The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-07-15
AN EQUITY
SENSATION
Woman at Ka!aupapa
Accuses Priests
Of Fraud.

Rosario Barete by her attorney, w.
c. Achi, brings an equity suit against
Antonio J. Lopes to set aside a deed.
Her declaration is an interesting one.
She says that on or about August 80,
1897, Manuel A. Barete, her father, de-
vised to her by will a piece of land
situated makai side of King street,
near Kamehameha ". road. The will
was admitted to probate on Or about
August 80, 1897.
Complainant was and is living at
Kalaupapa, and is informed and be-
liaves that the value of the property is
at least 500.
On or about April &c, 1899, the COM
plant runs, Antonio j. Lopes, to-
gether with Father Clement and Fa-
Their Wendelin, induced your orator to
execute and deliver a deed of said
property to Antonio J. Lopes, for only
one hundred dollars
The deed is attached to the COM
plant. and complainant says that
said deed was procured by fraud and
undue influence on the part of said
Antonio J. Lopes, Father Clement and
Father Wendelin on your orator.
And your orator further charges
that your orator had a great conf
in, coix To ND
Father Wendelin, being Catholic min
listers and your orator believing the
Catholic religion.
"And your orator further claims that
she was mistaken of the true value of
the property at the time of the sale.
THAT on or about the execution of
said deed to Antonio J. Lopes your
orator was willing to sell the land to
one Agnes Soares, a sister of your or
ator; said Agnes Soares and Manuel
Soares came over to Kalaupapa and
were ready to pay one hundred dollars;
but, through the influence of said
Father Wendelin, the sale was not exc
cuted and the sister of your orator was
referred to Father Clement; said Agnes
Soares and Manuel Soares came back
ent to arrange for the purchase of the
property; but said Father Clement re-
fused to make the sale, claiming in
that the property was worth one thou
sand dollars
Complainant prays that defendant
may be summoned to answer and be
bound by all proceedings in the case,
that the deed may be ordered to be
set aside and Cancelled, that the de-
PENDANT may be decreed to deliver to
her a proper deed of the property, that
the defendant be required to pay all
costs and charges of the suit, and
that the plaintiff may have "other re-
lief as to justice shall appertain.':
Father Wendelin was formerly sta
toned at the Settlement. For some
years there was friction between him
and the superintendent, caused by the
alleged meddlesome conduct of the
priest with regard to the Settlement
administration. Once, out of recogni-
ton of the good works of the Catholic
church at the Settlement, the Board
of Health withdrew a request to the
Bishop for his consent to the removal
of Father Wendelin. Yet, matters not
improving, the substitution of the
priest by another was ultimately eff
fected. There has been peace between
the church and the Board of Health
ever since.
Father Clement is one of the most
venerable of the Catholic clergy and
universally revered for his zeal in re-
ligion and charity. The entire COM
munity would be glad at finding, when
the cause of the plaintiff in this case
has been tried out, that the complain
ant is laboring under a mistake so far
as Father Clement is concerned.
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