The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-17
JUMPS At 4
FALSE CLUE
FederalGrandJury
Reports Without
Seeing.
SEVERELY
CRITICISED
Incorrect Report Made on United
States Witnesses in Oahu
Prison.

its report to Judge Estee last week
concerning the methods employed by
Marshal Ray in incarcerating witnesses
held for United States trials in Oahu
Prison, the Marshal was attacked for
conditions over which he is supposed
to have control, and the Jury also tried
to impress the Judge with the idea that
the Prison in which these men are held
is a veritable hell-hole
In this report the Jury states it had
made careful investigation of the con-
ditions in the prison especially those re-
lating to the detention of the United
States witnesses. There is positively
no evidence to show that the Federal
Grand Jury placed its feet within the
enclosure of the Prison at the time mem
toned, nor has the Jury been out to the
Prison up to the present date.
Your jury" said this body, upon
careful examination find that at the
present time the method employed to
secure the presence of the witnesses
and other persons who may be required
in the United States court is
to commit them to the care of the High
Sheriff of the Territory, who places
them in the Territorial penitentiary,
under the same conditions and regula-
tionS as the prisoners. Your Grand
i Jury are instructed that this is a viola
ton TO United States law governing the
detention of witnesses and persons held
for appearance in Court, that such per-
sons should be detained in a Jail and
not a penitentiary."
Mr.. Meyer of the Department of Jus
tees who was in Honolulu several
weeks ago, and who examined every
department of the courts, jails, prisons
and other matters of the kind made an
inspection of Oahu Prison and reported
that the prison, both structuraly and
in it's methods of segregation of the
various classes of persons confined
there, was as good, if not superior to
many institutions of the kind in the
States. Mr.. Meyer personally investi-
gated the lot of each class of prisoners
and witnesses held in the prison at that
time he Investigated their cells and
the methods of feeding the prisoners
and the food that was daily served out
to them. He asked Jalor Henry to
submit to him the cost of keeping
United States prisoners and witnesses
in the Prison and the figures were Civ
en- him and We're taken by him to Wash
ington where they entered into his
favorable report. The United States
authorities, and those at the head of the
criminal branch of the United States
government prefer that the persons in
icustody of United States officers should
be kept in Oahu Prison
The Jury goes on further to say:
Your Jury find that the persons held
to appear in this United States court
are treated the same as those under
sentence for the worst of crimes Tex
cepting only that they are not put te
hard labor; they are obliged to submit
to the same prison regulations and fare
and from the evidences of many wit
nesses and from sample breakfas
produced before your jury, we find tina
the rations supplied to the prisoner:
are not of such quantity and qualit!
as these men are entitled to at thu
hands of those who hold them in con
finement for no fault of their own.
Again the jury is at fault. Jailer Hen
ry stated to an Advertiser representa-
tive yesterday that the ederal Crane
Jury has not yet put in appearance
at the prison, and the only witnesse!
that have been examined thos'
from the vessels who are detained await
ing the trial of the principals in the
cases. He says positively and the in
vestigations of the Advertiser amply
bore out his statements, that the mer
are not treated the same as the prison
ers. The rations supplied them are no
the same as those furnished the prison
, ers, but are greater as to quantity ant
better as to quality. Jailer Henry doe:
} not know how the sample breakfas
produced before the jury" found it's way
into their august presence, unless one O.
the men slipped piece of bread and {
piece of salmon into his pocket and thu!
presented the same to the astonishet
gaze of the jurors. Thrust edibleS Of
, this kind before any one after they have
occupied mans pocket, and they don
, look appetizing.
! Jailer Henry took the Advertiser rep
resentative down into the Jail yard, tn
, Court of Silence" and conducted hin
to the kitchens, where the O'Clock mea
, was about to be served. Piled up higf
! ! in clean tin plates We're messes of ric
(the pan could not hold more), piece o
salmon, a half loaf of soft bread on som
, and hard tack on others, and cup o
} coffee This was for the prisoners. Tn
misdemeanor men lined up two by two
the criminals lined up likewise, the pris
oners committed for trial took up anoth
} er portion of the long line, and thus the,
, approached the window OF the Kitchen
} where they obtained their food. The Ha
waiians merely presented themselves a
! the window, took the piece ofs salmon
} and the coffee and then went to a sec
, ton of the yard where clean, enamele
J tubs of pink poi awaited them. Larg
Z spoons We're used for the poi, no diner
: being allowed to touch the poi with thei
D fingers. AS each section received it
2 mess it went to it's own shed, which
built against the prison wall, and tn
4 prisoners seated themselves on tn
3 benches and ate their meal. The Unite
. States witnesses occupy corner of tn
= yard near the office building. They hav
4 special benches and are free to NOV
= where they choose BY an alleyway the
- - 10.