The San Francisco call., 1903-12-13
MORE TROUBLE
FOR MEHEULA
Clerk Of Hawaiian House of
Representatives Is Indict-
ed for Destroying Vouchers
TWO CHARGES PREFERRED
In Each Count It Is Claimed
That the Official Received the
Money for His Own Uses
Special co=es1ondenoe OF The can.


HONOLULU. Dec. 6.-Solomon Me-
heula, Clerk Of the House of Repre-
sentauves, has had two indictments
presented against him for destruction
Of vouchers by the Federal Grand
Jury. That he was the only one IN
dicted is simply because the looting
OF the treasury. shown up by the
Grand Jury. does not come within the
scope Of the Federal law 10 punish.
BY Meheula's official position. that
made him the custodian Of public rec
ords, he became amenable to the stat
ute Of the United States provided for
safeguarding such documents. When
il was found that he had paid out
more than $1,000 without having
vouchers to show authority for the ex-
penditure. the duty Of the Grand Jury
was 10 investigate whether or not
there had been vouchers for the items
In question and il so what had become
OF them.
With regard to the receiving Of pub
lie money by others than the clerk,
for which either no services or only
rendered, the Federal Grand Jury was
compelled 10 pass the facts on to the
Territorial authorities for jurisdiction
as coming under the Territorial laws
against embezzlement, larceny, gross
cheat. or whatever law, in any par
ucular case, applied.
In each Indictment against Solomon
Meheula it is charged that he, being
-1- 81.
House OF Representatives. having the
custody OF records. documents and pa
pers Of the House Of Representatives,
did have I'm his possession a certain
voucher. The number Of a particular
warrant is then given, with the
. amount for which IL was drawn. and
then the Indictment specifies how the
accused committed a violation of sec
tion 540S Of the Revised Statues of the
United States.
The second indictment against Me-
heula, in similar form. charges him on
three counts with having destroyed
vouchers for $50. s35 and $50 respec-
lively. I'm each count Of both indict-
ments il is set forth that Clerk Me-
heula was paid the money for himself
by the public Treasurer.
The Federal Grand Jury expresses
its opinion Of legislative grating in the
following terms:
This Grand Jury was astOnished al
the spectacle presented by a body of
men selected by the electors Of the Ter
Iit0ry 10 perform neither administra-
live nor executive. but legislative fUnc-
tions. granting the right 10 an indi-
Vidual not q member Of that body to
authorize the payment out Of the Irsb-
lic treasury OF $4,000 and in no way
providing for the proper recording Of
financial transactions OF Of auditing the
accounts thereof or Of finally deposit
ing such accounts with a public officer.
And this Grand Jury is Of the unan-
im0us opinion that the honor Of the
Territory and its representatives and
the economic management Of its fin
ances demands the enactment of such
. law OF laws as shall properly regu-
, late and control the expenditures by
future legislators"
The Territory may get back a share
of the legislative graft in the form Of
income tax.
James II. HaBUole. cashier in the Of
fee Of the Collector Of Internal Reve-
nue.. has been indicted for the embez-
Element Of sl64. It is reported that a
further shortage has been discovered in
Hakuole's accounts. being Of collections
outside the Office. since the Grand Jury
investigated his case.
The Territorial Grand Jury has in
6icted II. c. Birbe Jr. for profanity at
the polls on the day Of election. Birbe
was an inspector in the Fighting Sew
enth" Precinct.
Abraham Fernando is the complain
ing witness in Birbe's case. It is al
legged that Birbe applied a highly OBJ
jectionable epithet to him, and since
the indictment Birbe is more than ever
ready 70 repeat il. Birbe learned poll
tics under the famous King Nc
Nanus. king Of the Potrero. San Fran
cisco.