The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-02-10
SWEAT BAND
FOR MOOSE
Porto Rican Tries
to Strange
Himself.

Threatening to shoot the judge, cry
ing for some one to put a bullet into
himself, and bawling like a baby, a
Porto Rican vagrant, known as Fauto
among his countrymen, was taken from
the police court room yesterday and
placed amongst other offenders against
law in the Jail yard. AS the Porto
Rican, hardly more than 19 years of
age, passed through the cell corridor,
out Of his felt hat and when he thought
he was alone put it about his neck and
endeavored to choke the breath out Of
his body. The attempt was unsuccess-
full, and as a result handouts We're
clapped upon his wrists and he spent
the remainder of the afternoon in the
jail yard, alternately crying and curs-
ing.
1t was a bad day for Porto Rican va
grants in Judge Wiicox's court. Every
one who appeared before the magls-
trate received a stiff sentence Of six
months at hard labor in Oahu prison.
The sentence struck terror III the Porto
Rican spectators in the court room. and
the probabilities are that in the next
few days the Kakaako loafers will
make show of getting some work to
do. Each one has been in prison be-
fore. either for vagrancy or stealing, or
both.
Fauto, Santiago and Jacinto Selch
had no attorney, and there was little
need for one. Deputy Sheriff Chilling
worth testified to having arrested the
defendants in Kakaako, after having
had men on the watch of their move
ments for nearly two weeks. During
that time none of the Porto Ricans had
done a stroke of work. One made a
show of being employed by carrying
a bootblack's box around with him.
1t was shown in court that there is
sort of padrone system employed in
Kakaako among the loafing Porto Ri
cans. One Antonio, who conducts a
cheap restaurant in the purlieus of Ka-
kaako, supplies them with crude boot
black boxes, brushes, and backing or
polish, and sends them out to work; at
least the "bootblacks" say so. More
than a score of Porto Ricans, able bod
led enough to do plantation work, are
thus supplied with bootblacking out
a. HI Il
vance the plea that they are trying to
earn a living by polishing shoes, and
refer the police to Antonio. Antonio
sat in the court room yesterday and
made by two of the Porto Ricans that
they were in his employ. Judge Wilcox
took no stock in these statements, and
paid his respects to Antonio in brusque
language. He stated that carrying a
bootblack's box around the streets did
not signify that they were earning a |
living, and he doubted that any tried
to make money in this way.
you fellows have got to get work,
said he, honest work. If the police
find you are not trying to get it, the
court can supply it for you; hard labor,
too. 1 find you all guilty, and sentence
you to six months imprisonment at
hard labor
Jacinto Selch had endeavored to pro-
cure SO from the wife of All On, the
,ure $40 from the wife of All On, the Chi
lese police officer. All On stated in court
that the man came to his house with
.wo others and demanded so, which
vas refused, and when the man became
90 persistent he put him under arrest.
The deputy sheriff stated that the mat
er was peculiar one. Some months ago
All On found the Porto RAican lying in
| street, with a half starved baby cling
ng to MIN. He got the man up ana
ook the child to his home. Later, he
,ffered to adopt the baby, to which the
ather consented, and adoption papers
we're made out and the transaction seal
d in Judge Humphreys court. The
ather was given assistance by All On.
Recently the father became Emporium
tie, and demanded the child back. Not
citing the baby, he has demanded
money, which All On has refused to
i've
During the trial, the Deputy Sheriff
sked Selch if he had not stolen two
catches since leaving prison and given +!
ne to Porto Rican named Pacheco.
elch denied this, but the Deputy /
heriff sent an officer to find Pacheco.
Ie was found and they demanded the {
latch. Pacheco denied having a time
iece but was put under arrest and
ooked for investigation. While en- :