The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-15

Government. He has a wife and is the
father of no less than seventeen children.
He had been tried and found guilty of trea-
son, and was sentenced to serve thirty-five
years in prison and pay fine of $40, 900.
1t was arranged that the sentence should
be read to Richards on certain Friday
evening at 7:30 o'clock. After the time for
the sentence had been agreed upon, Judge
Advocate Kinney sent messenger to me
to induce me to leave the country. I was
then a prisoner, but refused to leave of my
own free will. The messenger reported the
failure to Kinney, who was eight miles
from the city at the time. This was
about 6 P. NJ. on the Friday referred
to. Kinney Immediately telephoned the
authorities to postpone Richards sentence
until he Kinney returned to the city,
as some important matter interviewed. At
8 o'clock that night Kinney and the Mar
shall took Richards into the jaiIors private
office and labored with him until midnight
in an endeavor to persuade him to give
evidence against me: AS persuader they
held up to him his duty to try to procure
his freedom, and reminded him of the de-
plorable condition of his wife and seventeen
children, should he decline the PROPOSE
ton. Kinney said to him: Il am the Judge
advocate, and whatever | recommend to
the commission will be done Well, Rick
ards refused. Next morning at $3.50 o'clock
he was sentenced to thirty-five years in
prison and to pay fine of $4,000. l sub
sequently secured this Information in a
full statement made by Richards and
sworn to by him. This statement has been
sent to the British Foreign Office.
son the day following the sentence of
Richards, Kinney went to another pris-
oner, woman named Mrs. Kaae, one of
the most intelligent half-castes in the
islands, and tried to secure from her testi-
mony against me. But she was plucky
enough to refuse and scorned all PROPOSE
tons of liberty and other rewards. very
WELL said Kinney, if you viii not testify
against Ashford your sentence will be the
same as that given to the Queen, five years
in prison and $4,000 fine But Mrs. Kaae
refused. She was subsequently released as
nothing could be brought against her.
After it was generally known that the
Military Commission had decided to pass
sentence of death on c. F. Gulick, Major
Seward, w. III. Richards, T. B. Walker and
R. w. Wilcox petition bearing the sig
natures of several hundred men, women
and children, all members of the Central
Congregational Church, was presented to
the commission. The petition asked that
the sentences of death be carried out and
that no combinations be made in favor of
any of the men.
ION the other hand the American League
adopted several resolutions asking leniency
for the prisoners. 1t was not until the
American Congress had been heard from
that the sentences of death were changed
to imprisonment and fines. AS to R. W.
Wilcox, who has been styled the leader of
the attempted revolution, that is all mis-
take. Wilcox went into it, not as leader,
but because he could not sit idly by and
see his countrymen fighting for what they
believed to be their rights.
When asked if he expected ever to return
to Hawaii Mr.. Ashford said:
go back? Yes, of course 1 shall go
back; and III not ask Mr.. Dole's permits
sion, either. We are all going back-all of
us exiles-and the time of our going is not
very far off"