The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-27
MAN-OF-WAR'S MAN
SAYS 1T WAS JOKE
Woman McGettigan Of the Iroquois
Charged With Stealing Pleads
Not Guilty.

Woman McGettigan of the United
States steamship Iroquois, who was ar
rested Tuesday night in company with
sailors Kerch and Hill of the same
vessel. charged with the larceny OF
several boudoir articles from the home
of Miss Andrews, was tried in the Po-
lice Court yesterday. A bronze stat
uette clock, comb, ivory backed mir
rOr and nail file were produced in the
Court as the articles stolen and left in
two packages at as many saloons on
Nuuanu street.
1t was only a joke" said McGetti-
gan, that we played, and we intended
10 return the articles after We left the
Orpheum, just to show that We didn't
mean anything by taking the things
away"
Judge Wilcox sail. he knew that sail
ors after being cramped up on board
ship for long periods often did things
that wouldn't be done by landsmen,
but he didn't think taking articles
could be considered in the light Of a
joke.
The first witness for the prosecution
was the Japanese man servant who
testified that the three men came into
the house and McGettigan into the
kitchen. The sailor talked with him
for some time, and as the househoiders
were away, finally joined his compan-
ions and left the premises. When the
residents came back to the house about
half-past six they noticed that the
clock was gone and several other ar
ticles and asked the servant about
them. Miss Andrews identified the va
riors articles as those which she miss
ed Tuesday evening. All she knew as
to their disappearance was what the
Japanese servant had told her.
Detective Hanrahan told how he had
hunted up the men and recognized Nc
Gettigan from the Jap's description of
the peculiar design on his sleeye when
found in the Orpheum TheaIer. The
detective related the damaging admis-
sions made by Woman McGettigan in
regard to the affair, and how he offer
ed to tell the Marshal and Deputy
Marshal where the articles were hid
den If he would not be charged with
the larceny. He had admitted to the
Marshal that he had seen the bronze
clock sticking out of the blouse OF one
of the sailors as the three emerged
from the Merchant street house. The
Deputy Marshal had admonished him
not to say anything that would in
criminate himself in any way, but he
had talked much of it, saying that 1t
was only a joke and that after the
show they were going back with the
stolen articles.
Upon McGettigan's statements as to
what had been done with the property,
the detective had gone to the Mer-
chants saloon and asked for a pack
age which McGettigan had left with the
bartender, Sam Nowlein. The pack
age was handed TO him, the defend
ants name having been written on the
paper covering in his own handwrit-
ing. This package contained the mir
ror, comb and nail file. The clock was
found the next morning at the Com
mercial saloon, having been left by the
three men.
The defendant was subjected to
severe examination at the hands of the
Marshal, and practically admitted he
knew that the articles had been taken
away from the house by his compan-
ions. stating however he was so drunk
he had only a meager knowledge of
what took place. He had talked with
the Japanese, explaining to him the
peculiar device of his rank which APP
pears on his sleeve and which the Jap
called chicken On The way out he
saw something in one of the sailor 5
blouses but did not know what il was.
At the Merchant saloon he wrapped up
the mirror and nail brush for the sail
ors, adding a comb which he says "he
found in his pocket, but didn't know
where it came from" These articles
he said at first he had received" from
the others. Later he denied this part,
saying he had only wrapped the pa
per around them without touching
them. He considered it a joke. but
denied the theft of the $50. They had
drawn $50 at the Merchants saloon
against a draft for $50 which Kerch had
on deposit there and thought that prov
ed that they had not stolen money.
Throughout his testimony McGetti-
gan endeavored to throw the response
bility from his own shoulders to those
of his sturdy shipmates. The defend
ants counsel read a letter from Com
mander Pond testifying to McGettigan's
good record on the ship for sobriety
and obedience. and the bOatswain's
mate went on the witness stand to
produce the good records OF the others.
Judge Wilcox announced he would
take the matter under advisement and
render his decision in the matter today,
stating he was not feeling well and the
hearing of the case had been a great
strain on him during its progress. The
cases of Kerch and Hill will be taken
up today.