr Of Honolulu.
According to the testimony yesterday,
Wise secreted the Chinese on board the
w. H. Dimond few DAYS previous to
sailing, having agreed to import him 10
America for a sum OF money
The Chinese was duly taken on board
and hid in Wise's room. About two DAYS
before sailing Wise killed the Monaghan
with crowbar and threw the remains
overheard. He also threw tine bed
clothes in which the Chinese had slept
into the harbor after putting pieces Of
coal in.
The body Of the murdered man was
discovered as was also the bed clothing,
and the crime was fastened on the col
ored cook Of the vessel.
As the murder was committed on an
American vessel the case had TO be tried
in this country.
When the case was called before the
Commissioner, Wise told an improbable
story about another Chinese and the
Waterman Of the vessel having killed the
man, and that he had arrived on the
scene Just as the crime was being COM
mitted. While the Chinese was still
gurgling on the floor the men dragged
him and threw him overheard. Wise
assisted because the murder had been
committed in his room, and be was
afraid to be implicated in it. For this
reason he pleaded guilty to the crime of
lnanslaughter.
Yesterday Carroll Cook made a plea
for clemency on the part Of the court for
Wise, bat Attorney Lindsey, represent
ing the Hawaiian Government, strongly
objected, and showed by the testimony
how the crime had been a cowardly and
bloody one, the Chinese having been
murdered in his sleep by being struck on
the head with a crowbar. During the
remainder OF the voyage Wise refused to
sleep in his own room
United States District Attorney Garter
stated that as Wise had made a plea Of
guilty to the crime Of manslaughter, and
as it would cause the Government much
trouble and expense to press the charge
Of murder, the prisoners plea had been
accepted.
Judge McKenna ordered the prisoner
to stand up, and said that if he deserved
any clemency he had got all due to him
when the Government accepted his plea
on the lesser charge. He then sentenced
Wise to ten years Imprisonment in Fol-
som prison together with fine OF $1,000.
Wise escaped very luckily, as there
was dead case OF murder against him
Carroll Cook was jubilaut at the lucky
escape Of his client, and on the conclu-
sion OF the courts remarks said be felt
'bully." The sentence with credits only
means six and half years imprson-
nent for the crime for which Wise es-
,aped hanging.