The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-04-12
Assassin Of Dr.. J. K. Smith BI-
GGItGd at Oahu Prison.
WENT TO DEATH LIKE A STOIC
Had Nothing to Say-FareWeu to
Father-Had Received the Sac
rament-Refused Liquor.

| yesternoOn forenoon and appeared to
| be the least concerned man on the
premises all during the preparations
for his execution. He showed neither
fear nor exhibited little
more than interest in the handling
Of himself for supreme punishment
| by law. Kapea was really nonchalant
He was a man of sufficient intelligence
to appreciate as fully as anyone his sit
Iuation, but he either did not care or was
entirely reconciled. He refused bran
dy, saying that he needed no stimulant
and that it was his desire further to
go to the gallows quite himself in
natural way. Kapea had no speech to
make, and when on the scaffold utter
ed words but once. This was when
he remarked that the rope was very
tight about his neck.
There were tiny, filmy drops Of rain
sitting through the sunshine when the
young man was brought out to be
hanged. The party appeared from
within the prison just as four bells
| Gen o'clock had been struck. In two
minutes the fine form of the young
man was dangling from the rope end.
Fourteen minutes later the physicians
informed the jailor that life was ex-
tinct The body was taken down,
placed in a coffin and carried to Ma
kiki cemetery for burial. The inter
| wont v-ac OF HOvornroant nyDpDCo No
| friends followed the remains to the
grave The authorities refused to al
low a post norton by surgeons. Ka-
peas neck was broken. Death was
instant and painless. The murderer
said he was 21. His cousins said he
was 25. He was of superb build, being
six feet tall, handsomely proportional
and of good features.
AT 9:55 Kapea was brought into the
office at the Jail. Here the death war
rant was read by Marshal Brown in
IEnglish and translated into Hawaiian
by Judge Wilcox. Kapea was asked
If he understood and without hesita-
ton replied in the affirmative. AS to
final request, he wished only to thank
his counsel, A. G. M. Robertson, and
warmly shook that gentleman's hand
The murderer must have confessed
and expressed contrition and repent
ance, for the following was furnished
the Advertiser by the priest in attend
lance: 'Kapea (christened Peter) died
as a good Christian, after having re-
Iceived from the Rev. Father Clement
I+b ,o11rtC aOf hn n
lChurch." At the last moment Father
element read: "Amen. I say to thee,
this day shalt thou be with Me in Para
disc" The priest added: Said our
Lord to the repenting thief" This was
followed by a brief prayer.
Between Kapea and KaiO, son and
father, there was a touching farewell.
They embraced and kissed and the
elder man wept.
Kaio was told on Sunday morning
that his life has been spared by the
pardOning power. He frightened up
at once and in a few hours showed
the beneficial effects Of release from
the strain which he had been under.
IOficfal notification was given Kaio OF
| the communication ten minutes before
1.-The death warrant was read to kapea.
The son had no complaint to make,
when a few minutes before his death
he learned that his father was to live
on.
Those who witnessed the execution
were: Marshal Brown, Jailor Low, c.
A. Doyle, H NJ. Dow, Henry Vida, H.
Overend, S. F. Chillingworth, Luther
Wilcox, John H. COney, Capt. Robert
Parker. Rev. Father Clement, DR.. n. B.
Emerson. Dr. G. B. Cooper, DR.. H. w
or TT |
w. S. Noblett, A. G. NJ. Robertson
Cant. Anderson and press representa-
tives.
Young Kapea at Oahu prison ex'
mated a murder which has no parallel
in the criminal history of the Islands
a half sister of his has been summon
ed as a Ieper suspect by DR.. Jared K
lSmith. on the Island of Kauai. The
whole family of natives at once plotted
for the life of the Government physi
clan. Several methods of assassination
were suggested. Kapea pTacticed with
a pistol. Late Of a dark night he rode
to the home of the victim selected
DIR. Smith came TO his door in response
to a knock. Kapea sent bullet int
the doctors heart. Attorney w.
Kinney and Marshal Brown were the
principals in ferreting out the murder
Gus plan. The crime was committed
Sept. "A. 1897 Conviction of bOtl
lKapea and Kaio was had in Honolulu
on Nov. 26 and sentence was passed
on both Dec. 20. One man in the plo
turned states evidence. The jur!
found that Kaio, the father, had beer
t..accessory before the fact" The COun
ell of State, upon the showing tina
LESS criminality attached to KaiO thar
had been brought out in the testimony
reduced his sentence to imprisOn
I ment for life at hard labor Upapa
another accompIice, is serving a tern
of three years at. hard labor.
News Of the ASSASSINATION Of DR.