The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-11-08
CONTRACTOR GlMPB[lI
FOUND not eUlTI
Vindicated of Charge
of Overworking
Laborers.
VERDICT BY JURY LATE YESTERDAY
Mr.. CAMPBELL EXPLAINS HIS
POSITION IN THE CON-
PLlcATloN.
Case of ohta. the Sub Contractor,
Goes On This Msrnins-creat
Dif5euIty In Securing jury
Prejudice Against Asiatie Labor.
Case of ohta. the Sub Contractor,
Goes On This Mornins-ereat

/ In the Federal Court late yesterday
afternoon Contractor W. NJ Campbell.
who was charged with working labor
ers over the legal eight hours per day
on a government contract. was COM
pletly indicated by a jury. The case
took up most of the day and it was
not until after o'clock that verdict
was presented The following jury de-
liberated upon the matter:
ID. E. Whitman. ". E. Skinner.
Stanley Stephenson. r. E. Lockwood,
W. ]. Hickey. w. C. Hollinghead. K
B. Porter. John Ross. T. w. Hebron.
John D. Holt, F. G. Smith. A. D.
Scroggy
The following reader is from one
of the attorneys interested in the
case:
The Campbell eight-hour labor
case yesterday afternoon in the T..
S. District Court came to n more alb
rupt termination than was anticipat-
ed when after the prosecution had
rested its case, Messrs. Pierce and
Robertson. the attorneys for the de-
tense. rested their case upon the evil
dence adduced by the prosecution,
| and when an hour later the jury
brought in a verdict of mot guilty"
there was considerable disappoint-
ment upon the part of some of those
who had been witnesses for the pros
ecution.'
Mr. Campbell states the following
to have been his position in the mat
ter of the contract and the working
of men overtime:
THE proceedings are simply perse
cution instigated as they are by con-
| tractors who have been underbid by
me, and who oppose me owing to the
fact that / employ Oriental labor.
When I came to Honolulu | found
much work going ON and most of the
best available white men employed.
I had to take men who perhaps CO
not get anything to do where they
came from. and on Mondays they
would not be present on the job as
they were perhaps drunk from the
money they had received SATURDAY..
began to employ Japanese and found
them reliable laborers. The cost was
not less than the same work should
| come to done by others, but the men
never were absent from their posts OF
duty and ALWAYS could be relied upon
| for service. The work upon which
they were employed went on because
of thei rsteadiness and sobriety
/ "The navy people came to me to
build a watchman's cottage on the
government reservation and my fig
ures, plans and specifications were
approved at Washington The con-
tractors, whose bids in some case
were more than double my bids. sent
walking delegates to investigate the
conditions of the bids through an at
torney. but were ordered of the naval
| premises.
THE contractors found that the
men were working nine hours. They
at once put on several so-called car
penters to act as spies on the work
men. peeping around the corners of
buildings and lumber piles This was
the ground upon which thew secured
the indictment of myself with the sub
contractor. I was entirely ignorant
that the men were breaking any law.
/ l had no personal knowledge of the
time they worked at all and | was
only anxious to carry out the work
in accordance with the contract.
believe that the action against me is
only instigated by labor unions. as it
is q well known fact that / am op-
posed TO such organizations as I be-
lfeve they help to develop anarchistic
ideas. and where employ a man to
work for me. do so on his own mer-
its"
Failed To Get Jury.
After the Campbell case had been
given to the jury the case of ohta.
charged in the same manner and for
the same alleged offense. was called.
As it turned out. however. it was i'm
possible 10 get jury and last night
an officer was despatched to summon
extra men
One man after another was excus-
ed from the regular panel In this case
for the principle reason that they OBJ
iected to the employment of foreign
ers on government contracts n
Klemme said he was opposed to the
employment OF Asfatics on govern
ment work OF any kind. This prejudice
was so strong that he could not prom
ise fair hearing 10 the defendant.
He was excused and A S. Prescott
was called. but the latter said he felt
the same way about the matter. W.
W. Chamberlain said he had nc feel
ings against the employment of As;af
les but he did have feelings in regard
70 trade unions II would take strong
Testimony to remove the convictions
As union men viii be the principal
witnesses Mr. Chamberlain vas ex-
lcused.
II C. Aorfon said he believed In
unions and had no preiudiees against
ss,e ssrz.r.fer<~.a-s - aeteff~- M ~.s