The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-04-17

Carried.
Rep. Robertson moved that the bill
be referred TO the Printing Committee
Carried.
Rep. Richards reported that House
Bills nos. = and % mad been printed
House Bill No. % taken iCr considera-
ton. section by section. Referred u
judiciary Committee.
Under suspension of rules Rep. Haes
presented the following questions to
the AttOrney-General:
Why mas the Attorney Generals de-
partment Disseminated against the
Portuguese il the matter of the late
row on PunchbOwI and Emma streets,
by requiring bail of them, and allow
ing Tricks" Nelson, the acknowledged
originator of the row, TO go without bail
on three charges?
.'Second-Why has your department
entered noIIe prosequis in the cases Of
police officers Espinda and Wells, with
out investigation, or notice to counsel
assisting the prosecution, who were ar
rested upon legal warrants issued by
Judge de la Vergne, of the District
Court OF Honolulu"
Minister Smith, in answer, said that
there had been no discrimination be-
tween the Portuguese and Trick"
Nelson. The charges against the two
parties were of an entirely different
nature.
In relation to the row at the corner
of Punchbowl and Emma streets, there
was serious interference of certain Por-
tuguese with the police officers on duty |
there. Arrests were made. Tie mat |
ter is pending investigation now. Pend |
ing such investigation warrants were
sworn out against police officers con-
ceFned by certain Portuguese. Such &C
ton makes confusion in the case before
the Court. The whole matter will be
thoroughly Investigated and if any Of
ficer is found to have oVerstepped his
authority he will be attended TO.
Rep. Kaeo-Was Tricks Nelson let
out without bail on the evening, of the
row.
Minister Smith cannot answer that
question. The OfrenSe OF Nelson was OF |
very much less magnitude. He was ar
rested before the Portuguese we've
brought in, also.
Rep. Robertson said the difficulty was
in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS department.
The statements of officers were taken as
Gospel truth and they were allowed to
go free, while innocent people were
punished. In cases of ruffianism OH the
part OF the police officers, these men
were seldom even reprimanded. Rep.
Robertson referred to a recent case of
the kind at the corner of Fort and Bere-
tania streets, where the circus tent I
used to stand. Two people got into "a
row. Two policemen Oh duty at the {
place jumped in and struck about wild I
ly, hitting people right and lefC. Ia tins I
confusion the principals IL the fight es-
capped and two reputable young men, {
entirely innocent, were arrested, rough ]
ly handled, taken 20 the receiving sta &
tiOn and after some time allowed to go I
on their own recogniZance. The case
was brought up in the District Court, 6
and after two OF three postponemsnts. {
finally nolle pross'd because it had G
probably been ledrne1 that the young c
men had nothing ut all to do with the O
affair. The policemen concerned are a
still on the force. they should have a
been tried for assault and battery and s
dismissed from the force. C
Rep. Robertson cited another case of t
one OF the officers against whom COM t
plants have been made, aud poor old | [
drunken man. The latter was marched
down to the police station and just be- /
fore entrance at the door lie was struck L
in the back of the neck by the police l
officer 1t is 4 fact that police officers S
can 10 almost anything they like, and @
yet SO free. They can treat people in
all sorts of outrageous ways and still i
go UNPUBLISHED while innocent people G
are prosecuted.
Minister Smith u Rep. -,obertson- f
Did you report the case to the Mar q
Sha!'S department.
:. H., - In
my duty to report the case. here were
other police officers who saw the whole t
thing.
Minister Smith said that the police |
men on whole were a patient and I
faithful sec o. mrn. P=rhaps there {
were cases of -lIlfianism, but there were
such in eve-y country. Rep. Robertson q
should have report i the case. The '
word of pore officers was not always '
taken. In regaT1 to the row on the ]
corner C EInma and Pun :hbowl streets, {
there were responsible parties present {
who saw the whole affair. Among s
these was President Dole, who gave the s
order to the police to clear the streets. I
Rep. Kaeo propounded the following e
questions to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs: S
'First-Has there been any CORE i
spondence between the American Min t
lister Resident A. S. Willis, and the De- L
partment of Foreign Affairs, Republic t
of Hawaii, on matters pertaining to
any claim for damages by Mr.. Frank i
Godfrey against the Republic of Ha- /
wall? b
'Second-Has there been any CORE
spOndence between the department and +
the Secretary of State of the United
nf nd nc | +
claim?" f
Minister Smith made answer to the | b
question recently propounded by Rep.
Winston, as follows: S
In reply to the questions propounded b
by Rep. Winston in relation to the act t
ton taken by the Government to as 4
certain whn were e1liltv of mmittine q