The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-01-18
The President Exercises His Par
= doning Power Yesterday.
Wo FULL PARDoNs ARE GRANTED.
4 Communication of Seven Years-Kaa-
punt and Christian Friest arc Now
FREQ Men The Story of Their
Grimes.

Two men, who have been suffer
ing severe penalties of the law for
their misdeeds, but have shown
that they were repentant, and try
ing, to the best of their ability, to
lead better lives, and to be, in the
lowly sphere that they have occu-
pied for years, an example to their
fellow prisoners, were made happy
beyond expression yesterday, by
having their liberty given them.
These men were Kaapuni, native,
and Christian Friest, a German.
All Tuck, Chinaman had his
sentence lessened by seven years.
The occasion of the release was
the first anniversary of this Gov
ernment's birth. 1t was thought
well by the President and both
Councils to exercise the power of
clemency that is vested in them,
and to release few of the prison
ers in the Oahu Prison. Those
who were released, and the one
who had his sentence committed,
were considered the best ones to
have clemency shown them, as
thew have all been most faithful,
honest, and well behaved since
their incarceration.
The most important pardon was
that of the native man, Kaapunl.
He was sentenced about twenty
wears ago to be hung for murder.
His sentence was afterward COM
muted to twenty-five years impris-
onment at hard labor, and, taking
into account the time allowance for
good behavior, he had only little
over one year more to serve.
Kaapnni has been working at the
Station house for some time past,
and has been considered the most
faithful "trusty" there. Yesterday,
ali unsuspecting, he was sent out
to the prison and told that there
were some things there for him to
SFg back to the Station house.
Inc pretext or another he was
'ept at the prison until the Attor-
ney-General and the Prison In
spectors arrived, when the convicts
were all mustered into the court
yard of the Jail. He was the first
one called upon to have his pardon
read to him. He had no idea OF
what was coming and apparently
did not thoroughly understand the
purport of the document which
Marshal Hitchcock read in English.
But when G.. P. Iaukea, who was
interpreting into Hawaiian, reached
the part where it said that it was
granted unto Kaapuni full and
free pardon" the native, who had
spent twenty years of the best part
of his life behind prison bars, start
ed, then looked incredulous, but
at last, realizing the fact that there
was no deception in the matter,
but that from thenceforth he was
free man, the tears springing to his
ewes he bowed his head upon his
breast.
Christian Friest was next called
up by Tailor Low and his pardon
was read to him. He was not so
expressive of his feelings as Kaa-
punt, but he, nevertheless, showed
that he was deeply conscious ofthe
fact that he was again free man.
All Tuck, the Chinese who had
seven year communication OF SEN
tence granted him, received the in
formation with the stolidity of his
race, but was wreathed in smiles
as soon as the ceremony was over
and he had received the congratu-
lations of those present.
When the Acknowledgement had
concluded the reading of the par
dons he made short address to
the prisoners, telling them that the
pardoning power of the Executive
was not intended to interfere In
any way with the functions of the
courts, but was now simply as a re-
ward for good behavior in prison,
and that each man habit in his
power to reduce his time by obeying
the laws of the prison. He re-
viewed the cases of each of the men
pardoned, and pointed out how
they had been rewarded for their
GOOD behavior. His remarks were
translated into Hawaiian, Japan
csc, Chinese and Portuguese by the
Interpreters present.
While the Attorney-General was
speaking, the two pardoned men
Eiere seated on a bench alone. A
turnkey brought them a suit of
clothes, shoes and hat, and as
soon as Mr.. Smith had finished,
fhanr want To their cells for the last