The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-14
COURT
FINDS FRAUD
Natives Buried Their Goods and
Then Put in a Claim
for Them.

/ The court of fire claims accidentally un-
| earthed some quite startling testimony
at yesterdays session, which included
also goods buried in the earth by ma
tives, but for which claims had been pre-
senred.
Alexander Smith, a native, was being
examined and incidentally mentioned the
| fact that he had buried some OF his
goods, when he learned that the Board
of Health had ordered the buildings
burned. He had not, however, put in a
claim for the buried property, though
some OF 1t had been damaged by beng
left in the earth for such long time.
Upon further questioning by the court
! he SAID he had known of seyctal natives
who had buried their property. mention
ing among others the name OF Mrs. La
hapa Manliawa The latter had put in
a claim for this property, mostly Gala
/ bashes, though they had beenrecovered
| by her after the fire.
| Representative j. K Pae1e, appraiser
for many of the Hawaiian claimants, OBJ
jected to the court questioning the wit
ness upon any claim other than his own,
| out SOmIn1SSlOneT.#IeS promptly over
ruled the objection. and continued the
examination. Some evidence was brought
out, which will probably result in throw
| ing out some of the Hawaiian claims, be-
cause of fraud. Smith was highly COM
plimented by Chairman MacFarlane for
! his honesty.
In the afternoon daughter of Lahapa
was placed on the stand and she threw
additional light upon the goods alleged
1 . L.
ton will very likely be made as the COM
mission is satisfied that there are fraud
ulent claims in a number of cases. All
of these suspected cases will be thor
oughly investigated by the commission.
| There were several claims before the
court which showed a rather exorbitant
valuation by the natives.
| J. Mankalo was put through rigid
croSs-examination.
Il see you have two koa calabashes
here, listed at $120. Aren't these rather
| expensive?" asked, Chairman Macfar-
| lane.
THAT is mistake 1t should be two
| dozen calabashes," answered the claim
ant.
What is your occupation?"
II am calabash polisher.''
Then these calabashes didn't belong
| to your
Yes, they did,
What did you do with so many?"
Il used them for holidays. New Years
| day, when / give a luau.''
How much did you say these Gala
| bashes are worth?''
They averaged S. piece"
How old Were they?"
Twenty seven years old
| How much would they be worth IL
| they had been fifty years old?'
Il can't tell; they were only twenty
seven years DID,
| Il see you have boat and three oars.
What We're you doing with them?'
| Il used the boat for riding and fishing
| 1t cost s40.''
Where was this boat when it burned?
| In the Water?''
mo, at my house, being painted"
| "a dozen chickens Did they leave
| their happy homes, too?7
| yes, they were burned
| And here is a dozen more calabashes"
Those We're cocoanut calabashes"
Gould you sell those calabashes for
| IS each?''
"They were not for sale. 1 like Gala
bashes, and did not need the money"
M kaleihana, the next claimant! had a
well developed taste for fine quilts. She
had three quilts listed at $50, which she
| said had never been used. They were
| made by herself thirty months before
the fire. for her son in Molokai, but she
had changed her mind later about send
Ing then to him. She also ha. two
more quilts listed at $25 each, which were
! also for the boy at Molokai The claim
ant said she had placed that valuation
upon them because Mrs. Baldwin had
bought one for SIS from her.
Today is the last day on which Hawaii
an claims will be heard