The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-04-17
WADMAN'S PLEA.


Atkinson. Honolulu, II. T.
Sir: As one deeply interested in the
welfare of the Korean immigrants,
among whom ! am endeavoring to
carry on educational and missionary
operations under the auspices of the
Methodist Episcopal church. and hav-
ing learned OF the fearful and atrocious
murder committed in Kukaiau, Hawaii.
last December by a number of these
people on one Of their fellow-country-
men. five of whom were found guilty
in the Hlo criminal court and sem
fenced 10 death. / beg herewith to APP
proach your Excclency, whose un-
pleasant duty II liz 10 sign the death
warrants which are soon to be exc
cuted, with a plea for mercy.
/ was not present at the trial In Hilo
nor have / had access to the legal
documents in the case i am not,
therefore. confident of all the facts.
My sources OF information are the
convicts themselves and one or two
Korean eyewitnesses of the trial. 1t is
only with the sincere hope that, "
possible. Justice may be tempered
with mercy that / seek most respect
ton to the few facts which / have
CLEANED
The names Of the men condemned to
die are
Shin Myeng ok,
Kang Yong Box,
Kim Yong Yee
Chang Chi Yuel,
Woo Myeng Sock.
The motive OF the awful crime OF
which these men are guilty is clearly
made known in the confession which
they made after the preparation OF
the cruel deed. The victim was no.
torious thief. He had stolen not only
large sum OF money-$IO In all-but
their passports as we'll These pass
ports are certain papers the immi-
grants receive upon leaving their coun-
try and are regarded as documents OF
very precious value. without which
they could not return to Korea and
claim citizenship Considerable use IL
made Of these passports among the
planters as pledges Of security in buy
ing and selling, borrowing and loan
ing money. 1t was, therefore. the loss
of these papers which cut such fig
ure in their awful deeds of violence
last December. -Four or hVe times
these men had caught the thief, II
seems, and extorted his promise to re-
fund the money and return the pass
ports. Their anger against the relic"
was greatly incensed by his ott-repeat-
ed lies ana misrepresentation Al last
they capture the wretch ana pegih
their work or torture III true Korean
style, hoping thereby that ne VIII yleld
to such painful methods ana surrender
the stolen property especially the
passports. The final scene Is enacted
at The Japanese cemetery, where the
victim claims to have buried the money
ard papers. After digging for an
hour or more without avail, the MUIR
dcrers, having drunk 10 excess, proceed
TO put dhe man to death. 1t Is even
ing and the hour Is late, but early the
next morning, as soon as they Know
the manager Of the plantation Is In his
Office, they go at once and make con-
fession OF the crime, pointing out the
Whereabouts OF the dead mans pody
ana, without any resistance, quietly
surrenderlng themselves TO the oincers
OF the law. Eacn man 8 CONFESSION ~
carefully taken down WORD Tor woro
ana agree III substance When ques-
TONED as TO their confession and sur
renuer, they answered as iolloWs'
PLEA OF MuhDEhbhs.
we knew we mad, OF course zone
wrongA but the victim was thlef ana
lar. BY torturing MIN we hoped 1or
his repentance ana confession. In TINS
we were disappointed and so greatly
infiamed with anger we thought 1t best
to XIII MIN ana save ourselves ana the
plantation from such vile wretch.
Upon questioning them as 10 thelr
knowledge oil our laws ana customs
lhey are touhu TO De dehseiy ignorant
indeed these poor ielo"s represent a
CLASS OF orieh'ais not so desperate anu
dahserous as IL eeheraiiy supposed, pu'
wrelcheu,y ignorant ana u . -