The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-18

HONOLULU, Oct. 10.-In measure
the unfortunate and disgraceful martial
law incident in which Lieutenants
Wheelock an Merriam participated a
few days ago has been beneficial IN re-
suits, for 1t has stirred up the civil
branch of the government to rather
better sense of its duties and respon-
sibilities. Hitherto the police authorl-
ties have given the boys of the army
and navy considerable latitude by max
ing liberal allowance for the frailties
of human nature under the conditions
which the war has imposed upon young
men fresh from college or the counting
house and receiving their paltry pit
tances after weary waiting and, in COM
parison with their but recently aban-
doned careers, worrying hardshlps. Inc
temptation to indulge little too freely
was regarded as only natural, ana tax
ing them in the mass the boys did not
overabuse the privilege half as much
as do the merchant sailors of foreign
or American vessels. In fact, all praise
Is due to that portion of the American
army and navy who have visited Homo
lulu for their general behavior, which
surpasses most European garrisons and
seaport cities that l have visited. But
the Merriam Wheelock episode put
different complexion upon matters, for
the manner in which 1t was handled by
the military authorities gave consider
able dissatisfaction to civilians as well
as the military. Here, said one and all,
General King does not even puDl1cly
reprimand Lieutenant Merriam, the
actual ringleader in the escapade, but
actually invites him to dinner the next
evening. and why? Because no formal
complaint was made against him by
the civil authorities, and although he
was in uniform and threatening people
with his revolver, he was not on duty
All remark the malcontentS, had
he not been the son of a favorite gen.
eraI and a Presidential appointee to the
staff his conduct as unbecoming an Of
f1cer and a gentleman would not have
been so favorably overlooked"
1t can readily be imagined that there
were foolish fellows prompt to take adj
vantage of lax discipline and anxious
to encourage disturbance for funS sake.
They tried 1t an evening or two after
the episode and were run in" and fined
lightly but sent with a message to
Camps Mckinley and Otis from Judge
Luther Wilcox to the effect that he and
the Marshal (chief of police were fully
determined lIldl SAiOdiA AlCN OS
considered q Jay town" by the mill
tary or civilians; they were perfectly
prepared to protect the town and pre-
serve order al [ the first men brought
before him, be they officers or privates,
regulars or volunteers, would receive
the full benefit of the law. On Satur-
day night in anticipation of possible
fracas the Marshal told his men TO
stand no nonsense" and the splendid
police force was armed and kept in
readiness with the foreseen result that
the Sabbath morn was ushered in
peacefully and quietly and the soldiers
were sleeping the warriors rest In
camp. Marshal Brown, Captain Robert
Parker Waipa and Judge Luther Will
cox are very quiet men IN repose, put
they are ugly" when aroused, and the
kanaka policemen are heavily built and
dread nought Of men, full of muscle and
grit and excellently we'll drilled as we'll
as trained marksmen. We shall have
peace hereafter in town without the aid
of the mounted military pickets, but 1t
is hardly fair to court-martiai privates
In camp for getting drunk on ''swipes"
and ignore misconduct of officers in our
public streets.
General King investigated the case of
Lieutenant Wheelock and suspended
that officer. The findings will be sent
to Washington for further action. Lieu
tenant Wheelock is brought in for
much of the blame by General King for
the reason that he was provost mar
shall Lieutenant Merriam was of
duty 1t is held that Wheelock should
have arrested Merriam for disorderly
conduct, if such was shown. In place
of that. Wheelock loaned himself and
the men under him to the riot started
by Merriam.
First Lieutenant A. w. Mather of the
eriV
morning appointed provost marshal to
succeed Wheelock.
The health of the soldiers remains
fairly good, although there are !of
cases in the military hospital, ana the
Intention is to enlarge 1t, as the de-
mand for room is greater than the &C
comrnodation; but the location, now
that the damp season Is approaching,
is not as healthy as 1t should be. IN
hanpily another death must be record
ed. that of Private William de Frain,
a regular in the Eighteenth United
States Infantry, who died OF pneumo-
mia on the 8th inst. and was buried
from ST. Andrews Cathedral (Episco-
naHanl thfs afternoon. He was born
in Hazleton, Pa, and was only Is years
of age.
On the 9Th inst. requiem mass was
celebrated by the Bishop of Panopolis
at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, for
the TeDOSe OIL the SOulS VI Lie rdCc1o WI
died during the war. 1t was attended
by upward of 500 of the men from
Camps Mckinley and Otis. in command
of Captain Sheahan Of Company L,
First New York. The services were
most impressive and the decorations
chaste and beautiful. The ladies of
the congregation provided a luncheon
for the boys in blue in the mission
grounds at the conclusion of the ser
vices.
The Doric brought to-day another
batch of 5000 Japanese laborers, max
ing about 1000 within the last fortnight
or so. with another thousand or 1900
ON the way We have also had a batch
of 365 Galicians and the first small de-
tachment of fourteen California farm
ers'' to work on the co cooperative sys-
fem. AS one of those who cannot see
fhe difference 'twixt tweedledum and
tweedledee in absolutely prohibiting the
importation of Chinese laborers, while
the Japanese are swarming in without
any restriction whatever, except the
planters will, it may be of interest to
your readers If / present you with the
latest ingenious move on the part of the
Asiatic laborers' importing agencies.
inf 10 foI