Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-19
Graft in the Legislature.

But TO come down to more every -day
mundane affairs, we have to report an ex-
ceptional uncovering of graft on a large
scale for so small a population as ours.
This very prosperous stealing of public
money was operated in the house of repre-
sentatives during the regular and special
session last spring of 120 working DAYS in
all. The expenses of the lower house were
made 10 amount TO nearly 100000, including
5000 of pay for each of thirty members
clerk hlfe' interpreting. translating, type
writing, proof reading, printing, etc At
least $4,000 of this expenditure seems to
have been purely fraudulent, divided among
some fifteen employees, who unquestionabIy
PAD most or 1t back to the gang of some
twelve or fifteen representatives who man
aged the operation, and who must have
realized something like 81 600 apiece These
gentlemen were nearly all Hawaiians be-
longing to both home rule and republican
parties, but nearly all becoming home rulers
in last months election.
The fact of this fraud has been quite
fully understood since the close of the ses-
sion last spring. Definite proof of the facts
was suppressed by the making away with
the vouchers for the amounts allowed The
clerk, Solomon Meheula, was the person i'm
mediately responsible for delivering those
vouchers, together with all other records
of the house, TO the secretary of the terri
tory, II. A. Cooper Meheula denied nav-
ing them in possession. They were va
riously supposed to be in possession of
other parties. Ultimately, some two or
three months ago the United States district
court, under Judge NJ. M. Estee took hold
of the matter, suppression of the youeb-
ers being offense against the federal
government The business was vigorously
pressed before a grand jury by District At
torney Breckons.
1t resulted in the summoning from the
various islands of all the members of the
House to give testimony. ) 8 the net drew
close the pressure became so strong upon
Clerk Meheula that he suddenly weakened
| and brought to the grand jury package
containing the missing vouchers. There
speedily followed during the past few DAYS
most interesting, If not surprising reye-
lation of long line of the grossest over
payments for all kinds of clerical work One
man secured over 81, zoe and another over
81 400 for clerical work done during the 100
days of session, all of which should have
been done for less than half the price paid
Besides this, the correctness of many
vouchers was not certified to, while a num-
Der of payments were made to Meheula
himself with no vouchers whatever being
due him.
But all this fraudulent use of public
money is not an offense against the United
States. but only against the territory Ac-
cordingly the grand jury investigating has
indicted only Meheula for the crime of sup
pressing the vouchers, and l think one or
two of the witnesses for perjury in court
The other numerous offenses of fraud are
expected to be prosecuted by the attorney
general of the territory, who will ask indct-
ments by the grand jury of the circuit court
under Judge Gear. There is much doubt
whether either the grand or petit juries of
that court will push the business to the con-
viction of offenders who are prominent
among native politicians. Those juries con-
tain too much of the similar native ele-
| ment, men who admire that sort of crime
and thoroughly sympathize with the Of
fender.