The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-09-11
N CONVENTION At MLA ALAS FOR TIE S@SS examination CONVENTION HONOLULU MAUI FOR SAN parker
A JAPANESE TELLS ABOUT THE
SHOOTING.
One of the Men Who Was at the Front
When the Japs Were Shot by Captain
Spencer.

The preliminary examination of Cap
tain Spencer for murder in the first de-
gree was begun this morning before
Judge Wilcox. There was large crowd
in court to hear the testimony. Kinney
and Chillingworth appeared for the de-
fendant and Attorney General Dole and
High Sheriff Brown were on the pro-
secution's side of the court room.
The charge of wilful and preme lifted
murder of one Goto, on Laysan Island,
within the jurisdiction of the court, .
on August II, was read, and the defen-
'dant was advised that he need not
plead as the examination was only pre-
liminary. KINNEY stated that the pri-
soner would take his privilege of plead
ing and entered plea Of not guilty.
High Sheriff Brown called one of the
Japanese from Laysan Island. He was
Higuchi Shire, a Jap who stood close
by qoto when the latter fell after the
shooting. BY a lengthy direct examlna-
tion the high sheriff led Shiro over all
the events of the day on which Goto
was killed.
At FIVE o'clock in the morning, said
the witness, the Japs went to work.
There were 3S on the island. The first
sign of trouble began at nine In the
morning. Then the Japs sent a delega-
ton of ten men to the boss to ask him
to make a rule providing that the men
should all alternate in working on shore
and on the water. They wanted one
day on shore and the next afloat, said
Shire.
The guano dust hurt the mems eyes,
the witness testified, hence their re-
quest Captain Spencer told their luna
Tanaka that it could not be granted.
The next thing was request for ex-
ira pay on account of the conditions.
'I can't give you extra pay, said the
boss, "and if you make that request
again I'll send you all back to Honolulu
on the next vessel"
There was some parleying and then
captain Spencer shouted Get out" ac-
cording to the witness, and all the Japs
went to their quarters. Some slept
there, while others passed the morning
in reading.
At noon the men sent for rice and
were told that if they didn't work they
could have no rice. They said they had
been willing to work all the time, but
had been ordered to their quarters by
Captain Spencer. .,l
At four o'clock in the afternoon more
discussions began. Tanaka came home
then, and Captain Spencer visited the
Japanese quarters. He found Goto, one
of the men who was killed, with bot
tie of gin. drinking and he took it away
from the Jap. The laps asked to be
dllOWeu TO Duy rice, anu captain Optu-
Ger told them he could not sell any.
'At $50 the Japs sent word that they
couldn't stand it," said Shiro, "and
wanted to know if they were to be kill
ed by starvation. They came and stood
about six feet from the platform, where
were the five white men,"
Were you told to keep off the plat
form?" asked the high sheriff.
"The boss said four or five of us could
come on and talk it over" said Shiro.
"I and Goto and several others stepped
up and they pointed guns at u.s."
What did you go on the platform
for?"
ITO get rice"
Was there any rice there?"
mo. 1t was in the managers house
All the five white men pointed guns al
us, and we said we had not come there
to fight We asked why they pointed
revOlvers, and then they began shoot
| ing at us"
"Goto dropped and l ran away. The
rest of the Jeps ran toward their
quarters. We were about ten feet from
! the white men when they shot at us"
Shiro testified in answer to a question
that none of the Japs were in any way
armed. 1t was getting dark when the
shooting took place, but they could see
a short distance.
After the shooting Tanaka came ovel
and told them all to stay in their quar-.
ters, or 1.-The white men might kill then
ALL" Later the whites came and want
ed help in picking up the wounded.
Goto was carried to his quarters and
sent on board the Ceylon, where he dieC
on Monday evening, two days after be
ing shot. He was bC lied on the Island
Attorney Kinney began a very
lengthy cross examination of Shire, anC
had aDt finished with him when the
time came for the noon recess. An ad
! journment was taken until two o'clocl
this afternoon, at which time the law
yers went at it again.
Shire was closely questioned abou
the effect of the news at Laysan IslanC
that labor contracts had been made
void by the application of American
laws, but he claimed that the news ha,
not reached there. Twelve japanese
arrived on Laysan island on the Cey
lon two days before the fight, but non,
of them said anything about the chang
in labor contract system, said Shiro.
The witness admitted that Japanes
flags were raised on the day Of the figh
but said they din't mean anything bu
a celebration of a Japanese holiday.
1t was brought out that eX-polic,
captain Spillner had told the witness
Just after Spencer left for Honolulu
that the captain was not coming back
Spillner said that he was to be tn,
manager for some years after Spence
left. when Captain Spencer cam
back after all" said the witness, spill
ner told me that we should have t.
work harder than before"
The case promises to be a yer!
lengthy one.