The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-07
TRIAL OF
Military Court and Royal
IxfH MISUNDERSTANDING Protests.

Military Court Convened ana Royal
lists ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Protests.
The correspondent says regarding the ar
rest of royalist conspirators and their hear
Ing before a military court:
Arrests for treason and conspiracy have
been numerous. In all there are about $50
men under lock and key. This number in
cludes the prisoners OF war. 1t is thought
the government has under arrest nearly
all who took part in the rebellion. The
last of the leaders to surrender was Lot
Lane. He is half white, and was considered
q dangerous adversary. He gave himself up
on the 18th, after wandering about the
mountains for five days. On the same day
the first military court in the history OF
the Hawaiian Islands was convened. 1t was
composed as follows: Col. William A. Whit
ing, Lieut.. Col. j. H. Fisher. Captains c. w.
Zeigier, J, N; Canlara, jr,! J. ". Pratt
Jones and Capt. William A. Kinney as
judge advocates. The court was called and
named by President Dole, who is of the
stances better and quicker results will be
obtained than If the matter. was left to the
civil courts. A large crowd was in attend
ance, among the auditors being United
States Ministers Willis and British Commits
sioner HAYES; After deliberation the court
decided to allow the prisoners counsel. In
named.
Lane, flames Lane. samuel Nowiin, Carl
Widernan, William Craig, Henry Bertell-
man and Louis Marshall were arraigned on
q charge of open rebellion. Wilcox, Bertell-
man and Nowlin, the three leaders, all
pleaded guilty. The others refused to plead,
on the advice Of counsel, and a plea of not
guilty was entered against their names.
Paul objected to the Jurisdiction
OF the court, claiming thai under the proc
lamation OF martial law the general author
ty OF the courts of the republic created by
the Constitution continued. and they had
lenses such as specified in the charges be-
fore the commission. The court overruled
the objection, and the trial has since pro-
important testimony was secured from Now
lin and Bertellman, who have turned states
evidence to save their necks. The murderer
of Charles L. Carter has been found. He
Is a half white carpenter named Thomas
Poole. He admitted to a native rebel that
ne did the shooting.
LEADER WILCOX'S STORY
When Wilcox took the stand he told his
story in a straightforward manner. He
claimed that he knew nothing Of the threat
ened outbreak until one week before it
commenced. He said that there was not
more than three hundred men ait Diamond
Head Sunday evening. when the first shot
IF the rebellion was fired.
The trial of the leaders was concluded
on the 10th inst, but the finding of the
court has not yet been made public. A
member of the court is quoted as saying
executions will take place quietly, and the
public will not be informed until they are
over with st The prefound secrecy with
citizens to believe that the offenders will
be dealt with In a lenient manner. In con-
Citizens GYard have met and signed a Pc
tition to President Dole to be firm and
punish uni 1T the rebels as they dsserye
Richard, T. B.. Walker and w. T. Seward
were arraigned on a charge of treason.
s Mnixer II was Is s gae only s one who pleaded
ward purchased the arms and ammunition
for the rebels during his recent visit to
San Francisco. 1t was proven in court that
he hired a native to remain on a small
Island ON the west side of Oahu to watch
Lor a vessel thai was expected from Cali
Lornla- me schooner was a sealer named
w. C. -Wehlborn, belonging in San Fran
cisco. The vessel was sighted on Dec. 10.
The arms and ammunition were placed on
board the steamer Waimanaio, an island
vesse.. They were afterwards landed on
Diamond Head. Captain Davies, master of
he was approached first by w. II. Rickard,
who engaged him to interpret the sealer
snd secure rhe arms. He was promised
* 1900 for doing so. He received $40 of the
amount mentioned.
John Cummings. formerly Cabinet min
lister, and now under arrest for conspiracy,
stated that he was told by Seward tina he
had received a letter from the ex-Queen
telling him to go to San Francisco, where
w WOdid Dc ulSutu VIII IunQS DY Ru-
dolph Spreckels with which to purchase
arms. A friend of Spreckels named Willis
was also implicated in the transaction.
Samuel Nowlin told of frequent meetings
held at Gulicks residence, at which plans
were discussed by himself, Gulick, Richard
and Seward. The rebellion vas planned for
i've months. The new constitution was
completed about Christmas. The rebels had
2 martial-law proclamation all ready. Now
lin said that many foreigners had agreed
TO help him, but they failed to appear on
the field. Charles I. Gulick presented a
written statement to the court, in which
he denied everything but the drafting of
the constitution. On the Gath a number of
natives were tried on a charge of treason.
They were on the field of battle. A fourth
batch OF prisoners was tried on the follow
ing day. Evidence against them was con-
elusive. John Bowler, an Irishman, was
tried on the 10Th on a charge of treason.
Ashford is on trial now on the same charge.
In all of tho above cases no verdict has
been brought in by the court as far as the
public Is aware OF. 1t Is thought the COM
mission will be in session for at least two
weeks yet, as there are a large number of
prisoners to be disposed of. Martial law
still continues in order to Civ validity to
the verdict of the court.