The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-05-02
A PARDON
FOR OP|O
Actins.Governor
Believes Man
Innocent.

slcr IN tnhu prison. undergoing sen
tsnee ~ four years for rape, made this
statement to Acting Governor Cooper
yesterday morning, a pardon issued by
the Governor was delivered 10 Jailor
Henry and Opio was promptly released.
with fun restoration Of civil rights.
oovernor Cooper has been Interested
In the ease OF the man, whom H. be-
lieves wa unjustly deprived of his lib
rrty. and has left no stone unturned
to convince himself that in pardoning
opio he was committing no error.
The man Wa convicted of rape In
Judge ktlnas court, Waikiki, Maui
81 the June. 1906. term. a sentence OF
four years vas imposed at the request
Of the Attorney Generals department.
Recently petition came to the Gov
ernor asking for a pardon for Opio.
1t was endorsed by High Sheriff
Brown, Tailor Henry. and John $
walker and Geo Smithies, two OF the
prison commissioners. MIR. Cooper sent
the petition to Wailuku. where the trial
judge added his endorsement. Upon its
return 10 Honolulu. the advice Of At
terley General Dole was sought. He
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 5.
Lono Opio. for pardon and restora-
ton to civil rights. 1 tried him at the
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 IA light SEN
tcnce. I have always had IA serious
doubt In 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 cul-
animated in his imprisonment. His
statement was taken down by ste
rographer and was as follows:
many years ago a man named Dan
leila and ] married sisters; we built our
houses close together and lived there
very happily. Daniela's wife died quite
number of years ago and he married
another wife. They had one daughter
who was the complainant in the ease
against me. Since the second marriage
Of Daniela We have often had trouble.
We have quarrelled on many occasions
snd 1t seems impossible for us to get
along together My wife is still living
and Is at the home In Wailuku. ] have
. daughter who came here recently to
cndeavor to secure my pardon. Mr..
Wilcox came to me with n written pa
per for me to sign. He did not read
IL TO me, and did not understand what
II was, more than that II was a petition
~sking for my pardon from the Offense
FOR which I had been convicted.
IF the petition contains a statement
that II Is On account of its being my
first offence that l asked for this par
don. then the petition is not correct in
that respect, for l am absolutely innO-
cent OF the charge preferred against
me. ] believe | was arrested and tried
at the instigation of Daniela and his
-. L.. l. it,
the way. l testified on my own behalf
at the trial denying all guilt i'm the
matter. and l assure you that i am alb
solutely and entirely innocent of the
crime in every way"
The Governor says: II feel convinc-
cd that Opio was innocent, in fact. !
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"
HASSON Is ANSWERED.
Mise S. v. Neumann. widow and ex-
ecutrix of the late Paul Neumann, de-
ceased, filed a plea In protest as de-
feTGant to the bin of review of w. F..
Hasson. The defendant states that in
accordance with the provisions of Act
II of the Sessions Laws of 1898, after
having duly qualified as executrix I'M
ser the will Of Paul Neumann, she
caused 10 be printed notice to all
creditors TO present their claims
against the estate within six months
The time limit has expired. and the
PLAINTIFF did not present any claim, and
by reason of his failure to present a
claim he Is forever barred from assert
ing any claim.
GIVEN MORE TIME.
Judge Robinson made an order yes
terday in the case OF the Sun Kwong
yUotL n
Association. the Honolulu Rapid Tran
sit Co. and James Mckee. giving the
Waikiki Land & Loan Association and
James Mckee un!il Nay within which
10 answer to the oEerded bill of CON-
plant OF the plaintiff.
MINOR COURT MATTERS.
In The diverse action brought by EN-
ma Wanana Vida W. Henry Cornwall
vida. stipulation has been filed in the
Circuit Court in which ~" That Is
Sisen Ave days from and after April 2S
In whish to answer demur o. other
wise plead to the Heel for divorce now
on file.
Return of service has been made by
Deputy Sheriff McGurn in the damage
suit brought by Manuel Pedro Ferreira
-. The Hone lulu Rapid Transit Co.
itd.
Makanue Aseu Of Waikiki, Maui.
sged "a years. who says she was mar
ned to one Aseu." has pstitinned the
Circuit Court tina: letters OF admins
tration be issued H. Albert + Judd OF
Honolulu as administrator of 'he es-
tate nj her brother. d. II. Lahilahi, de-
ceased. who died on February g. The
lIcpnrty is all~gel - be n d. ro.it OF
money in bank Of Bishop 4 Co.. and
some shares IN sugar rnrI,nrntions
the value of which IL unknown to her
Deputy Sheriff M1Gurn. I" mis- return
90 service in Tho case OF Ching Yce Sun
ct al Va YIN Quon ct al. f1he Dow
WOnes vs.. the Colsul faction, SAYS
Served summons IN "iE .lm-p chou
Gem. Yee Chin. 7. Ahlo T. Wong Sing
Yang Wei Pin and E. Edward Damon
% partner of the Am OF Iris,,"p 4 Co.
ard on the Ch'r"ss Relief Society
through Wong Kwai. its president.
Judge Gear ordered a commission q