The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-06-25
HUMPHREYS bad ODR ACT 70 MITIGATE IS PAU HUMPHREYS MISSION
IwILEI STOCKADE is TORN
DOWN.
Cooper Says the Act Conflicts with the
Edwards Law-Legislators Making
a Protest.

Acting Governor Cooper yesterday
afternoon made an order closing Iwi-
lei. The Act to Mitigate is declared
unconstitutional, being in conflict with
the Edmunds law, a federal statute
which the acting governor says is
naturally paramount to any Hawaiian
statute. Last night the high sheriff
had all the inmates of the stockade
tnat gave Iwilei stockade its fame
notified that they could no longer eX-
pect freedom from prosecution under
the protection of the Act to Mitigate.
The stockade was deserted and this
morning the fence around the resort
was torn down, so that it is no longer
a stockade.
The effect of the breaking up of Iwi-
lei is being discussed In Honolulu to-
day A document is being circulated
among members of the Legislature, and
is being much signed, protesting
against closing up the place. The pro-
test sets forth the dangers to the com
munity of turning loose the several
hundred women who have been kept
in one place. 1t is addressed to Acting
Governor Cooper and will be presented
to him.
The acting governor stated this
morning that he was of the opinion that
the Iwilei business was in conflict with
the Edmunds law For the purpose
of ascertaining for myself what was
going on in the stockade | went there
myself last Friday night" said Mr..
Cooper, and l was satisfied after
what l saw that it was clear violation
of the Edmunds law. There has not
BEEN as has been stated any word
from Washington on the subject. No
ft,tf oft tbaFs
from the national capital or from any
secret service agent that the federal
authorities thought the place ought to
be closed. The initiative was taken BY
the territorial government.
Il think the police will be able. to
handle the situation" said Mr.. Coop
er when asked his opinion of the many
complaints that the women from Iwi-
lei will be scattered all over the city.
1T is for them to enforce the laws and
l am of the opinion that they will be
able to do it,
High Sheriff Brown said that he had
notified all the registered women that
their registration and compliance with
the health rules enforced by the Board
of Health would no longer enable them
to escape prosecution, and that from
now on prosecution would follow any
violation of the laws against adultery
or fornication. The high sheriff says
that the women who occupied the
stockade are delighted at the new state
of affairs. The women all onuosed the
stockade plan" said the high sheriff.
They are happy that it has been done
away with. for they will make more
money now than they did before"
The building within the stockade is
to be turned into a lodging house, for
Japanese with soda water fountains,
etc. in some of the places. This is the
only part of Iwilei that was affected
by the Injunction issued yesterday by
Circuit Judge Gear, ordering the place
closed on complaint of the trustees of
Kaumakapili church, which it faces.
The rest of "Iwilei" became a similar
lodging house some time ago. 1t was
opened by the Honolulu Investment
company, which was organized with A
V. Gear as president, but did not prove
a success, as the women would not
leave the other place.
Iwilei is being discussed pro and con
all over the city today. It's supporters
declare that it's closing will be disas-
trous to the morality of the city and in
some quarters it is claimed that the
long fight against it by certain ele-
ments was result of the war for busi-
ness, between the lessees of the sue
cessful stockade and the one that did
not pay.
The decision that the Act to Mitigate
is unconstitutional may put an end to
the Board of Health measures, under
the act, to prevent spread of diseases
Iwilei was allowed to exist under this
act, which, after making rules for the
registered women, authorized the head
of the oahu police department to "es-
tablish such regulations for the better
carrying into effect of the object con-
templated by this law, as he may deem
requisite, subject to the approval of the
minister of the interior"
The injunction issued yesterday by
Judge Gear will be heard on July 1.
There will be no defense, however, and
the injunction will have no effect If it
is dismissed Iwilei is permanently
closed anyhow. by the authorities, and
it was ordered closed yesterday before
the injunction was out.
"Iwilei' has been in existence for
about a year, and has been very pro-
fitable to it's managers, it is stated
Last night the breaking up of the place
was delegated to Deputy Sheriff Chill
lingworth, with Chester Doyle as in
terpreter. Many of the inmates want
ed to know where they could go to live
and were told that they might go where
they wished. Some of the French occu-
pants of the stockade have moved out
to take up quarters on Punchbowl
where they were before the stockade
plan was adopted as a means Of con-
fining all to one place.