The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-21
SAM WONG
To PAY Up
Judge De1BoIt Favors
Giving the ksiatics
Citizenship.

In deciding the case OF Margare
Wong against Sam Wong yesterday
| afternoon Judge De Bolt unreservedIy
| advocated the admission of Chinese
| and Japanese to American citizenship
| While founding this advocacy on the
! intelligence evinced by both the plain
| tiff and the defendant in court. as well
| as on his personal acquaintance with
the defendant, the court in deciding
! the case gave Mr.. Wong to understand
| that he had run a narrow gauntlet to
| keep out of Jail for contempt of court
| Judge De Bolts finding was that
Sam Wong owed his wife, from whom
| he had separated in 1902, the sum OF
$3.50 as back alimony on October l, 1906
| His judgment was that this amount
| he paid into court at the rate of s100
a month until the whole amount be
paid, including the s12 monthly accru
| ing under the original order of the
court. 1t being now near the end of
a month, the first payment is to be $50
| a month on January 1. Respondent is
also to pay the costs of the hearing
| whether he shall not also pay fee
l ~ 1ISs w Oil5 etNOAAACS'
| Mr.. Magoon applied for fee at the
rendering of judgment. and Mr.. Gear
opposed it as having no statutory
authority. A ruling is reserved.
While having the terms of payment
definitely adjusted Judge De Bolt hoped
there would be no more trouble made
by either party. He also hoped that
the parties would become reconciled
oIat TrN
that event the order of alimony would
cease to bind the respondent.
]. A Magoon argued the case for
the complainant and Geo, D. Gear for
the respondent. Then, after four
o'clock Mr.. Magoon was replying
when the court interrupted him with
a remark to the effect that further
argument was unnecessary. The mat
ter was an order TO Sam Wong to
show cause why he should not be ad-
judged guilty of contempt of court for
disobeying the order to pay $12 a week
alimony to his wife and required to
pay arrears of alimony amounting as
alleged to $612.
Judge De Bolt remarked at first that
it was a novel and peculiar case. He
had been impressed with the truthful
ness of Mrs. Wong's evidence. He had
not the honor of her acquaintance but
had known Mr.. Wong for years and
admired his business ability. Yet he
could not say from the evidence that
Mr.. Wong in this case occupied very
favorable position. His evidence was
not so candid or open as it should have
been. He had overlooked his duties to
his wife and children. He had not
obeyed the order of the court. His in
terests and affections were elsewhere
than where they should have been.
The court desires to do absolute
and complete justice toward all con-
cerned,'' the Judge proceeded. II be-
Iieve that all the time since the de-
cree it was within the respondents
power as it was his duty, to pay So
a week to his wife. 1 am strongly in
cIined to believe he is in contempt"
Respondents failure to obey the
court was due to his own conduct. It
was not established that marital rela-
lions had been resumed. Perhaps 1t
was not necessary that the court
should at this time find the respondent
guilty of contempt, but he was strong
~ inclined to take the affirmative view
of that question. Yet in consideration
they were willing TO surrender his
salary for the payment of back all
mony the court might exercise leniency.
Another matter was the duty of the
court regarding its own responsibilities.
1t was not always so much the duty
OF the court TO punish disobedience as
for the court to see that its orders
were obeyed. There was duty to-
ward society Y-p-'
spected and fulfil their duties as the
law required unless their orders were
obeyed.
1T is doubtful if I am fulfilling my
duties in not administering some
punishment" Judge De Bolt said. He
felt, however, that if the court at that
time ordered Mr.. Wong 10 pay into
court 800 a month until the arrears
We're paid and thereafter S12 a week
according to the original order. Justice
would be done
There might be some mitigation of
Wong's conduct, the court proceeded
in his light-hearted and easy-going
disposition. He seemed to have been
careless of his personal accounts and
might not have realized the extent of
his obligations.
Both parties the court said, ARE
unusually intelligent people. Their ap-
pearance in court was creditable to
the Chinese race. Objections to ORR
entails becoming American citizens are
not we'll founded. I believe that the
Chinese and the japanese, if properly
treated and given an American educa-
ton, with an understanding of the
nature and value of American institu-
lions, would be capable of becoming
and 1t is very desirable that they
should become American citizens
Mr.. and Mrs. Wong. it may be said,
both appeared in court smartly attired
in the European mode and testified
huently in English Mr.. Wong has for
years been the leading salesman in
one of the largest American stores of
Honolulu.
CRIMINAL CASES.
nolle Prosequi was granted, on mo-
Of 4