The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-08-05


ton had been modified, and he ha'
come to an appreciation of men a.
men, by the necessities Of the pol1tl
clan, which he had been before coming
to Hawaii He was never anything
less than a gentleman. He was
! reader but not a student. In his later
| years. he liked life without friction
and the strife of law must have beer
extremely distasteful TO him.. He loved
| the rest and politeness of peace. He
| was an upright judge whose high in
tegrity was never questioned.
! At the time of coup d etat of Ka-
| mehameha V. Judge Allen was in the
| United states and heard there, with
| helpless distress. tempered by prud-
| ence. of the high-handed PRONUNCIATION
of the new constitution which the King
had forced upon the country. He ac-
cepted it as others did. with secret pro-
test He resigned his judgeship in 1877
to accept the post of Hawaiian Minis
ter resident at Washington, where, six
years later. he died in the White
House. at the Presidents New Year S
reception.
Judge Robertson was a scotch Pres
byterian. with all the sturdy conserva-
tisn, conscientioUsness and unSwerv-
ing steadfastness to slowly gained con-
yiction that carried. He seemed always
mindful of the dignity of the high office
he filed. To an outsider he was always
wrapped in his judicial ermine, even
the grave expression of his face and
his considered gait, being official. But
he was a sincere man. His decisions
were the result of careful consideration
of evidence, to which had been put the
square and level of the law as he saw
it. A certain decision of his in re-
gard to the crown lands was far-reach-
ing in its effect, and immortaliZed his
name in the history of the Hawaiian
bench. When he died. without a mo-
ment's warning, at Eva, where he had
gone for little rest, and seeking re-
lief from pain. the community was
shocked at his death, and mourned
with the sincere grief felt in those
early days, at the loss of a valued |
of the small white population.
He was an honest, trusted man.
One touches upon the next man with !
and that feeling of regret that
comes at the thought of one who fails |
in life. Judge Davis was a half-white |
of ability. Unlike the worthy Ii, he
came to the bench with a preliminary
of a fair knowledge of law. |
Kamehameha V was extremely jealous
for the appearance. dignity and good !!
conduct of all who We're in any depart /
ment of his government, himself set
ting good example in respect to such |
appearance, conduct and dignity.
When Judge Davis, at the Lahaina |
Circuit. I believe it was, dishonored his /
high office and his King. by coming
;r+ ;,, ofi
the Office. he was quietly but promptly /
retired. 1t was matter of sincere re-
gret to all foreigners, as well as to the /
cerned themselves about such matters. |
This Hawaiian had been tried and !
found wanting.
Henry Thompson. a balf-white of
great talent. was thought of as sue
lessor to Judge Davis, but he was, him
self, a victim of the habit which had
caused the downfall of Davis. and his
name was passed. and Jas. w. Austin
was appointed to his place.
Mr.. Austin was Harvard man, not |
| fine man, but good-natured favorite
Of fortune. He was too closely asso-
ciated with many large estates here,
l sort of individual trust company him
self, to easily fill the position of judge
who must hear probate cases and
others affecting property rights. He
must often have found himself dis
qualified from hearing such cases by
MS business interests in them. I re-
member him always as a sojourner
mere; one who had come to make his
fortune but not his home, The future
IF the islands he cared for only as it
affected his personal fortune. He was
not supremacy selfish man, but he
vas absorbed in other things than IL
steering the ship of state. He held
office for one year, resigning in favor
IF Mr. Widemann, who, himself re-
signed five years later, to accept posi-
ion in the cabinet, taking office as
Minister of Interior under Kalakaua.
Judge Hartwell succeeded Judge
Robertson. In 1867 the material from
which to construct judges was not as
plentiful as now. and besides this rea-
son for delay in filling vacancies on the
Supreme Bench. lawyer with even a
luite moderate practice, made a larger
income than the judges salary afford
I'd. When Judge Robertson died. a re-
Iuest was sent to some professor at
he Harvard Law School [ believe, to
recommend man suitable for APP
General Hartwen was named, and in
Vited to come here. He came fresh
from the war, with his military title
still upon him. but need not tell those
If today, that he came in every way
for the office, which he
filed to the entire satisfaction of the
people of that purer. simpler, high
minded time.
The court was obliged to make "cir-
cults" in those days, and We're often
for want of better craft. to
20 in schooners. Judge Hartwen came
% be considered Jonah by certain
IF the bar; whenever he was aboard,
he schooner made long voyages, roll
ng lazily in the trough of the sea as
.hough laughing at the Impotence of
is legal load. There was a member of
he bar. a certain Colonel Jones by
name and title. very tall. lank, round
hook-nosed man, whom
iawaiians called ''Aeko.'' the eagle.
He was a wit and a wag, a counter,
BART in this respect of Lunalilo; where
lie was there was fun. Col. Jones was
extremely averse to travelling on the