The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-09-27
A HORRIBLE
TRAGEDY.
DR.. ]. k. Smith Killed by
An Assassin.
The Erraged People of Kauai Gall
ing for Revenge.


the 2Ith inst, DR.. James X. Smith,
OF Koloa. Kauai, was killed at his
residence by an unknown assassin.
The whole community has been
stirred by this brutal murder, which
removes from our midst friend of
the Hawaiians, an amiable gentle
man, man who was never known
to have an enemy.
Very meagre report OF the details
of the murder have reached this city.
Miss Juliette Smith, the sister OF
the murdered man, lived with him
at Koloa at the time OF the assassin
alton. From her letter to her bro
ther, Attorney General w. o. Smith,
a few particulars we're obtained.
1t seems that on the night of the
tragedy, Miss Smith and the doctor
were sitting together in the parlor
of the cottage occupied by them,
between 8 and 10 o'clock, Miss
Smith retired and the doctor went
to his room to write some letters.
Shortly after Miss Smith had put
out her light, she heard knock at
the front door. The doctor sang
out, "Who's there2" and repeated
the question in Hawaiian. No
answer was given but the party out
side coughed. The doctor opened
the door, shot was fred, and Miss
Smith hearing the sound Of the
falling Of something heavy rushed
to the door, where she found her
brother lying on the floor, shot
through the breast and dying.
The neighbors and police officers
were Immediately aroused, but no
trace of the perpetrator OF the cruel
deed could be found. Miss Smith,
when reaching her brother, heard
the noise of horses feet disappear
ing in the distance into the dark
ness.
Drs. Campbell and Watt were
summoned and arrived as soon as
soon as possible. A bullet from a
80 caliber revolver was extracted
from the body Of DR.. Smith, and the
theory of the attending physicians
that tho murderer could not have
been more than a few feet away
from his victim, when the fatal shot
was fired.
DIR. j. X. Smith was born on the
islands and has, for number o.
years, resided at Koloa, where he
and his sister founded the Kauai In
dustrial School for Hawaiians. He
was man in the prime of life, anC
had only short while ago erected
comfortable residence, where ht
intended to take his bride. elect
Miss Brewer, after their marriage
which it was arranged should tak'
place in California, where the fiance'
of the murdered man resides.
Many theories have been advanced
as TO the cause of the murder, which
it would be improper to discus
now. The doctor may have had {
, warning that some enemy was oil
his track 1t is stated that the let
Ter which he was writing, when h
: was called out by his cowardly as
sassin, was to his betrothed, ant
? that he asked her to send to him he
photograph, writing that it nigh
be the last time he ever would loo
Y at her features,
Feeling on Kauai is running YER,
high, and even very conservative
t citizen Of that very conservative isl
t and writes, that if the fright ma
4 is caught now, there will be SINAI
. chance for jury being called upo
! to decide his fate"
= There is no doubt that the assat
J. sin is "white" man The metho
adopted indicates that no Hawaiia
or Asiatic was implicated.
Attorney General Smith, Genera
o A. S. Hartwell, Marshal Brown an
a | 4 p