The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-27
WHAT To DO
WITH BOYS
Serious Problem
In Circuit
Court.
AID OF JUDGE
WILCOX ASKED
Granted by Humphreys.
Murder Trials Are

What TO do with the youthful crimi-
nal element OF Honolulu Is again the
problem OF the hour In the Circuit
Court. There have bern fourteen or
fifteen OF the twenty odd criminals be-
fore Judge Robinson this term. boys
under the age OF IA. and Il became
necessary IN the majority OF Instances
to either suspend sentence or commit
the defendants 20 the Oahu prison. as
under the statutes a Circuit Judge has
no authority 10 commit TO the Reform
School
Kama. n sIminutive Hawaiian youth
OF probably 10 years OF age. was con-
victed by a jury yesterday OF larceny
In the second degree. with n recon-
mendation for mercy TO the court
Kama stole two steel tape measures
from the store OF Hall & Son. which
were valued at SO. He told very
plausible story OF how he had seen two
supposedly empty boxes on the floor In
the store. and picked them up to take
home. when he discovered how weighty
they were he started TO return TO the
store when ne was grabbed by one OF
the clerks and placed under arrest
The jury didn't believe the story and
found him guilty. There the problem
began. for court. jury. and attorneys
alike announced themselves unable to
fix adequate punishment which would
1T both the offense and the small boy
convicted of u.
Judge Robinson stated that he would
like TO send the boy to the Reform
School but that he had no authority to
do so. He said he had examined into
the statutes very fully and was con-
WINGED that he had not the power to
commit TO the Reform School. as that
rested solely with the District Magis-
trate. He thought Sc unfortunate that
the Legislature had made no provision
for these juvenile offenders. either to
give the Circuit Judges Jurisdiction or
to make the crime punishable by i'm
prisonment for a term less than one
year. II only wish" said the court.
that the Legislature would make some
provision for SO small a criminal"
Deputy Attorney General DouthItt
expressed himself in like quandry as TO
what punishment was proper for the
as he did not wish TO see
him sent TO prison II don't like TO
these cases" said Mr.. Dou-
thitt. but there Is nothing left for me
tc do. unless I neglect my duty. Il
don't like to see a boy like this sent
10 prison, and only wish there was
some way by which he might be COM
mitted to Reform School. where he
might learn something. and yet become
a useful member OF society. II seems
-. -
and has had but little care. II he
good might stiil come OF him" Mr..
Douthi;t suggested that perhaps II
would be wiser to postpone sentence
until the boys father could come into
court IF ne got n good sound spank
ing" concluded the Attorney General.
''it would do him more good than any
thing else"
Mr.. Andrade suggested that sentence
D. susps Bded. as the court had exer-
cised cismency in cases which were
less deserving than the one before the
bar. He thought the defense OF the boy
was good. and his story seemed prob
that HAN 4 Son had been moving a.
that time and the tapes may have
easily been IN the position described by
the defendant
Judge EobinsOn finally decided To
suspend sentence until Monday. when
Karra's father will be brought into
court The court stated that he did
not wish 20 send the boy 10 prison TO
associate with thieves and Inurderers.
az there was stili some hope for him.
Mr.. Douthitt suggested a plan which
may be followed I'm the future This Is
an application on the part OF the boys
parents 10 have him sent to Reform
School. this being possible under the
statutes In that event sentence would
d. suspended for thirteen months In
Circuit Court and Judge Wilcox VIII b.
asked Co take Jurisdiction and send
the boy 20 the reform school. II Is re-
ported that Kaua's parents are not
aversc 20 his serving term In the re-
The plan might be- carried
further In all such cases by withdraw
Ing the more serious charge In the
District Court. conditioned on the APP
pication OF a parent 10 have the child
iucarcerated In tire Reform Schoo, I
This would save both the time and
money which n trial In the Circuit
Court costs II - estimated that the
cost OF acquitting or cOnvicting any de-
PENDANT In the Circuit Court - so
10 SIS.
GRANTED AN INJUNCTION.
An injunction was granted by Judge /
yesterday upon the appli- T.
ration OF Jacintho Jose Rodriguez /,
against A. r. Silva % prevent the de- I
fendant from interfering with her
peaceabie possession ~ certain prop /
srty near Punchbowi street. The prop /
.rty In question IL Irregular In SHAPE. |
and J. NJ Vivas. acting in behalf OF a /
former owner OF the iot. secured from Z
queen Kapi0lani = lease OF premises
.dtofntnr 10 pie-- N out which Niece I