The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-02
AN HAWAIIAN EX|LE'S SUIT.
P. M. Rooney Makes Public His
Statement and Claim
for Damages.
CONSUL wILDER's OPINION
Other Claims Will Be Preferred.
Conflicting Statements by
Ex-PriSOnerS.

P. NJ. Rooney is the first to make public
statement in detail of the treatment re-
ceived by the Hawaiians, once political
prisoners at Honolulu and now exiles.
They are acting under the advice of their
attorneys and are willing to give to the
public all information regarding their
terms of Imprisonment and the alleged
harsh treatment attending it.
Mr.. Rooney was for several years chief
overseer of Claus Spreckels' plantations in
Hawaii; also the business manager of the
chief royalist newspaper.
His statement is as follows:
was born in Duchess County, State of New
York, in 1849; arrived in California in 1858
resided at Lincoln, Placer County, until 1879
then went to the Hawaiian Islands and be-
came engaged in the sugar business, during
which time / was for several years the chief
| oyerseer of the large Spreckelsville plantation
was op ioa1 nag OF the
In 1891 | retired from said position and re-
| moved to Honolulu and have lived there ever
| since.
| For several months prior to my arrest, here
matter mentioned, was business manager of
the Daily Holomua Publishing Company,
which concern published newspapers in the
English and Hawaiian languages, whose pol
| ICY was opposed to the existing Government.
On the 9TH of January, 1895, was at my
n6me IN b onol ,o with my wife and three
| so-called Citizens Guard, armed with rifles
and belts OF cartridges, came to my house, ar
rested me and told me that the Marshal had
sent for me and that must go. Iasked if they
| had warrant. They said no, but pointing
their guns they said they had been sent to
| bring me and l must go. was then taken to
| the police station, searched, and money and
| private papers taken from my person.
then asked the Clerk OF Police if any charge
| was laid against me. His reply was No.
was taken down in the prison-yard among
many other prisoners who had been similarly
arrested.
| Twas detained there about an hour. I was
ordered to fall into line, and with fifteen others
was marched through the streets of Honolulu
under heavy guard of armed men to Oahu
prison and placed in a small cell without bed
or bedding. During the same night another
prisoner (Carl Rheme) was placed in the cell
! with me. We asked for something to eat and
| were informed that the cooks had retired We
begged through hunger, and at last succeeded
| In getting cup of poor tea and one bareback
each. We had nothing more until II NJ the
On the 9th was supplied with bedding
! from my home and thereafter we were allowed
three hours exercise per day. The rest of the
| time we were locked up in small cell 71Sx5
some and uncomfortable, the heat sitting and
| the ventilation bad. l was confined there for
fused permission to see my family or friends
| Four very brief visits from my wife were al
lowed, in which our conversation was listened
| to by the jailer.
| sent for the American Minister, who, with
the American Consul-General, saw me several
times, and at my request urged the Govern
ment to either release me or bring me to trial
| was not informed as to the cause of my ar
| rest all this time, or whether any charge had
been entered against me, but l was denied
| either trial or bail.
| Twas in no way concerned in the revolt of
! that time, nor had any knowledge of it until
| read OF the opening scenes of the riot in the
had no arms, was not member of any organi-
| cation nor party formed for revolutionary or
other political purposes, and had at no time
attended any meetings or entered into any plot
or conspiracy revolutionary of purpose
After about six weeks imprisonment was
offered by the Marshal the option of release if
and strength and became partially crippled
| from the close confinement and lack of suffi-
Gent exercise. Both myself, wife and family
had suffered great mental distress from the
uncertainty of my fate, based upon the threats
and prospects of mob violence TO be wreaked
upon all the political prisoners, to which was
added the dread OF being carried before the
military commission. The record of the early
| trials and proceedings before that commission
had created the IMPRESSION. not only among
| prisoners Qncluding myself), but in the com
munlty at large, that arraignment before the
| commission upon whatever charge was sure to
| be followed by conviction and sentence to
penal servitude and fine irrespective of the
| guilt or innocence OF the parties arraigned.
l was further uncertain of the duration of
| luy lupTlSOllIuSut, dLu uuueT In6 Cnen exist
ing conditions knew not whether should be
even accorded the poor privilege of trial be-
! fore the military commission, whose proceed
ings was lea to believe had been illegal from
| the first.
With all these uncertainties before me, in
which only Imprisonment for no offense seemed
sure, accepted the offer of the Government,
merely as means of terminating my most un.
| just and wearing imprisonment, which had
affected my health injuriously and was SINH
| larly affecting my wife and family. therefore
! signed agreement To leave Hawaii to
return until the Government should give its
consent to such return. acknowledged no
completely in the matters OF the revolt Tor riot,
and signed under the duress of past or present
| imprisonment, with the threat and prospect of
its Indefinite continuance for no legal cause.
| l had established my home, intending to re-
! there, and there my children were born. My
enforced exile has broken up my family rela-
| lions, for my family remains in Honolulu.
have been put to great expense in the prem
ises, and have been obliged to mortgage my
home to raise money to maintain my family in
! Honolulu during my absence.
| My rights under the treaties existing be-
| tween the United States and Hawaii, and those
| guaranteed to rae by the constitution of Ha-
Hawaiian Government, and deem myself ag-
! grieved to the extent OF $4,000 damages.
P. NJ. ROONEY.
| Subscribed and sworn to before J. NJ. Poepoe
| in Honolulu and e. H Tharp of San Fran
cisco, Cal.
~ have only to say sour grapes They
have brought it on themselves. Let them
stand it," Mr.. c. T. Wilder, the Hawaiian
| Consul, was commenting on the plight of
| the exiles, as brought to mind by the state
ment and claim of P. M. Rooney, made
public yesterday.
'Of course l was not at the islands at
the time, but am told by reliable persons
that the political prisoners at Honolulu
| have the best of treatment. Captain Davis,
who is now on the steamer Homer and
will not be in the City again for a few
days, was one of the first prisoners. l
asked him for a candid statement of his
| treatment while in prison. and he told me
he had Jared worse in many hotels than in
the Honolulu prison, There was plenty
of fresh air, and the bedding was clean
| There were beefsteaks or ham and eggs for
breakfast every morning. Why, the Pal
ace wasn't in it, so he said.
ga Pittsburg man whose name / don't
recall, has lately returned from visit to
Honolulu for the purpose of interceding
for Seward, who is sentenced for thirty-five
years. He says he found him living in
| the greatest comfort, and thinks he should
have had seventy years."
Peter Camarinos, one of the refugees,
said he had not decided to bring suit, but
| it is reported that Harry JUN and Harry