Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-04-14
POLICE CONTRADICT
BRUTALITY STORY
Prisoner Denies Being
Beaten While In
His Cell
SAYS he WAS STRUCK
IN ASSISTANTS OFFICE
OLD OFFENDER SENT TO JAIL
FOR THiEviNG-THE SHERIFF
SPEAKS OF A poLlT.
iCAl DODGE. r


Sheriff Brown and other members OF
the police force are highly indignant
today as result of the story publish.
ed in this mornings paper accusing
members Of the department OF cruelty
injuring Kukahela Palenapa, a native
charged with stealing variety OF ar.
ticles from servants about the city.
Palenapa was sentenced today In the
Police Court to forty.flye days impris.
onment in the Oahu jail. on one Of the
FIVE charges against him. He pleaded
guilty to the one charge and was not
prosecuted on the other charges.
In the morning paper II was claimed
that Palenapa had been so seriously
assaulted in his cell as to cause the
breaking of some of his ribs. The
story was supposed to cosle from his
wife, and was extremely pathetic. In
an interview with the prisoner this
morning. the latter denied that he had
been beaten in his cell. but declared
that while being question In the Office
of the Assistant Sheriff. one Of the
policemen struck him with his fist In
the ribs, causing him much pain.
When interviewed today concerning
the matter. Sheriff Brown made the fol.
lowing statement:
81 believe the article published IN
the morning paper to be absolutely
false and misleading and intended to
disctedit me aud the entire admins.
tration of this department. II IL moth.
ing but political dodge.
"Palenapa Is an old offender. Ac.
cording to statements TO me In my OF.
fee today by him. he has served one
year for larceny In the oahu Jail. At
another time he served three months
for yagrancy and has been arrested a
number OF times for being drunk.
During the last six MONS there
have been reported to this department
a large number OF cases OF petty lar.
ceny in servants quarters in various
parts OF the city.
ION the 9TH of the month this native
was caught red.handed in the rooms
Of the Japanese servant OF Mrs. Hob.
ron. He was brought here and imme.
diately recognized as one wha had
been caught three months ago In the
servants quarters of Allan Herls,N. on
Beretania street. At that time he was
In the room of a japanese before an
open trunk, the contents OF which
were scattered on the floor.
He was released after few days,
rs II was a doubtful case. After his
arrest on April 8. he admitted to MIR.
Vida that he had committed a number
of larcenies that had been reported to
this department, and n number of ar.
iicles reported stolen were found at
his house. lie also went with an ON.
Ger and located a gold watch that had
been stolen by him at recent robbery
nj the house Of Mrs. Murray In Makiki.
I He Cdmittcd here To me this morning
that he was guilty OF Ave charges plac.
ed against him, but through some mis-.
take OF tho prosecuting attorney, he
pleaded guilty to one charge and was
not prosecuted for the others. He said
here today that he was not beaten In
his cell, but was slapped and struck in
the ribs by special officer. Vida and
two officers were present at the time,
and they all deny that any violence
whatever was used.
ITO my mind. the prisoner il an old
lailbird, and according to his own
statements to me he has been placed
In the dark cell at the Oahu Jail for
misconduct"
Assistant Sheriff Henry Vida denies
that any mistreatment has been ex
perIonced by Palenapa. That the
prisoner has been guilty OF many thefts
Is no, to be denied. for n number OF the
articles found In the possession of the
prisoner have been Identified and re,
turned to their original owners. The
prisoner confessed to Mr.. Vida that
he had stolen thirty.one articles oh.
tanned by the police.