The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-01-27
ARE GUILTY
OF MURDER
hiIo Bandits to Paw
for Killing
Jap.

HILO, Jan. 23.--The Jury in the case
Of Funacoshi and Watanabe returned a
verdict Of guilty Of murder in the sec
ond degree against both defendants
on Thursday night, bringing to cli-
max story OF crime that rivalled a
chapter from the dark ages in its
phases OF horror.
The punishment for the crime is from
twenty years Imprisonment to impris-
onment for life, and so strong is the
feeling against the convicted men that
1t Is believed the maximum penalty
VIII be inflicted by Judge Little.
The story told at the trial by the
numerous witnesses for the prosecution
disclosed terrible state of affairs.
From the evidence 1t appeared that
there existed in Hilo a regularly Or
ganized gang Of bandits or cut-throats
which levied tribute upon the japanese
on the big island. Funacoshi was the
king OF the bandit ring and he carried
things with high hand, in a manner
which the yellowest dime novel could
not have exaggerated. He had his
lieutenants and underlings who obeyed
his orders implicitly and without ques-
ton. The methods Of the gang were
to approach a Japanese and demand a
ransom Of either money or goods, un-
der threat of severe punishment.
This villainous proceeding was
best illustrated in the evidence con-
corning the murder of Motchiro with
which Funacoshi and Watanabe were
charged. Motchiro, an honest, hard
working carpenter, was sent notice by
the bandit chief that he would have to
pay him the sum of 81 900 for the priv
ilege Of doing business in Hilo. The
Jap sent no reply and within a few
days, couple Of members OF Funa-
coshi's gang waylaid him one night,
and took him to the headquarters OF
the chief. He was then informed that
he would be released upon the pay
1hent of $1,000 ransom, and was allowed
to send word to his friends. The poor
carpenter was unable to raise the
amount Of the ransom, and he was kept
in custody for several days, being
made the subject Of frequent beatings
In the meantime. One favorite meth
cd OF his captors was to parade about
the bed where he was tied, with long
swords, which they brandished in dan
gerous proximity to his face.
Finally when the unfortunate Jap
found he could not pay the ransom, he
sent word by FunAcoshi's concubine
asking how he might escape. Funa-
coshi who was angered at the woman
because of her sympathy for the car
penter told her that If she cut off her
left hand and Motchiro cut off his right
hand, and these were brought to him
on white platter, the captive would
be given his liberty. The gruesome
offer was not accepted, and soon after
wards the carpenter was murdered,
one of the Japs running long knife
through his throat as he lay upon the
bed.
The prosecution also showed the
state of terrorism existing among the
Japanese by reason of the threats of
this gang, which kept them from tell
ing the police stories of extortion and
blackmail which were told at the trial.
The defendants had but one witness,
a woman, who made poor witness,
and against whom objection was made
because she remained in the court room
after all witnesses were ordered to
leave. The theory of the defense was
that the Jap had committed suicide,
and that the wound in his neck showed
it to have been self-inflicted.
The jury was out until eleven o'clock
Of Thursday night in trying to agree
upon verdict. The Territory had all
along insisted upon verdict of murder
in the first degree, while the defense
argued for acquittal. The verdict was
probably the result of compromise.
Judge Little refused to grant sepa-
rate trials for the two defendants, and
on this point the case will probably be
carried to the Supreme Court.