The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-10-15

Ith, (not the Sth as stated in yoNl
letter. 1 called upon you and stated
I the case to you as represented by the
preacher, but never told you that ''tht
1 captain of the S. S. Kusuho Maru due
to sail at noon November 9, had agreed
to transport him." 1 am quite positive
on this, for I never saw the captain
at any time before the day of the
ships departure and that only for q
few minutes to bid him a bon-voyage
the captain Mor being an old acquain-
tance of mine. In fact, as the captain
told me at that meeting. nobody, not
even excepting the captain himself
had known of the day of her sail until
the very day before, when such cable
order was received.
At this interview, you never told me
that you felt strongly in this case
because the laws of the Territory had
been disregarded and the man would
have to take his consequences" On
the other hand. you told me that you
could not give answer at that time as
to the proposal of the kind preacher
made to you through me in behalf of
the unfortunate Japanese and upon my
pressing for the cause, you stated that
lit was beyond my power to release
Kataoke," and that ''the only way out
of the custody of the board was
escape" (+even citing the case of Miss
-, suspect, who had ac-
complished her escape in spite of your
"diligent search afterwards"). Then
1 got your permit to see Kataoke, not
nv 70 r1n t,
me in this interview, but to get his
statement for the purpose of publica-
tion in my paper. At the station /
was allowed to see Kataoke, who was
informed that 1.-The only way out of the
custody of the. Board of Health was
escape and that there were two tramp
Japanese steamers in port, to either of
which he might be able to stowaway
himself. Before 1 left him 1 promised
that I would send copy of the Ha-
waii Shinpo in which his statement
made to me that day would appear,
and 1 made an arrangement with Mr..
the paper by wagon of the Metropoli-
tan Meat Company next day.
On the afternoon of the next day,
was informed by one of my reporters
that the Kusuho would sail on the noon
of the next day, the 9th. Thereupon
| felt exceedingly sorry that l had not
known the fact at the time of my visit
to Kataoke, but the truth was, as it
was stated elsewhere, such cable
before that. But determined then and
there that / would see Kataoke again
before the ships departure and ac-
quaint him with the fact. Consequent
ly on the next morning l found myself
again at the station and asked Mr..
Brown for an interview with Kataoke.
Mr.. Brown asked me if l got permis-
sion from Mr.. Pinkham to transport
Kataoke to Japan upon my casual re-
mark that there was boat leaving
for Japan that very noon. I said, why,
no. How could he9'' "Poor fellow he
should be sent back to JAPAN was
what this kind keeper told me. When
Kataoke appeared on the scene, told
him that there was a steamer which
sailed that noon for Japan and her
name was "Kusuho Maru' and that
she was lying alongside of the Hack
field wharf. | further cautioned him
not to try to escape when the keeper
was watching. l left the station shortly
afterwards in hack by which 1 had
gone there. When got the Rapid
Transit line l left the hack and taking
a street car just came along and came
back to my office.
And these were all I had to do with
Kataoke and 1 don't know whether he
went back to Japan or not, although 1
sincerely hope that he has done SO.
As to my alleged statement to the
keeper referred in your letter that the
president of the Board of Health was
willing Kataoke should be permitted
to "o," is either simply a fabrication
or else misunderstanding.
If the above facts make me guilty of
a crime under the laws of the Territory
then / can plead in extenuation that
what 1 did was in the interests of
humanity and did not in the slightest
degree injure the Territory or any of
its residents. If they make me guilty
of any discourtesy to the Board of
Health or any of its officers, have only
to say that such discourtesy on my
part was wholly unintentional, and
arose from Misunderstanding on my
part of your attitude, aided perhaps by
zeal on my part for the interests of
one of my countrymen. Should you
consider the above statement as
amounting to such diseourtesy 1 now
and here tender to your honorable |
board and yourself my apology therefor. |
l am, sir,
Very respectfully yours,
c. SEIOZAWA.
Scratched out by request of Mr.. |
Pin L har Dnn LONG