Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-07-19
tDMUyDS (NF0R(ES
ACT OF NAhESAkE
Buddy Is Released After
Warm Battle In
Court

The case of Buddy Edmunds, the
small son of H. w. S. Edmunds, which
came up in the Police Court this morn
ing was the most interesting which
time back. The youngster was charged
with maliciOusly burning stack OF
rice straw belonging to Tam Pong, a
Chinese who lives near Edmunds
place at Waikiki The whole matter
was the outgrowth of neighborly
feud, and the denominations which
both parties have INDUCED against
each other were very interesting.
Chas. Creighton conducted the case
of the prosecution. He was at his best,
and his searching examination Of the
witnesses was well conducted. Ed
munds appeared in behalf of his son.
His knowledge of legal procedure was
very slight, but he made up for this by
the great strenuosity with which he
conducted his side of the case.
The absorbing question of the
morning was the age of the small de-
PENDANT Edmunds had entered a plea
IN bar, accompanied by an affidavit
stating that his son was only six years
and five months of age, the showing
made by the plea being that under the
law no person under the age Of seven
could be held responsible i'll Grimm
al action. The prosecution this morn
ing attempted to show that the boy
was over seven, and this upset the
plea, and it was on this that the entire
matter was based
Creighton called Edmunds on the
stand. He testified that the boy had
been born in Formosa February |,
1901. There were no records kept OF
the births of foreign children in that
island, he said. In answer to questions
with his family March 5, 1903. He had
answered certain questions which were
asked by the immigration officials
when he arrived, and he might have
signed statement of these answers,
but if he had done so, he had not read
1t before he signed it, and therefore he
would not be sure that its contents
would be correct. He had signed 1t
merely as a matter of form, as he was
asked to do so.
Edmunds said further that Mrs. Liz
zie Puahi had leased the place on which
he lived to him for thirty years, but
she was anxious to break this lease
and would try to use this case as a
lever in this attempt. He denied that
he had told her, when he first met her,
that the boy was at that time four
years old He stated that his wife,
who is a Japanese, might have said
SO. In this connection he explained
that the Japanese reckon age by the
year in which the child is born, so
that, for instance, child born jan
nary / is said to be one year old, ana
this might have led to a discrepancy
between the statements of the childs
age.
Mrs Puahi was the next witness.
She said that in October, 1905, Ed
munds had told her that the boy was
six years old. Tara Pong, the COM
plainant, was called next. He stated
that Edmunds had told him the same
as he had told Mrs. Puahi. He said
further that he himself had a little
girl, who was of the same age as
Buddy.
rs that by your first or your second
wife," asked Edmunds.
I'VE admit that he has violated the
Edmunds Act" said Creighton. HE
has been convicted and punished for
it
will you also admit that he is at
the present time being prosecuted for
Digamy?" asked Edmunds.
1--WE will, if you will admit that you
were the one who instigated the pros
ecution against him.
q will admit that" answered Ed |
munds. q was the one who gave Mr.,
Breckons the information"
R. c. Brown of the immigration Sta /
ton was called by the prosecution.
which wanted to show through him
that Edmunds had, when he first land
ed here, given the age of the child as
greater than he had stated in the atfi
davit which accompanied the plea in
bar. This failed, however, as Brown |
stated that there were no records vi
the examination given Edmunds at the
zine, and he had no Independent reeol- !
lection of the matter.
This ended the showing of the pros
ecution, and the Court sustained the
plea in bar, thus dismissing the case,
This did not end the trouble, however,
81 want to swear to warrant charg-
ing those who caused this prosecution
with conspiracy" he said as he was
leaving the room. 81 shall swear to
such a warrant"
an that case / shall have something
t osay to you relative to prosecution
for perjury" came back Creighton, and |
with this shot the affair ended.
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