The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-05-11
LOPEZ HAD
ESCAPE HABIT

Francisco Lopez, a one time planta-
! ton laborer on Hawaii, and a many
time escape from the Jail in Hilo, has
tried his hand in jumping the gang
| here
| Lopez was originally arrested for a
misdemeanor at Olaa and was given
i a short term in Jail. His stay was
shorter than intended and while work
ing on the road near Hakalau made
his get away up through the gulch
He had told one of his mates that he
was going back to Claa to kill his wife.
With that information the police
watched for him along the line and
a few days afterward Officer Kelley
caught him near Waiakea and he was
returned to Jail and two years added
to his sentence for jail-breaking. He
promised to be good when he was sent
out to work again with the same gang
but his good behavior was of short
duration; within a month he made his
escape again from the same guard and
in the same locality. On this occasion
he was sent after water and failed to
return. His ball and chain were found
a short distance away
He was located in different places
for the three weeks following, Puma
being apparently his base and from
that section he made raids on the poul- |
try houses and upon some of the Chi |
nese and Japanese residents of the |
place.
Captain Lake, at present a detective |
in the county attorneys office, received |
informa ton one day that Lopez was
in the neighborhood of Waiakea, that |
he made visits to a Porto Rican resort |
near the plantation. Lake. on investi- |
cation, learned that there was pre-
arranged signal and that when the /
coast was clear a flag was hoisted from |
a pole near coffee shop. Lake and a |
small party of policemen went to the |
place at midnight and early the next |
the Chinese proprietor was in
structed to put up his signal so that
Lopez would come for his coffee.
Customers of the place who came in
for a pot of coffee were obliged to re-
main at the officers pleasure and it
was a weary wait until the runaway
made his appearance. A little While
after daylight Lopez was approaching
by way of path alongside of the
cane. He had a cane knife in each
hand and on his way down to the store
ne would wave the knives in a threat
ening manner. A little later Lake
threw gun on the man and command |
ed him to drop his knives which he
did once more he was placed
IN Jail and a further sentence given
him.
Within year he was off again, TAX
ing a course through the cane fields
which brought him to the vicinity of
Pepeekeo. One night he entered a cot
Lage Where some Porto Ricans We're
sleeping and with a cane knife slashed
L sleeper across the face he thought |
ne was a spy. When this report was
brought in several suspects We're gath
cred in by the police and charged with
aiding the escape. Lopez was captured |
alter and when given additional time ,
begged piteously of Sheriff Andrews /
hat he be not given leg-irons, prom IS
ng not to run away if his legs were ]
rec. His request was refused and he I
vas chained and put to work. Later {
lie was sent to Honolulu and for more j
han a year has remained in the gang {
without attempting to get away until {
Tuesday last as reported in the Adj