The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-07-03
THE PENALTY1
of DEATH
cFrom Fridays Advertiserj


E in Oahu prison yard.
okamoto and Lorenzo Colon. both
wife 1urderers, suffered the penalty of
death yesterday morning, and both
went to their ends, bravely and undis-
, mayed.
Both men slept well and shortly after
awaking asked TO be shaved, afterward
eating good breakfasts. Colon, at IA
request, was served with glass of
whisky.
Shortly before a. m. High Sheriff
Henry, two interpreters, members of
the clergy and the press and a detail
Of prison guards. proceeded to the con-
demned cells, outside of which the death
warrants were read and listened to re-
speetfully by the two men doomed so
soon TO die. Both were clad in sombeu{
black and the Porto Riean went to tn
gallows with rosary round his
okamotos warrant was ra
He listened to it standing at
attention. The reading oy
guards entered the cell and ceeded
to pinion the condemned. who laughed
and chatted with them, apparently in
the best of spirjts.
Colon listened to the reading of bis
warrant, his long, thin fingers eraspinO
the bars of his cage, and drinking in
every word uttered. He, too, submitted '
TO the adjustment of the leathern
thongs absolutely impassively. -
Before leaving his cell Colon asked \
that a truss he was wearing be given to
friend and that pillow cover made
by his wife be buried with him.
All being in readiness, the fatal pro-
cession to the rope fell in line and
started. 1t was only few yards that
had to be traversed before the scaffold
was reached and both men walked
firmly and unfalteringly, Colon bidding
farewell to several onlookers whom nd
had to pass, with smile on his face.
The platform was reached at s:l5
a. m., and okamoto was placed facing
the prison, while Colon looked the other
way. Spiritual consolation was admin
istered the japanese by the Rev. Mr..
Motokawa, while Father Clement
cheered Colon with the promise of
peace after atonement.
Okamoto stood unsupported on the
scaffold. In an unwavering voice he
thanked the prison officials for their
kindness to him and apologized for the
trouble he had given the Hawaiian Gov
ernment. His last words were: 7
81 like to say to the Japanese EN-
peror and to the Japanese people for
am one of them, that ] am awful
sorry that ] have acted like / did and
brought such disgrace on them. l want !
to say please excuse, to the Japanese
people"
The black caps were then put on and
the nooses adjusted.
An ready'" asked High Sheriff
Henry. ,.i -
The guards on the platform stepped
clear of the trap and at SLY O'Clock
the Sheriff pressed button.
Whir-r-r.
The trap fell and the two figures dis
appeared through the yawning gap and
were soon hanging limp and lifeless.
Doctors Moore and Oyama at once
proceeded to examine the bodies, but it
was fifteen minutes before okamoto
was pronounced dead and minute
longer in the case of Colon.
The bodies were then cut down, taken
to the prison morgue and thence to the r
potter s field for interment. -
Colon ran his wife through wiz
carving knife at Naalchu on Augd
of last year okamoto killed his
by cutting her throat. He was an,
ploye Of the Kohala ditch at the
The crime was committed on A
1905, near Multi plantation.
Oahu Prison is making reco7
hangings. May 20 saw three Koi
die. a week later Frank johnson q.
plated his horrible crime on the same
gallows and yesterday two more mur.
derers paid the penalty for their mis-
deeds.
Every one Of these executions has
been conducted by High Sheriff Henry
without yestige ~ hitch, record of
which be may well be proud
Rev. q. Motokawa has In his posses.
sion a statement which Okamoto made
10 him about his crime, Okamoto said =.
that BIO had never been legally mar,
Tlod 10 tho woman whom hs killed.
she was bad woman, who had about
a dozen sNoeiheaHs, lle killed he
bseauss II he had not done Il two olhf
Japanese bad sworn 20 do %, and O.
WA better thai ono man he hnnged
Than 1870 hs fully eapeeled 90 be hAns.
81 ana dld nol want any mierfelsnee
90 hs made lu bic behalf durng lbs
inal iie had gilep ~ liayashl "a
leF ~ hls famlly ln iekobsma, shess
10 has Wis ppd iay,sroli sau resia,
ine nae lailaT NJ Hh0m IrrrHil, sfsa,