The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-11-27
THE HOUSE WAS FIRED.
so THE JURORS AGREE IN THE
BOWEN CASE.
Bowen Is Suspected-The Evidence with
held From the Papers-More
to Follow.

During saturday, Sunday and Monday
Captain Larsen was diligently invesii.
eating the attempt at burning the hous,
of j. p. Rowen at Waikiki. The
premises were thoroughly examined
the peculiar location of the fire; the
precautions evidently taken by some
person to effect such an arrangement;
circumstantial evidence at every hand
to arrive at the true solution of the
problem; these things and much more
went to convince the detective that the
house was fired, and for a purpose.
Several persons testified to facts which,
when put together, formed the strong
est chain of circumstantial evidence
imaginable.
Detective Larsen laid his report before
the Marshal. 1t was comprehensive,
treating the matter in detail. The
detective did not hesitate to character
ize the case as one of unqualified incendi-
arism. 1t was shown that the house
was purposely fired. The building is of
wood. On one corner toward the back
is a small room about eighteen inches
above the ground. At the side is an
opening reaching under the house. At
this point the fire was discovered. The
lower half of an oil can had been EN-
ployed. The tin had been in use for
quite while as the rim at the top,
where it had been cut, was rusty and
old. 1t was partly filled with oil when
the fire was smothered out. The oil
was strong and had evidently been put
in the tin the same day.
The burning tin of oil, when discov-
cred was about three feet under the
house. The flames were protruding out
OF the opening and running up the side
OF the building. In the room above was
a small card table upon which was a
lamp. The lamp contained nearly a
quart OF oil and was lit when the house
was entered. 1t looked as if the party
leaving the lamp in the room intended
that the flames should enter from be.
meath, heat it, and an explosion would
! follow, the room be fired and the whole
place doomed. The connection between
the burning tin of oil and the large lamp
above it is not overlooked by the detec
tive. The circumstances interlock.
The party guilty OF the crime hac
laid his plans well. True, the flame:
from the tin of oil would have had t.
burn through the flooring to gain mucl
Roadway; but surely this would have
been the work OF only a few minutes
Once in the room the job would hay,
been complete for the large lamp mus
have exploded very soon. The fir,
department was three miles away ant
it was hardly to be presumed that tn
agency to extinguish the fire existed il
that community. These facts were con
sidered very strong.
The testimony of parties living nea
the premises was also brought out
Their statements, as said before, CAV
great strength to the other findings
Everything flied together beautifully
Their evidence, however. went so far a
to charge the crime upon single ind
vidual. Circumstantial though it was
seemed to establish the point. Tn
Marshal hesitated in making an arrest
He preferred to give the accused ma
the benefit of the doubt, and selected
: special jury of inquiry whose business
should be is to investigate the case an
report their decision.
The jury consisted of Messrs. w. {
Peacock, Charles B. Wilson, NJ. Dav
and j. A. Gilman. They started upo
their work at o'clock Monday afte
noon and continued it until after 4. III
e evidence was thoroughly examine,
r Three or four witnesses were also Gale
: in and their statements added to the r.
port of the Detective Bureau. The jul
decided that there was no question bl
d. that the fire was of incendiaIy origi
and that the evidence in hand was suf
: cient to establish the guilt of certai
party to the crime.
W
/, Jim Mace, who has charge of the pla
for ex-Queen Liliuokalani. He state
that about twenty minutes after
O'Clock on the afternoon of the fl
n Bowen called at the house of NJ. Day
Il and asked witness to go to his ov
e premises for some small purpose. TIT
D. went together and Bowen showed Ma
through the rooms in the former
house. In about ten minutes both M
" left, the witness going to Davis' al
"a Bowen to his brake, presumably
drive away.
Another witness living near the pref
10 Uses in question swore that he 81
l. Bowen drive up and dismount short
after O'Clock on Friday afternoon; 81
Ill him go to Davis house and return wi
Mace. Bowen got in his rig, but, W
of ness says, did not drive away. He
NJ saw no more of him. About tween
al minutes later witness heard an alarm
fire and rushed out to find the fan
bursting out from under Bowen's hou
ar Witness went over and helped to p
o. the fire out. Several other witness
es were examined, but their testimo
I'm was of the same nature.
es The decision of the jury was una
nous. Mr.. Davis hesitated for tin
a but he too gave way under the weight
he evidence. After this report was
Is. ceived the Marshal decided to issu
nd warrant for the arrest OF the accu
ng man today.
ed Today, however, the Marshal has C
m. tented himself with looking up furt
evidence and outlining policy of p
ct' ceeding. While the findings of the j
wv establishes one point, the idea seems
zee prevail that the evidence is har
4 A.