The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-02-16
BIT OF ROMANCE.
Kentucky Tragedy and Its Sc
QlGlS.
The FRUITS OF REPENTANCE
Bourbon Blood in Veins
of Hilo Preacher.
Descendants of the Best of Blue
Grass Blood : Minister
Willis Find.
The FRUITS OF REPENTANCE

NEW YORK, Jan. 31.-The SUMS Lex
ington, KY, special says: United States
Minister Willis, who died recently in
while serving his country there. He
found that the most eloquent and pop
ular native preacher in Honolulu is a
descendant of one of the most noted
families in Kentucky. the Deshas. This
discovery brings to the surface some
hitherto unpublished facts concerning
one of the most sensational tragedies
Kentucky has ever known. Joseph De-
sha was Governor of Kentucky from
1874 to 1898. In the latter part of 1876
Isaac Desha, son of the Governor, killed
James Baker, a traveller, and robbed him
of 800. He was arrested and placed in
Jail, and the evidence was so strong
against him there was great danger of
his being lynched, and he was taken to
the jail in Cynthiana for safekeeping.
Desha was tried, convicted and senten-
ced to be hanged. While in Cynthiana
he tried to commit suicide by cutting
a cash in his throat. His life was barely
saved.
Owing to his influential family rela-
tons much sympathy was aroused in
favor of the prisoner after his attempted
suicide, and there was a strong effort
made to induce Governor Desha to par
don his son. But the Governor held out
against it, and it was feared that the
son of the Kentucky Governor would
have to hang. Finally, after much per-
suasion and many petitions had been
presented to him, the stern old Cover
nor relented, and not long before the
expiration of his term as Governor he
pardoned his son.
1t has been said Governor Desha re-
signed after pardoning his Maynard boy,
but this is a mistake. He served out
the remaining months of his term and
retired from Office full of hOnors 1t was
supposed that Isaac went to South
America and died. and not until Minister
Willis discovery of Desha's descendants
in the Hawaiian capital was it generally
known that he went to that country.
few years after Isaac Desha was
pardoned G. w. Crawford of Greenup
County took a hatboat load of produce
to New Orleans One night while tied
entered his cabin and threatened to kill
him if he did not surrender his money.
Crawford recognized the man as Isaac
Desha, and asked him what in the world
he meant by trying to rob an old ac-
quaintance Desha broke down and con-
fessed that he had been living the life of
an outlaw ever since his father had par
doned him, and he scarcely cared what
he did. Crawford talked to him like a
brother, and begged him to reform and
to not further disgrace MS 1amlly. De-
sha listened to his friends advice, and
upon Crawford's invitation he continued
on the boat to New Orleans as his guest.
Before he reached the city he told Craw-
ford he had decided to change his name
and go to a far-away place and try to
atone for the wrongs he had committed.
He declined to tell Crawford here he in
tended to go or the name he intended
TO take, but the story of the late Min
lister Willis furnished the sequel to this
romantic tragedy.
1t seems that he went to the Sandwich
Islands shortly after leaving Crawford,
and there Isaac Desha, son of the Ken
lucky Governor, married native wo-
man, and from this union sprang the
eloquent half-breed preacher, who is the
most popular minister of the Gospel, as
well as the most able in Honolulu. 1t is
doubtful, however, if he knows that he
is related by blood to many of the most
prominent citizens in Kentucky today.