The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-08
FeatherStOne to Stand His Trial
for Cutting His Wife.
he CONDUCTS HIS CASE HIMSELF.
The Injured Wife Appears as n Witness,
and Does Not Seem to Show any
Mercy to Her Recalcitrant Husband
He Does not Want to Go to Jail.

Arthur FeatherstOne, the English
man who cut his wife with a butcher
knife last Saturday, had his prelimi-
nary examination in the District
Court yesterday. He was held for
trial to the Circuit Court.
Just before the trial commenced, V.
Y. Ashford, Featherstone's lawyer,
said he had not had time to investi-
gate his clients case, but that Feather
stone desired to go on with the trial
at once. This being the case, he
would have to withdraw entirely from
the case FeatheTstOne then informed
Judge Robertson that he preferred to
90 on with the trial, and would con-
duct his own case.
FeatherstOne pleaded not guilty.
He was very nervous, and had con-
sumptive kind of q cough. His few
days in Jail seem to have pulled him
down considerably. His wife was not
in Court when the case was called,
but was sent for, and arrived shortly.
She was pale and nervous, and seemed
hardly strong enough to be out of her
bed. Botn her hands were still bound
up, and seemed perfectly helpless.
She watched her husband closely, es-
pecially while he was telling his eide
of the affair. After the trial was over,
her husband went up and tried to
speak to her, but she refused to have
anything to do with him, and he was
taken back to his cell.
James Thompson, a lOdger in the
house where the cutting occurred was
the first witness. Saturday afternoon
he heard screams coming from the
room occupied by the Featherstones,
and ran down stairs. When he got to
the room he saw the defendant stand
ing with his back TO the door, with a
big knife in his hand. Mrs. Feather
stone was covered with blood, and
was still bleeding profusely. He
thought FeatherstOne was drunk.
The injured woman next took the
stand. She said that on Saturday her
husband came into the room as she
was preparing to go out He asked
her not to go, and told her TO come
and sit beside him. This she did, to
show him that she did not fear him.
He asked her to forgive him for his
intimacy with the native woman
Emily, but she said she would never
forgive him. He then ordered her to
get on her knees and ask his forgive
ness, at the same time drawing big
knife. She told him to put the knife
down, and he did so, but again picked
it up. She seized his hands, and
called for help. FeatherstOne then
slashed at her, and cut her arms and
breast. He had threatened her before,
both on Thursday and Friday.
DR.. McGrew testified to having at
tended to the WOman's injuries, and
finding them serious but not fatal.
After a few other unimportant wit
nesses were eXami ned, FeatherstOne
himself took the stand. In the mid
die of his testimony he asked for
rrl Of tor no n
weak. He at first talked hesitatingly
but toward the end of his story he
warmed up and made quite Il plea for
mercy. He said that his theory was
that he had no intention of harming
his wife at all. On Thursday he went
down to see the MOnOWai come in.
While coming back he met the native
girl, Emily. She asked him to go
and have drink. He was not
charmed blythe girl, but he wanted a
drink. They had several drinks of
gin at the "Blue Gate" This, he
said, was the first time he had spoken
to Emily since his wife had been here.
Emily tried all her seductions upon
him, but, according to his story, he
resisted this like a stole. All they
talked about was dress that his wife
was making for Emily. After awhile
he left and met his wife. She asked
him what he was doing there, and he
said: 'My dear, / went in TO get 4
drink" She accused him Of going in
with Emily, and he acknowledged it.
They then went to the King Street
House, where she again accused him
Of his infideliiy. He told her he
thought he would go away by the
MOnOWai, and she said he had better.
He sold the things that belonged 10
him, and made ready to go away.
After that he contemplated suicide
several times. ON Saturday morning
he wrote II loving letter to his wife,
asking her TO forgive him. He had
been drinking. He went to her, and
again asked her 10 forgive him. She
would have nothing to do with him,
but started to go out. As she passed
him he picked up a knife, not with
any intention Of hurting her. She
grasped the knife, aud both struggled.
In the struggle he felt the knife enter
her body. He drew il out and shout
cd, only God, I've killed my wife
Anything more than this lac did not
know. If he was guilty, Of course he
deserved punishment, bat hc did not
believe he would live. Judge Robert
son held him 10 the Circuit Court
As Feathrrstone passed out OF the
room hc attempted 10 speak to his
wife, but she repul3ed him and would