The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-08-01

"The court orders for good and suf;
fcient reasons that P. D. Kellett, one
of the clerks Of this court, be and he
is removed as such clerk
Such is the dictated minute. of court
whereby Judge ]. II. De Bolt late yes
terday afternoon dismissed in dishonor
the clerk he had appointed to himself
when he took Office as First Judge of
the First Circuit Court in September,
1902 or nearly three years ago. 1t was
not Kellett's first engagement as clerk,
of court, either, for Judge Humphreys
removed him in his time on account of
a slight deafness, appointing young
lady in his place. And, prior to his
courtroom service, he had been a long
time a copying clerk in the judiciary
Department, so that altogether he has
been in the service of justice for about
sixteen years.
II was very much grieved as well as
surprised" Judge De Bolt said after
debating to George Lucas, first deputy
clerk of the judiciary, the above quoted
official doom to Kellett, ito find that
there was anything wrong with him.
"Kellett / always regarded as a per-
fectly honest and straightforward
young man. He was very competent.
His work was always done in good
shape. There never was any trouble
for me about the docketing of business,
he was so very exact in getting cases
entered in the court diary.
Then his work on accounts and mas
ter's reports was remarkably well done.
have often been surprised at the com.
pleteness of his statements.
Il do not know the extent of his
wrong doing In the Barete estate mat
ter, but l learned enough to make 1t
impossible for me to retain him in his |
position as clerk. When l got an ink |
ling on Friday evening that something |
was wrong, told him wanted to see |
him on Saturday morning. In vacation |
had not been exacting with the Off |
GERS of court about attendance, but, as |
had requested Kellett to come in Sat
urday and he did not show himself, nor
yet this morning, sent the bailiff after
him shortly before noon.
mo, the bailiff has not found him. A
warrant will likely be issued for his
arrest. / have seen the county attor-
ney, the attorney general and the act
ing governor about the matter"
THE CLERKS EXPOSURE.
Kelletts exposure came about
through a masters report by NJ. T. 81.
clerk TO Judge Robinson, upon
the derelict clerks account as trustee
Of the Barete estate. 1t was a painful
discovery-or series of discoveries-for
Mr.. Simonton to make in, fellow
clerks official transactions, but his
@'Ns "aS oOtii pam
The report he drew up forthwith places
Kellett's relations with the Barete es.
tate in clear relief, vet in a manner as
far as possible from ostentation On
the face of 1t a delinquency of more
than a thousand dollars is apparent,
while a possibility OF its proving to
be thousands is suggested by both
facts and figures. The report in full is
printed:
In the Circuit Court of the First Ju
iicial Circuit, Territory of Hawaii. At
Chambers.
In the matter of the estate of Manuel
A, Barete. deceased. First account OF
T. ID. Kellett, Jr., trustee.
MASTERS REPORT.
To the Honorable W. ]. Robinson.
Third Judge of the Circuit Court of
the First Judicial Circuit. Territory Of
Hawaii:
The following report is respectfully
submitted on the First Account OF p.