The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-06
A STORY OF GRIM L.
FEATnERsToNE TRIES TO KILL MS
WIFE.
The Foregoing Circumstances-TheF Fight
For Life Slashed with
Meat Knife.

\ serious slashing affair occurred a
the King Street house Saturday after
noon.
Arthur Featherstone, an Australian
assaulted his wife with large mea
knife and came near cutting her t,
death.
The terrible affair was the immediate
result of drunken frenzy, but Il ,
trouble had been brewing for som,
time
Mrs. Featheretone is described as
being a patient, Woodworking woman
and one OF unimpeachable character
Her husband, on the other hand, is said
to be anything else. Numerous ugly
little stories OF cruelty, OF threats and OF
little mean things done by the husband
to ''even up" with the wife have crept
out from time to time, and friends OF
the couple have been induced by cir
cumstances to say more than once that
MR.. Featherstone's life was not happy
one.
The wife is a dressmaker and is said
TO be industrious and very competent in
her vocation; the husband has been
without employment for some time and
has lived off the earnings OF his wife.
The case as understood on the inside is
that Featherstone had become infatuated
with a native woman by the name of
Emily. He visited her several times
before Mrs. Featherstone knew anything
OF it. Last week, however, friend
made it a point to whisper as much to
Mrs. Featherstone. At first she refused
to believe the cruel story; but was per-
suaded of the facts. She was told that
her liege lord was even then at the
house OF Emily, and she might go down
and see.
Mrs. Featherstone went down to the
"Blue Gate" and there waited. Pres
emily her husband came strolling out,
and she met him face to face in his
doubtful conduct. Returning home
Featherstone was overcome with morti-
lication and falling upon his knees
begged the forgiveness Of his weepir 9
companion and promised never to visit
the object of his fascination again. He
also stated that he had only called there
for drink, and had but just gone in
when his wife appeared on the outside.
But Featherstone did not keep II 5
promise. The first move made after
that was to get very drunk and once
more HE to his brown favplite behI j
the "bue gate" This Mrs. eathcrstone
learned and the quarrel followed.
At this time the wife told her husband
that il he visited Emily again she (the
wife) would leave him at once. Then
the husband sprang up and demand,
that the wife beg his pardon. She lie.
fused and he gathered up the meat
knife and commanded her to go upon
her knees and beg his pardon, This she
refused to do saving she had done noth
| ing for which she should be forgiven
At this the frenzicd man sprang at his
wife, bringing the knife down from half.
reach. The point of the blade was
aimed at her breast. and had il struck
fairly must have killed her Instantly.
But she was saved by steel in the
front of her corsets, the point of the
blade striking fiat upon it.
| Mrs. Featherstone then seized heI
husbands uplifted arm and fought with
him for her life. In the scufile which
followed she was cut in three different
places,
One cash was up the hand between
the thumb and forefnger, supposed t.
have been the result OF seizing the blad'
OF the knife. The second was a slasl
across the front of the wris
coming within hairs breadtl
of the artery, which If cut would have
killed her in six minutes, The thirC
was another slash on the fore. arm abov'
the elbow.
During the scufile the door was lock
ell and the sewing machine obstructe
the window or Mrs. Fertherstone woul
have jumped through it.
At the time Mr.. b. ID. Mitchell and
stranger were sitting upstairs, and
attracted by the noise, the strange
rushed down and was followed later b
Mr. Mitchell. The door was kicked il
and just in time too, fo
) Mrs. Featherstone had fallen
: the floor, her strength completely eS
hausted, and her husband was maxim
eady to give her clean slash.
The two men ordered Featherstone
to drop tho knife, which was done, an
. policeman was sent for.
: He was taken to the station house an
2 searched, but while going through hi
clothes the turnkey failed TO discover
| small knife concealed in his Goa
r And an hour after he was cor
fined in his cell the guar
. found that the prisoner LA
| gashed himself across the wrist
= was not seriously hurt.
4 The preliminary examination
= Fealherstone will take place in the d
= trict court tomorrow morning. Mi
?. featherstone is much improved to-da
PERSONAL.
~ G. b. Wells of Waihee is in town.
c Mr.. n. Omsted of Hama is at the A
n ington.