Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-03-26
CHINESE BANKERS
pay BIG FINE

There was CONSERVATION noted
among the followers OF the Chinese lot
teYies when Judge Wilcox announced
that he found the seven bankers guilty
and fined them each $3.50 and costs
Wednesday morning
In announcing that he was ready to
decide the case Judge Wilcox asked the
attorneys II any further remarks were
thought necessary by them. The At
torney General arose and asked that in
case OF conviction, which he felt sure
of from the evidence, that imprisOn-
mcnt instead of fine be imposed
There was difference between the
men who ran a game and mere play
cr These men on trial were bankers
at Jttery and a fine would be In
adequate. Thc bankers were backed
by syndicate with lots of money and
their fines and attorneys fees would be
paid for them. Pending the trial OF
the case gambling has ceased in China
town and an imprisonment would go a
great way to keep It stopped. The pO-
lice department had given the prose-
CutiOn able assistance and Convic-
ton would do a great deal TO put stop
to the talk that the police and Attorney
General were being paid by the
gamblers for not arresting them
Attorney Robertson for the defense
replied that the case was the direct re-
suit of spite work of d. l.. Akwai, a
man who Mad almost . monopoly OF
the gambling business here. The At
torney Generals department had be-
Titled itself by taking up with such O
man, who on the stand made a boast
that he was a lawbreaker. The de-
PENDANTS are entitled to a reasonable
doubt and there is great doubt OF
the sincerity of the prosecutions testi-
mOny and the defendants are entitled
TO the benefit of any doubt in the
courts mind. The wonderful activity
OF the Attorney General in the prose
Cution of the men is most ambitious
for the suppression OF gambling in HO.
nOlulu but many Attorneys General had
filled their heads with wheels on the
same subject and gambling still stayed
with MS. No attempt to stop 1t will be
successful. As a matter Of fact we all
gamble on the races, baseball and foot
ball. If we win We feel good These
Chinese have been doing nothing more
Little money was shown to be at stake
in the cases and a nominal fine should
be imposed If the court found that the
men We're guilty.
Judge Wilcox after summing up the
evidence in the case stated that gamh-
ling was very common here. He had
heard even that there were wagers be-
ing made on what his decision would
he In the case This was the first time
that the bankers had been on trial for
long time and the vigorous prosecu-
ton by the Attorney General was quite
different from the usual run of prose-
Cutions in such cases. The court would
take into consideration the character
of the prinCipa. witness of the prosecu-
ton and maybe the next time he ap-
peared in court for gambling he would
not have to pay fine as he boosted no
would do. The Court had to be Just
and did not believe Imprisonment
would be necessary in the cases. Tha
defendants, All Chung, All Tung, All
Pung, All Ngiu, All Lai, Tang Kai and
All Kim were fined $3.50 and costs each.
An appeal to the Circuit Court was
taken.
After the decision the Attorney Gem
eral stated that he, was disappointed
that the Court saw fit TO only fine the
men In the Circuit Court he felt sure
Of getting a conviction with imprison-
ment and unless the prosecutions wit
nesses were spirited out of the country
the case would surely take different
turn.