The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-04-30
A PARDON
FOR OP|O
ting-Governor
Believes Man
innocent.

| Il am absolutely innocent OF the
charge preferred against me-"
| SIX hours after :. Lono Opic, pris-
oner IN Oahu prison, undergoing SEN
tenee OF four years for rape, made this
statement to Acting Governor Cooper
yesterday morning. a pardon Issued by
the Governor was delivered to Jaiior
Henry and Opio was promptly released,
with fun restoration of civil rights.
| Governor Cooper has been interested
IN the ease OF the man. whom he be-
lieves was unjustly deprived of his lib
| erty, and has left no stone unturned
TO Convince himself that in pardoning
! OpIo he was committing no error.
The man wIs convicted of rape in
Judge Kalpa's court, Wailuku, Maui,
at the June. 1866, term. \ sentence Of
four years vas imposed at the request
of the Attorney Generals department.
Recently a petition came TO the Gov
erpor asking for pardon for Opio.
IL was endorsed by High Sheriff
| Brown, Jaiior Henry. and John >.
Walker and Geo. Smithies. two OF the
prison commissioners. Mr.. Cooper sent
The petition to Wailul1u, where the trial
Judge added his endorsement Upon its
yetmn to Honolulu. the advice OF At
replied yesterday as follows:
II have the honor to acknowledge re-
ceipt Of your request for my views in
regard To- granting the petition OF 3
Lone Opio, for pardon and restora-
ton TO civil rights. / tried him at the
June term in 1900 for the crime of rape.
The jury brought in n verdict OF guilty.
three dissenting. / had at the time
grave doubt whether the verdict was
according to fact. For that reason
asked that he might have a light SEN
fenee 4 have always had a serious
doubt I'm regard to his guilt. and
therefore concur In the petition for his
pardon"
Governor Cooper visited the prisoner
at Oahu prison yesterday forenoon
where Opio made a statement as to
himself and the troubles which Gull
minated in his Imprisonment. His
statement was taken down by a ste
Dographer and was as follows:
MANY years ago a man named Dan
leila and / marie i sisters; we built our
houses close together and lived there
very happily. Daniela's wife died quite
a number OF years ago and he married
another wife. They had one daughter
who was the complainant in the case
against me. Since the second marriage
OF Danjela we have often had trouble.
We have quarrelled on many occasion.
and 1t sec ms impossible for us TO get
aleng together. My wife is still living
and Is at the home in Wailuku. / have
a daughter who came here recently to
cndeayor to secure my pardon. Mr..
Wilcox came to ME with a written pa
per for me to sign. He did not read
IL TO me, and did not understand what
IL was, more than that ii was petition
asking for my pardon from the offense
Tor which i had been convicted.
III the petition contains statement
that 81 is on account of its being my
first offence that 1 asked for this par
don, then the petition is not correct in
that respect, for nm absolutely inno-
cent of the charge preferred against
me. I believe / was arrested and tried
at The instigation OF Daniela and his
friends, who wished to get me out of
The way. / testified on my own behalf
at the trial denying all guilt in the
matter and ! assure you that am abb
solutely and entirely innocent of the
crime in every way"
The Governor says: "I feel convinc-
ed that Opio was innocent, In fact, L
am very strongly OF the opinion that
he was not guilty. and am glad TO re- |
store him TO liberty and TO his civil |
rights"
xAccnN- TS ANGUEDEn