The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-04-03
Three Japanese Meet Death In a
Rather Suspicious Manner.
ONE OF THE MEN BURIED alive.
Did Not Know How to Prepare the
Fish-Dead Men Present CHASTITY
Appearance - Bodies SpOtted-Curi-
Gus Way to Bring Back Life, Etc.

lief, especially among the natives,
that certain species of fish inhabit-
ing Hawaiian waters contained
poisonous matter. The truth Of the
question received veri6cation by
the incident embodied below.
Yesterday morning three Japan
ese fishermen named Nishimura,
Tamagawa and Hashimoto, caught
near Moanalua a number of the
native oopu hui in their nets and
partook heartily of the fish, in
company with the wife of Hashi-
motto. Shortly afterwards the men
began to experience violent pains
followed by feeling of numbness
of the body. Becoming frightened,
the two weaker ones drove into
town in cart, while the stronger
walked, for the purpose of securing
medical advice concerning their
condition.
Nishimura, the one who walked
to town, went TO the house of friends
on Beretania street, nearly opposite
Kaumakapili church and called DR..
Koiima. The other two went to DIR.
w. Kobayashi's Office on Bere-
tania street, near Nuuanu street.
It was soon found that no relief
: could be given the afflicted men.
All three were in the throes of
death when the physicians exam
ined Them. Hashimoto was sent
back to his wife in Moanalua, where
he soon after expired. Yamagawa
died at his wife's home in small
alley leading from Fort street, near
Kukui, and Mishimura succumbed
in a house near the Kamakapili
church.
The woman who, in company
with the three men, partook of the
dangerous fish, developed no symp-
toms of poisoning.
The Japanese believe that by
planting the bodies of their dead in
the ground and allowing their
heads to extend above they can, in
some cases, renew life. This
method was carried out in the case
of Tamagawa. He was buried near
the fence forming one boundary of
the lane near Fort street, yesterday
afternoon at 2 o'clock. His head
was allowed to extend above
ground, and box was placed over
it to keep out the damp air. The
dead mans head, thickly matted
with hair, and pale face presented
a CHASTITY appearance. HIS nose
was almost snow white, the other
parts of the face being spotted
brown and white. The ears were
drawn and pinched. The head
was tilted forward, so that the chin
almost touched the loose ground
in which the dead man
was buried. Japanese were
standing in groups around a
smouldering fire talking in very
subdued tones, glancing every now
and then in the direction of the
temporary resting-place of their
deceased countryman. A flicker
ing lamp cast just enough light on
the scene to render every object
uncertain and uncanny. This aft
ernoon at 4 o'clock the body will
be removed, in case life does not
return by that time.
Nishimura was laid out on bed
in the honse near Kaumakapili
church. His forehead was COW
cred with thick perspiration, and
froth like that which comes from
the mouth of a mad dog oozed
from his nostrils at intervals. The
face was CHASTITY white, but the
body up to the neck was the color
of burnt skin. The upper bound
airy of this red color was Jagged |
and extended around the neck.
The fish eaten by the Japanese
is said TO be healthy food when |
properly prepared. The natives of |
the islands frequently eat them
without experiencing any i'll fleets. |
The troublesome part of the fish is
said to be the gall, which must |
always be carefully removed before
preparation. The Japanese did |
not do this and the result was
fatal.
In appearance the fish is said to |
resemble the porcuplne species.
1t has the power of dilation by |
means of air sacks, and is covered |
with sharp quilts said to be of a
poisonous nature. In Japan they
are very common. They are found |
only IN certain locations on the
islands, such as Moanalua.