The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-02-04
PUT STOP
TO CRIME
Heavy Sentences
the Rule i'm
Court.
Judge De Bolt Says lie
May Have Been Too
Lenient.
Court Calls Attention to Crime
Epidemic and Says lie Will
Help Stop 1t.

Judge De Bolt intends to put a stop
! to the present epidemic of crime in Ho-
noIulu if it lies within his power to
do so. He gave notice yesterday that
if it was necessary to increase the
punishment of criminals brought before
him after being found guilty, that he
would do so, until the maximum is
reached, or until it is shown that crime
is on the decrease within the Terri
tory
Lin Cheong, charged with the illicit
sale of liquor, was found guilty upon
the testimony of Nebo. the japanese
police spy, and officer Renear. He
contradicted fatty the testimony of the
two policemen, and the court remarked
that he had added perjury to the lesser
crime.
Attorney Crook for the Chinese asked
for leniency from the court, stating that
this was the defendants first offense,
and that the evidence showed that the
beer purchased at his place had been
for his own private use and not for
sale.
Attorney General Andrews objected
Illicit sale of liquors was greatly on
the increase in Honolulu, and that the
police department found it difficult to
cope with the offenders. He said fur
Their that light punishment would only
encourage crime, and the defendant
should be given a lesson which would
deter others of the same kind.
THE object of punishment is to pre-
vent crime as well as to reform the
said Judge De Bolt in pass
ing sentence. Punishment should be .
such as to deter others from repeating
well to temper justice with mercy yet q
think there is such a thing as going a
too far. 1t doesn't appear that the a
criminal class has taken advantage of t
he good intentions of the court. There z
appears to have been noticeable in
,rease in crime lately that have often
elt that perhaps 1 have been lenient,
md that no one was to blame for it
,ut those charged with the punishment :
If crime.
Zone thing is quite noticeable; there +,
las been an increase in crime of this a
crime of all kinds A mild les
on evidently does not serve the pur- e
,ose, and 1 believe it well to make the
entences stronger and stronger, until
he limit is reached or until it is APP
aren't that the punishment acts as
heck to crime-then the scales can
egin to weigh the other way.
This man it seems to me, has added Z
erjury to the lesser crime with which
e was charged. The testimony of Nebo
as straightforward and Mr. Renear
Did the truth. Neither he or Nebo B
ave any interest in. the outcome of
lie case excepting as the Attorney Cen
al says, to see that the laws are en-
reed. The defendant had a great in
rest in the outcome, and this may
possible extenuation for his per-
ry. 1 find that the lower court i'm
'sed fine of $500 in this case-the law
DIVIDES that it could have been $500, 8
Id the Legislature evidently thought
at this was not too much This is
r the first offense. The second offense
punishable by imprisonment for a
RIM of not less than three months or
pre- than year and a fine up to one
ousand dollars. The lower court how
er imposed a fine of 5000 and I can
2 no reason for changing that fine
lie defendant is accordingly sentenced 3
pay a fine of 5000