The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-04-13

Coelho pointed out logically enough
that the committee had before II only
the investigation Of Paul Smith if
there were other transgressors they too
should be investigated.
"The facts are plain" he said "the
government has been paying away so
"a month to Paul Smith under an alias.
That there is something wrong about
this is plain. A fraud on the public
has been perpetrated. We do not know
how far that fraud extends but It is
our duty to the public, the duty Of
every one of us to find out yet we find
honorable members here trying to hush
the matter up
Harris warmly denied any intention
Of covering up a fraud but he thought
that the High Sheriff should be given
a chance to explain himself.
That's why the matter should go to
the Grand jury" broke in Coelho.
ct believe High Sheriff Henry to be
an honest man." protested Harris land
it is only fair that he should be given
an opportunity to give his side of the
story. 1t is a proper thing that men
doing secret work should be paid I'M
der names other than their own, other
wise how could any secrecy be main
tained?"
Then Coelho scored heavily.
"The names of the detectives are all
on the pay roll" he said, "but Smiths
is not there. We are not seeking to
pry into the secrets of the police de-
partment, we simply wish to see that
the public is properly treated in the
expenditure of it's funds"
Smith of TIilo seconded CoelhO's mo-
ton to send the matter to the Grand
Jury. He could not see how the re-
marks. of Harris had any bearing on
the case. The committee could not
carry its investigations beyond Paul
Smith and the possibility that others
than he were improperly paid made no
difference i'm this case. He agreed that
the High Sheriff should be given a
chance to clear himself and thought
that the Grand Jury was the proper
body to investigate the matter.
Here is the situation" continued
Smith. "The High Sheriff employs
a man. who has no commission. to act
as a policeman at a cost of $40 to the
public This was an expenditure un-
authorized by the Legislature. I can
not believe that the High Sheriff acted
properly. Is it to be tolerated for an
instant that the High Sheriff of this
Territory can be permitted to give a
badge to any person and tell him to
discharge the functions Of police Of
fcer with that persons being properly
commissioned? Under the laws of
this territory a person who represents
himself to be n police officer falsely is
a criminal There may be a section
of the law which permits the High
Sheriff to wave the law aside and do
as he pleases but if there is I must
confess that have missed it,"
Andrade followed with a speech in
which he said that he saw no evidence
of fraud and Sheldon declared that it
was quite a common thing for them In
police work to be paid under assumed
names. He had often seen Hawaiians
draw police money which was after
wards paid over to Chinese stool
pigeons.
Greenwell moved that the matter be
referred to the judiciary Committee.
"That is ridiculous" declared Coelho
holly there is no question of law in
volved. Some members are simply
trying to dilly-dally with the matter
and burke an investigation"
The psychologist moment had arrived
It was exactly sixty minutes past three
o'clock and Harris moved to adjourn
The motion prevailed but the echoes
of the fight rang through the Throne
room for many minutes afterwards as
members discussed it angrily.