The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-02-14
JAP HELD TO
Be INSANE
Jury Acquits Him
of Crime CT
Murder.

tho first ever made la the Territory,
was effective. but the verdict Of acuuit-
tai win not release the japanese child
murderer from an responsibility Tor the
crime. and be rs now turned over to
the Governor FOR further action. though
be viii probably be sent to japan ion
the end. Tho trial yesterday abounded
In interesting features, not the least
Of which was the statement made by
the prisoner in his own behalf lie ad-
mittcd guilt, but claimed that he did
not know what he was doing.
The prosecution closed, at the open
ing Of court yesterday morning and
Mr. Mechanism began his defense. de-
pending entirely upon the plea of in
sanity. the defendant admitting the
crime. The morning witnesses We're
several Japs who had known the de-
PENDANT, and one OF them testified that
Kasabro was a reader OF japanese now
els, and that IL appeared to affect his
mind so that he would often cry and
become angry. J. II. Highly testified
that the defendant had been stabeman
at the American Sugar Company
plantation some time ago, and was sub
ject to many peculiar eccen;ricities. on
one occasion he refused to allow hay
TO be taken from the stables, saying
that there would not be enough for his
horses, though at the time there was
enough hay in the barn to supply the
stock for three months. G. II. Center.
Mrs. Carter and others testified also
as to peculiarities Of the defendant.
The wife OF kasabro was put on In
the afternoon, and she testified also 10
some OF the strange things he was in
the habit of doing.
The most interesting witness Of the
day was the defendant. who told in de
tail the story of his crime. He said
that he had taken his child upon the
mountain as usual while he cut wood,
and while there thought how useless
he was, with "A paralyzed arm. and that
the baby would always be only n source
OF expense. After that he remembered
nothing until he found himself stand
ing under a tree and felt pains about
his neck. overhead hung "A rope with
n broken loop, and at his side lay the
Ichld-dead. "The childs death sur
prised me-" said the defendant through
| the japanese Interpreter; II lost my
self thinking, for / did not want to
/ live either Then I heard voices, a
distant voice, calling Papa! Papa
/ which ! recognized as the voice of my
/ dead child. ! turned back and could
see the vision of "A good many people
walking in the woods, but they were
not real men. After leaving the noun
| tain / went to Palama, and this time
j turned and could see plainly, real men,
/ and feel the weight Of my child upon
my back, and still thinking about II, /
/ delivered myself at the police station"
/ The witness said he had often heard
/ the voices before in Japan and I'm this
country.
lH''Are you fond OF readlng?" asked Mr..
MCClanahan.
/ 81 like 10 read magazines and novels:
when ! come to something sOrrOwful |
would be agitated; II | read books and
/ they are unintelligible, | become angry
IaDd tear them up"
"Do you not think you should be pun
ished for this crime?" The court ruled
out the question, and the witness was
| excused.
! DIR. Wood was next called to testify
Ia the defendants sanity. He said that
from what he had heard, coupled with
the commission of the crime, he was
convinced that the man was insane.
The doctor was OF the opinion that the
fact OF the insanity OF defendant
father was another corroboratiye point,
as physicians all over the world be-
llieved thoroughly that insanity was
hereditary. The witness then started 10
tell OF his visit to Japan and the ex-
animation of medical schools there,
there having been no insane asylums.
when Judge Gear interrupted him with:
Was that the time w. o. Smith was
along?"
at was" answered The witness
Il do you want to make an objection.
continued the court, turning to the
prosecuting attorney. and Mr.. Douthitt
linterposed an objection on the ground
that the evidence was not material
which Judge Gear sustained DIR. Wood
said that the strongest human emotion
was the parent love. and to overcome
THIS there must be some strong reason
and If no such reason is given an act
such as murder could be accounted for
on no other theory than that OF In
sanity Such crime was always class
ed by physicians as among the unnat-
lural crimes, which Is also evidence OF
insanity. Mr. Douthtt asked on cross
examination II infanticide was not
pIacticed in India, and witness replied
that II WAS, but did not think that the
nrcC ssary conclusion was that It Is due
~ insanity, but rather TO custom. on
cNamination by Judge Gear, DIR. Wood
testified that the act itself was one OF
his chief grounds for saying that the
defendant was Insane.
Following this the attorneys argued
The case briefly and the court instruct
ed The jury, dealing only with the ques-
ton Of insanity. Within fifteen minute,
p verdict Of acquittal was returned
.'''i' amy llE TINS Ntlhlcl WAS n sec
uud iin" that verdict was returned
lrC1u Of the belief ~ the jury that de-
fcnuant was irsane 1T the time Of the
commits sion Of the crime. Judge Gear
Their ordered the defendant to the Gus
toly OF DR.. Mort OF the japanese
I Cha ~ Hospital 20 await action by
the Governor, who may send him 70
the insane asylum, or make any dis
position he sees 1T under the local stat
utes. Arrangements are being made
however, to send Kasabro TO Japan
on the next steamer. He has been very
much dejeC ted during the entire trial
and evidently feels his position keenly
; During his examination yesterday he
broke down several time, and wept bit
terly as he retold the story of his
! child's death.
, BEFORE HUMPHREYS.
In Judge Humphreys court yesterday
the case OF Helen A. Holt ct al. vs.. An,
drew Cox ct al, was concluded, and
after half hours deliberation the jury
returned a verdict in favor Of plain