The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-03-22
COlTiGfS Term Expires But the
Man Is Held.
HE THREATENS TO KILL
Most Notorious Chinese Criminal.
Was a Desperate Burglar = Jail
Breaker-Attempte Suicide.

The most notorious Chinese criminal |
of these Islands has just finished
term in Oahu prison. The man is not
al large, however. Kun Wun is in the
city prison and if it is possible to keep
the desperate fellow under restraint
he will be held indefinitely. AS to
Kun Wun the authorities can be at
ease only with he is behind the bars or
beyond the seas.
Kun Wun is a regular novel convict.
His speciality is house breaking. No
chap more skiIlful or wicked has ever
worked at the trade in any country.
It was Kun Wun who some years ago
cut J. F. Browns hand with a knife
and then took a shot at the commits
siorer of public lands. This China
man has raided no less than a score OF
stores and residences and on every
occasion he was more than willing to
do murder rather than submit to ar
rest. Twice after getting into the tolls
of the police he escaped and once was
at large for eighteen months.
VIM. Larsen. now in the express bu-
siness. was chief of detectives when
Kun Wun was holding the attention
Of the police department 1t was Lar
sen. with the aid of two Chinese Off
GERS. who landed Kun Wun ION the
reef for the long sentence that has
Just been completed. The desperate
was taken in a stable in Waikiki. He
was literally caught mapping. At one
hand he had knife and at the other
a heavy pistol, but was not given time
TO get either into action. Kun Wun
was somewhat handicapped by the
manner in which he had dressed him
self for the night as a protection
against mosquitoes. Larsen pounced
on him and held like grim death. This
was the ending of a chase Of year
and a half During that time Kun
Wun had been in and about Honolulu,
though it was reported a number of
times that he had left the country and
gone back TO China. Kun Wun was
not an idle fugitive by any means,
though an elusive one. He had COM
mitted a number of burglaries during
the eighteen months. He had told his
relatives that he would not be taken
alive The officers on the trail of Kun
Wun knew that he meant this.
Kun Wun has bad heart and some
day this impaired organ will wreck
the remainder of his physical machin-
cry. A wicked thought has kept this
fellow alive and expression of that
thought has caused his detention at
the station house. He intends to kill
the two Chinese who were on the staff
Of Larsen during the long chase. One
of these men is Sin Lee, a farmer in
Manoa The ether is an elderly man
living in Chinatown Kun Wun says
he does not hold hatred against the
''haole policeman who arrested him.
He does complain that Larsen Jumped
on him" rather fiercely, but forgives
that. Against his countrymen who as
sited the detective he is implacable
and Jailor Low, Marshal Brown and
others who know Kun Wun are salts
fed that the lives of the Chinese men
toned would be worth very little with
Kun Wun at large.
About two years ago, Mr.. Low, upon
the suggestion of Kun Wun, strongly
recommended that the man be pardon
ed on condition that he leave the cOun-
try never to return. There were other
claims for clemency ahead of the
Chinaman's and he was rather forgot
ten till about six months ago. Mr..
Low then renewed the proposal which
Kun Wun had initiated. The China
man had just recovered from an ILL
ness. He was feeling pretty well, said
that he thought his heart would keep
going long enough to allow him to fin
ism his time and while at liberty attend
to See Lin and the other Pake who
had helped Larsen. Mr.. Low says that
nothing but the thought of getting re-
venge has kept Kun Wun alive. There
is no extra flesh on the Chinaman and
when he is stripped to the waist the
irregular action of his heart can be
seen. He is liable TO die at any time
and knows it, but is buoyed up with
the hope that he can last till he gets
at his enemies. Tailor Low and Mar
shal Brown are Weighing the testimony
that has accumulated against Kun
Wun and Will present to the Court
charges that may bring about further
Imprisonment of the man.
In the Punchbowl stone working nit
known as the Hackfeld Quarry. Kun
Wun tried to kill himself three years
ago. He stole knife from the cooks
outfit and cut a long and deep cash
into his abdomen. Mr.. Low carried
him to the Queens Hospital in a brake
and there the wound was dressed. Kun
Wun was very much depressed in spirit
about this time and had TO be hand
cuffed and watched for weeks to pre-
vent him tearing his wound. The MUIR
derous criminal has been a very faith
full worker in the prison gang. He is
of slight build and small strength, but
every day broke as much stone as any
other man in the gang. Some OF the
big, healthy fellows could do as much
in an hour as Kun Wun could do in
L. r