The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-16
GRAND JURY
ON SLAVERY
Investig alton Is
Ordered byI
EStee.
WILL LOOK
INTO LABOR LAW
Said That United States Contract
ors Work Their Men More
Than Eight Hours.

The United States grand jury is to in
vestigate into slavery alleged to be
practiced among themselves by the
Asiatics.
Judge Estee in his charge to the Fed
eral grand jury yesterday, called at
tention not only to the above violation,
but also into the alleged infraction of
the eight-hour labor law by United
States contractors. This last is believ-
ed to be an outgrowth of the charge
by the labor unions that the contract
for small building at the naval sta
ton has been let to a sub-contractor
who is using non-union laborers End
working them overtime
The new venire secured by Marshal
Hendry reported yesterday at 10 o'clock
and upon answering in the affirmative
as to the questions as to citizenship and
knowledge of the English language the
court asked If any of them had any
legal reason why they should not serve.
AS one or two were about to speak
Judge Estee stopped them with Never
mind this is the best jury have ever
seen. You may all serve"
He appointed J. B. Atherton as fore
man. and instructed the jury that It
could fix the time of its sessions. 'rhe
jury is composed of twentythree The
largest number allowable under the
law. The smallest number is to he
sixteen.
The jury held it's first session yester-
day afternoon end considered the case
of Captain Wallace. 1t also examined
to small extent into the slavery
chorge.
The jury was first assigned to The
court stenographer's office on the sec
ond floor, which had previously called
for complaint from the circuit grand
jury They were finally allowed to take
up quarters in the room adjoining the
Uniteo States clerks office.
Judge Estes charge to the grand
jury was as follows:
Gentlemen of the Jury-A United
States Grand Jury is composed OF not
less than sixteen nor more than twen-
ty-three men selected from the body
of the district Two duties are In
cumbent upon you as grand jurors;
one duty to the government; the 9TH
er a duty to the citizen.
The court instructs you that your
sessions are to be secret, and what you
do is to be kept secret.
Your jurisdiction reaches to all parts
of the Territory of Hawaii, and
charge you that you are to fairly put
fearlessly investigate all crimes which
are made such by the laws of the Unit
ed States, in this Territory.
l instruct you especially to exam
ine all matters called to your attention
by the Assistant United States Dis
trict Attorney and also to all matters
which may be brought to your or any
of your personal attention, coming
from any other source, if they are of
lenses against the laws of the United
States.
The enforcement Of the law and the
security to life and property which
such enforcement guarantees, are nee
essary to good government, and to the
business and financial prosperity of
this community; and so you are to give
to all infractions of the laws of the
United States your careful attention.
L charge you not to present any man
unfairly, or by any unjust Influences,
and you are to leave no man unpre-
sented through fear of what might re-
suit from the faithful performance OF
your duty.
The government guards with jealous
care the administration of public jus /
tice, and for the time you are the
guardians of public law in this Terri
tory.
If any one shall attempt to influence
your action on this Grand Jury, you
should Immediately notify the court or
the Assistant District Attorney.
1t is prescribed by the Revised Stat |
utes of the United States, section 5405 ,
thereof, that
Every person who attempts to in /
fuence the action or decision of any
grand or petit juror upon any issue or
matter pending before such juror, or
before the jury of which he is a MEM I
ber shall be punished by fine of not .
more than $1,000, or by Imprisonment
of not more than six months, or by
both such fine and Imprisonment
Gentlemen of the jury, under the .
constitution of the United States, there ,
can be, no conviction for a felony I'M
less the party has first been indicted .
by a Grand Jury. and thus Grand Ju- /
rles are necessary in the administra- |
ton of criminal justice in all United |
States Courts.
You have no general authority to in
speet the books of the officers of the
United States, or to subject the off |
GERS themselves to an examination rel !
alive to entries in such books.
You have nothing to do with the laws /
of the Territory of Hawaii. You are
officers of the United States, and as
such, deal alone with the offenses
against the United States laws, or |
which are made public offenses by the
laws of the United States
You represent in part that Justice
which must be administered in this !
Territory by the officers of Che United
States, and you should not forget that !
all persons, whatever the charge |
against them, are presumed to be in |
nocent until proven guilty: but that
the guilt OF party may be made to .
appear by clrcumstanttal evidence, and |
the proof before you to justify an in |
Gictment need only show a probable
cause. You should not indfct any one
unless there is probable cause shown /
OF his guilt, and 4 reasonable chance :