The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-05-15
REFS AND CAMACH0
APPEAR IN COURT
Threats Against Portuguese Repre-.
sentative Told Of Before Judge
Wilcox.

| ANtuhtu vi lTylnB 10 hSS1ssluufr POf-
tuguese Consul Canavarro by means of
a bomb exploded under his window on
the morning of May ith, A. c. Refs and
Luiz G. Camacho, the two suspected
Portuguese, were brought before Judge
Wilcox in the District Court yesterday
morning for trial
| Both men have been under arrest for
more than a week during which time
the police have been active in looking
up evidence against them. While the
examination of witnesses was in prog
ress the two men were stolid of coun-
| tenance and betrayed no symptoms of
being i'll at ease, although many of the
| statements attributed to them were of
the most damaging nature.
| Refs on many occasions is said to
have declared hostility to Canavarro.
The first witness on the stand for the
| prosecution was an ex-police officer, a
Portuguese, who testified that one day
in December last during the quaran-
| tine, he was in the guitar shop Of a
man named Dias. Refs was there at
| the time and soon got to talking about
certain troubles he alleged he was hav-
| ing with Mr. Dillingham; over a suit
which was lost to Refs in the Courts,
and he blamed Senior Canavarro for
not helping him win. Refs became
| more and more excited over the story
| of his wrongs and finally began to
abuse Mr.. Canavarro. Finally he said:
Never mind, I'll get even with him if
| have to spend the rest of my life in
jail" He continued talking of the
Consul in this manner, but the witness
at that time did not believe that the
J. l,p., hi n.
alive one, and did not dream that it
would be put into effect. The witness
did not think that Refs was under the
influence of liquor at the time, but was
very angry. He had not heard CANA
chic say anything against the Consul.
Dias, the proprietor of the guitar
shop, testified to having been present
when the conversation occurred. Refs
had talked continually about Dilling-
ham and the attitude of the Portuguese
Consul, who had not done anything to
assist him. He was angry with Cana
varro and said he would get his re-
venge. AS to how this revenge was to
be reached he did not explain. Dias
did not think it worth while to go and
warn the Consul, as he did not believe
the man really meant any harm.
Deputy Sheriff Fernandez of Eva
gave some very important testimony
regarding Refs actions and talk the
day before the bomb explosion, which
had been overheard by him. He had
heard some threats made on account of
Canavarro's failure to sustain Refs in
the suit against Dillingham;. AS far
back as November Refs had related a
woeful story to him, and his threats
against Canavarro were then numer-
Gus. He said the Consul ought to be
It'd of nd bod tnt1 tt,ot Ia
had written to the home government
asking for Canavarro's recall.
AS to the phrase gotten rid of"
Fernandez stated he thought it was
not so much getting the Consul out of
his position and 1t was to. utterly de-
stroy him. He had heard Refs say he
would send the Consul to -. Refs
admitted having written letters to Ca
navarro upbraiding him for lack of
official assistance to him when he was
in trouble. The day before the attempt
ed assassination he had heard Refs
give vent to further threats of SINH
lar nature. At Eva Refs talked of an
assault and battery case among some
Portuguese which the Consul attended,
and he had said that Canavarro sat
there like fool and did not offer to
try and help the Portuguese which he
should have done.
Refs, according to Fernandez testi-
mony, came to Honolulu on Tuesday,
the day after the raising of the quar-
antine, and returned to Eva on We'd
nesday, and then he came up to the
city again the following day. On the
morning of the explosion it came to
Fernandez mind as soon as he heard
the news, that Refs was the guilty man,
because of the threatening CONVERSE
tions which he had heard.
Senior Canavarro next took the
stand and testified that he had been
warned repeatedly against both Of the
prisoners, and he believed that his life
was constantly in danger. Not only
had he received warnings from his
friends, but anonymous letters had
reached him to beware of Refs and Ca
macho. He told long story of the
case which Refs had against Dilling-
ham, and of the opportunities of Refs
to have him carry 1t through the
Court. The Consul had explained time
and time again to Refs that as an Off
cial he could have nothing to do with
the case in Court. He had gotten
lawyer to take the case, had many in
teryiews with Dillingham; at the re-
quest of Refs, yet the latter took every
means to abuse him for not doing any
thing for him. He thought the man
was worrying himself to death over
the matter.
One of the warnings which came to
the Consul was, Look out for the men
of EVA" One was an anonymous let
ter containing the same statement.
For the last two years he had heard
the men acted abominably toward him
in their conversation and used all
of vile epthets.
Are you in fear that these men have
intended TO do you personal injury?"
inquired the Marshal
Yes, / am" replied the Consul with
warmth. After the explosion my
opinion as to the author of the attempt
on my life, was directed at once to
these two men," (pointing to Refs and
Camacho).
Several other witnesses were placed
On the stand during the afternoon ses-
sion, one of them being a man named