The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-08-12
SOLDIERS AND POLICE IN A BAD
MIX-UP
Riot on Nuuanu street-Almost Blood
shed-Army Men Fix Bayonets and
Police Draw Their Clubs.

For the first time there was close to a
serious fight between the police and
United States soldiers on the streets
yesterday afternoon, The soldiers were
from the transport Indiana, and the
clash occurred at the hour in the after
noon when stragglers were being round
ed up to go aboard ship
For the first time, and perhaps the
first time in many other places. soldiers
fixed bayonts to charge the police and
the police drew their clubs to defend
themselves.
The big racket had a small beginning
Shortly after o'clock Lieutenant Opu-
nui, while walking up Nuuanu street,
saw officer Pahakupaa struggling with
soldier, who was deep in liquor and
cursing and fighting wildly. This was
at the corner of Nuuanu and King. The
officer said he was trying to persuade
the soldier to go aboard ship when the
army man turned and assaulted him.
The lieutenant Immediately ordered the
soldier under arrest for drunkenness.
Preparations were being made to take
the prisoner to the station house when
three soldiers of the Indiana appeared
and asked leave to take their comrade
aboard the ship instead. This request
was readily acceded to by the lieuten-
ant
The four soldiers started down to-
gether, but had not gone far, when the
man in liquor assaulted his compan-
| ions and a rough and tumble fight en-
sued. Finally the intoxicated boy in
blue broke away and started to run up
/ the street. He was caught by the same
| policemen, and this time the leuten-
ant insisted that he should report to
the deputy marshal at the station.
Then a second complication arose.
| . t,,fx sf,a 1n1I tHrhn hnS d
gathered in the street, set about to res
cue the man from the police. One big
J fellow raised his hat and gave the COM
| mand to move forward. A start was
made, but the police drew their clubs.
Al this juncture noise was heard VI
Nuuanu street. Coming down on rur
was a second lieutenant and a platoon
of thirty-two men, all armed and look
| ing like business. The troops moved II
the middle of the thoroughfare and
cleared the street as they went. Neai
the corner of Merchant and Nuuanu
the troops came up with the police
struggling with the soldier.
i Then came the serious part of the af
fair. The troops were halted in line
Four men stepped out. fixed bayonets
and marched with their lieutenant t
Lieutenant Opunui, and demanded The
release of the soldier. The army Officer
was told that his request would now
have to be made to the proper authority
at the station house. AT this the army
men became greatly excited, anC
brought their arms to a charge The
police, now increased to three men
drew their clubs and defied the sol
dierS. In the meanwhile, they KEEP
moving with their prisoner and, in
few minutes landed him in Jail.
While this was going on. the stray
soldiers and those in the detachment
hn1 1f,,,r 4, /,
ranks broke and most of them fiXeC
boyonets. Their commander seemed t
have no control over them. In the full
of the excitement, the prisoner deal
Officer POhakupaa a heavy blow in tn
face and knocked him down. The Off
Ger came back Immediately with
sweeping swing, and laid the soldie
out. This proceeding got the mol
simply furious. Withal, and through al
the police remained cool, and continue,
to urge their prisoner to the station.
When the man was safely landed ii
Jail, the army lieutenant turned to hi
men and ordered them forward. Tn
platoon marched around the corne
and drew up In line in front of the sta
ton house. The lieutenant went insid
to interview Deputy Marshal Chilling
worth. That officer heard the state
ments of Liuetenant Opunui and also O
the army man. Considerable heat wa
displayed by the latter.
Chillingworth took the pains to eX
plain to the army officer what the Gus
tom here was, with respect to soldiers
When a man was arrested there wa
never objection to turning him over t
the proper authority, by the proper au
thorlty. The man could go on conditio
that the lieutenant would guarante
that he be taken off the streets an
safely landed aboard ship. This wa
done.
During the interview, Chillingwortl
reproached the officer quite severel
for the action of his men in cursng tn
police. "I will not allow this of any
body" added the deputy, "and If it oc
ours again there will be wholesale ar
rests of such offenders"
The result of the conference was en-
tirely satisfactory Before leaving, tn
army officer admitted that the polio
had acted right and that he and hi
own men had misconstrued the situa
ton.
The man was taken aboard shI
Gradually the crowd OF several hundre
soldiers and civilians cleared and, an
everything became serene again.
RapeiVed ex MObicnO haDdanrna lin