The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-04
GAMBLERS
LOSE CASE
Fail in Prosecutions of
the Advertiser
Reporters.

Taylor and r. 0. Matheson, of the Ad
vertiser staff, arising out of the de
tective visits paid by those reporter.
to the Akwai gambling joint in Ach
lane, came to an ignominious end yes
terday afternoon the two more seriou.
charges against Taylor being dism ss
ed and that against him and Mathesor
| nol-prossed at the request of FRANK
Andrade, the prosecuting attorney.
After many delays and postpone
ments, the cases came up for trial yes
terday afternoon, Judge Gear and E
w. Sutton appearing as attorneys to
assist the prosecution and F'rans
| Thompson appearing for the defense
Two OF the charges against Taylor
| We're taken up toge her, that of imper-
| sonating police officer ana assaulting
| a Ch1naman with "a loaded revolver.
| There We're four Chinese witnesses
| for the prosecution all of whom swore
positively that they had heard Taylor
announce himself as police officer and
| seen him exhibit his badge. They were
not altogether sure where the badge
! had been worn. two OF them locating
| it on the outside of his coat and the
other two as pinned on the inside of
! the garment. Two located the badge
! on the inner left lapel, one locating it
on the right side. In most other re-
spects, however, their evidence was
we'll prepared, showing a careful re-
hearsal of details They each swore
positively that the revolver which had
frightened them into letting the two
reporters into the joint had been
bis, black, dangerous weapon. A re-
voiver was produced by the attorney
for the defense and it had a familiar
look to the Chinese. With the revolver
in his hand one of the witnesses gave
q pantomine representation of the two
reporters forcing their unwelcome pres,
ence into the gambling joint, which, by
the way, according to the veracious
witnesses. was simply room in which
Cinnamon had been accustomed TO
meet to take lessons in boxing
Sheriff Brown gave evidence for the
prosecution regarding the circum-
stances under which he had issued a
police badge to Taylor, his evidence
proving to be strongly in favor of the
accused. The badge had been issued,
and it had been the intention of the
Sheriff to also issue commission. That
he had not done so had been an over
sight. He had been under the impress
sion that the commission had been is
sued until he had looked up the rec
ords in connection with the present
case.
Taylor went on the stand on his own
behalf, his testimony being corrob-
grated by Matheson. These witnesses
gave explicit denials of the charges.
They admitted that they had visited
the premises of the gamblers on the
night in question and had entered the
gambling joint. Both denied that there
mad been any force used, that any re- ,
volver had been produced or had been
in their possession at the time or that
the police badge had been displayed by
either.
Counsel for the prosecution appear |
ed to be rather nonplused when it was
shown that the revolver produced at :
the trial and which the Cinnamon had
so nearly identified, had been procured
an hour or two before at E. o. Hall
& Sons to assist the Cinnamon in
perjuring themselves, an object which
it accomplished most satisfactorily to
the defense
The cases were submitted without
argument on either side, Judge Whit
hey promptly hndlng Taylor not guilty
Of either charge.
Judge Gear then wished to proceed
with the cases against Taylor and
Matheson. those of trespassing at
night. At this point of the proceedings
Prosecuting Attorney Andrade inter-
vened, -
Il think this matter has gone quite
Tar enough" he said, addressing the
oench. LAS the prosecuting attorney
or the county I ask that nolle
be entered against these cases
If Taylor and Matheson and that their
'ases be stricken from the calendar"
This request was promptly granted
~ the Judge. Taylor was given back
lis police badge by Judge Whitney,
which had been turned in as an exhibit
# the prosecution, and the matter, so
ar as the reporters are concerned was
oncluded.