The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-08-15
L|GHTFOOT FELL DOWN
IN The KOREAN INQUIRY

The inquiry into the vi Marn Young
and Komori cases by the Board of Su-
pervisors last night vas devoid of
particular interest. Komori appeared
before the Board and testified to his
detention in the police station. This
case sifted down to a mere question of
veracity between the Japanese and
Chester Doyle of the Attorney Cen
erals Department In the other case
]. Lightfoot, the attorney who largely
precipitated the inquiry fell down. He
had represented that no would be able
to have present a witness who would
corroborate the claims of the ill-treat-
ment of vi Mam Young received at
the hands of Assistant Sheriff Vida
and other officers. There were present
all of the members of the Board, with
the exception of Archer. Prince Kuhio
was present as a spectator.
The following letter from Lightfoot
was read:
August IA, 1906.
George w. Smith, Esq, Chairman
Board of Supervisors, County of
Oahu.
Dear Sir:-As I informed you at our
conversation yesterday I am unaple
to present to the Board of Supervisors
evidence corroborating the story of VI
Narn Young, as the witness upon
whom I relied can not be compelled to
testify before the Board. For this rea-
son and for the other reasons which l
gave you yesterday, 1 do not feel that
the matter of this investigation. Yours
sincerely, j. LlGhlr jul
Sheriff Brown stated that he had
been unable to locate the Korean wit
ness at Eva who was an important
one in the case. vi Marn Young had
sent a letter to the Korean advising
him to hide. Brown expressed willing
ness to have the entire matter go be-
fore the grand jury.
The Korean interpreter was not pres
ent. so the Komori casS was first tax
en- up.
The following letter written by Sher-
if Brown, was read:
Honolulu, Hawaii, July II, 1906.
Hon. K. Matsubara, Acting Consul for
Japan.
Dear Sir:-I am in receipt of your
communication of July 3, 1906, in re
Japanese by name of Hidechi Komori,
who claims to have been detained at
the police station, in Honolulu, with
out having an examination after ar
rest"
In reply thereto beg to report as
follows:
Complaint was made to me on the
afternoon of June IA, BIZ certain
white resident of this city, an employe
in the Customs Department, residing
here with is wife and children, that
on the previous evening he and his
wife had occasion to go out, and LEFT
their two-year-old girl with this Jap
anese!
Upon their return tia mother noted
the uneasiness of the child and the
fact that she was apparently suffering
and upon examination became convin-
ced that someone, presumably this
| Japanese, had committed b wrong up
on the child.
| The following morning the mother
took the child to a doctor who, upon
examining the child, stated that it had
| DeGl lllJui
These facts the father placed before
me and asked my advice, He. was
most indignant and threatened to use
force upon this Japanese, whom he
suspected.
| I told him not to think of such a
thing and that 1 would send for the
Japanese and see if he could be per-
suaded to leave the country, rather
than put the father and mother to the
humiliation and disgrace of bringing
such a case into court.
I sent for the Japanese and tele-
phoned for Mr.. c. A. Doyle to inter-
pref for me-
That same afternoon we interviewed
the Japanese. He denied the charge
absolutely, but stated that rather than
stand trial he preferred to leave the
country. He stated he was without
funds, but that he was willing to work
his way on any vessel leaving here.
I instructed the harbor officer to gel
him a position on some vessel, if hi
could, but owing to the inability OF
the Japanese to talk English no posi-.
ton had been secured Tor him up t
the time of his release During his
detention at the police station he wa.
allowed to see his friends, in fact, q
lawyer interviewed me about his case
after he had been here a few days