Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-26
REV. JAMES KEKELA
AGED M1ss1onAna LOCKED IN
PRISON CELL.
His Relatives Say aIs il 1nsane-presi-
dent Lincoln Gaye Him a
l f1s
Valuable Watch.
From he Commercial Adrertsser.

49,
From he Commercial Advertiser.
HONOLULU. January 20, 1904.
There was pitiable scene at the police
station yesterday A whfte-haired, vener-
able Hawaiian was led in and marched up
to the station desk. His brother-in-Iaw
preferred charge of insanity, saying that
* they did not give the old man money with
which to ride around in hacks he would
| become very angry. A moment later the
following appeared on the police blotter:
Rev. James Kekeia, supposed insane,
watch and chain"
There was scene when the turnkey
searched the old man and took away the
| watch. Kekela would not give 1t up until
he WAS assured that it would be safely
cared for as he said: when lose that
de-
| And there was good reason for the Rev.
| James Kekela to prize that watch. 1t was
given to him many years ago by Abraham
Lincoln for saving an American citizen
| from being eaten by cannibals in the Mar
quesas Islands.
Who is Kekela? Here is the story of his
| life:
In the little Sunday school conducted by
| the father of Rev. Mr.. Parker many years
ago over beyond the Nuuanu pail there
was q very devout little Hawaiian boy. His
name was James Kekela, and he grew up
with great desire to spread the tidings of
the gospel among the people of his own
| islands and the benighted ones further
south. thousands of miles away.
He studied hard and preached among his
brothers, finally, with a Reverend tackled
| to his name. going out over the sea on the
| hazardous task of carrying the gospel to
the cannibal natives OF the Marquesan
group.
koAY
white missionaries to institute friendly re-
lations. but without avail, and the task had
been given up. At last an aged chief, draw
ing near to death, sent to Hawaii for some
one to come and explain the strange theory
he had heard about, and Kekela went. He
was received with courtesy by few of the
| islanders. but there were those who resent
ed and were unfriendly..
Struggled to Found Church.
For years Kekela struggled to found a
little church among them. and when he had
succeeded the hostile ones threw stones
through his windows, and repeatedly burned
down his buildings. At one time they made
an attack on his stone house, and killed
nearly all of his little band of followers.
These Kekela learned had been tortured to
death and their bodies cooked and eaten by
the enemies of his church, and the horror of
1t nearly drove him away. but he struggled
on and finally came to be of some influence
among them. Those who did not believe
ceased to torment, at least. and tolerated
his little church, but they were cannibals
still. and were continually warning among
themselves. Kekeia and ibis flock were al
ways in danger from the warning factions,
but they remained and lab0red.
One day strange slip came to the islands
and some of her crew landed. From afar
the natives had seem the ship, and they
waited hidden among the rocks and brush.
The men were caught IN ambush, but they
all escaped to their boats except one. The
ship was the Americans INHALER Congress.
and the captive wassWfHiam Whalen, first
officer ft-d
The ship went Quito az safe distance anS
waited, for she could do nothing more. On
the beach they saw the preparations for the
horrible doom of their cemrade. All night
fire was kept up and weird ceremonies
were performed. The captive. bound hand
ard foot was cruelty tortured the sayages
pulling his ears and nose, blending back his
thumbs -brandishing, their knives over MIN
and committing all fssaH ner OF atrocities.
| The poor man cried out his agony and pray
ed for death but this was not TO be until
the sun had risen He was compelled to see
them carry the wood and prepare the fre
uron which his body was to be roasted
alive and to see the savage children dane
ing with g1ee over the coming Feast 80
Finally Ransomed the Victim.
Inst at dawn when everything was ready
the missionary Kekela arrived. He had
heard and had come to protest. His plead
ing did no good, and he offered ransom
but the cannibals were inexorable. kekeia
FASTENED away, and among his. flock gath
cred ,ip all the articles of value he could
among them his own boat and all that ne
nossessed. With these he finally made a
| bargain for the life of the American
| though the chief Of the cannibal factlon
| was surly and treachery was reared. Ne
! keIa borrowed a boat, and, unbinding the
| da zed captive took him out to his ship.
| The officers begged him to go away with
| them, but to all their invitations he shook
his head and said his mission was among
the people of the islands. They had to let
| him return. What he suffered In the years
| that followed only Kekela knows. but he
STAYED at his post. and nearly year after
| he had saved the life of the American an
| other ship cautiously approached the Mar
quesan Islands. She brought message
| from the President of the United States
| thanking him for his services and tender
| ing him an invitation to visit the republic.
with the message came a beautifully made
| boat and gold watch and chain, with
other tokens. aggregating the value of $500.
These President Lincoln begged kekela to
| accept as an acknowledgment of what he
| had done. = -
The boat is now worn out long since. but
| the old man still fondly wears the watch
and chain. He remained many years
among the Marquesans and came away
| only when he was compelled to for the
sake of his health.
Many years have passed. and now ke-
| kela, over four-score years old. has spent
| night in police CELL He did not sleep
much last night. but protested that 1t was
| a shame that his relatives should lock an
old man like him in jail. During the night
| he had pains in one of his legs. and a ma
| tive boy occupying the same cell greatly
delighted him by lomilomi work on the
painful member.
Kekela's sanity will be inquired into to-
day.