The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-06-05
GOOD MORAL LIFE
AS SEEN IN H|LO
Record of Man Who Wanted
Restoration of His Civil
Rights.

The matter of restoration of civil
rights and of granting of pardons to
criminals is one which comes up in the
Governor s Office very frequently and
| the utter lack of care in ascertaining
| facts by those who bring az the petit
lions is shown clearly in many cases.
In the majority of the petitions they
are taken to men of prominence and
therefore men whose names will look
well when supporting request to the
| Governor, and these people sign the
| papers at the request of a friend with
out making any personal investigation.
In many cases if such investigation
was made there would be few signatures
ON the petitions.
One case of this kind was brought
before Governor Carter shortly before
he left for the Coast and after investi-
cation he ordered the petition answered
by Secretary Atkinson in the follow
ing manner:
May 4th, 1907.
Noa w. Aluli, Esq, Hilo, Hawaii.
Dear Sir: I am directed by the Gov
ernor to acknowledge receipt of your
letter of March 25th, enclosing the pc
tition of Lena Honuakau for restora-
ton to civil rights.
The matter was referred to the At
torney General for investigation and 1
have his report before me. Lena Ho-
nuakau states in his petition that he
pleaded guilty to a charge Of larceny
of a japanese horse, and was sentenced
to two years imprisonment, and that
since that sentence he has at all times
endeavored to lead a good and moral
life
Mr.. George H. Williams on the same
petition endorses the statement as SUBJ
stantially correct, and states that he is
satisfied that the petitioner has since
his release led an honest life and has
behaved well, and he further believes
that he is justified in recommending
that LENA Honuakau should have his
civil rights restored.
/ note in your letter of March 25th,
that from what you have heard that
the petitioner since his arrest, as men,
toned in his petition, has led a pretty
straight life. The petition which is
quite literally endorsed, by citizens of
Hilo, among whom 1 see the names Of
William H. Keolanui, w. A. Fetter,
Stephen L. Desha, Samuel K. Pua, c.
K. Mcguire, Charles Williams, w. c.
Kaihenui, J. S. Ferry, F. J. Ryan, Eu-
gene H. Lyman, Richard ]. Lyman,
and many other prominent citizens,
states: Having known the above
named petitioner Lena Honuakau for
the past years to be a straightforward
person and to have been always law
abiding, except as mentioned by him
above"
Now, Mr.. Aluli, listen to the report |
of the Attorney General in a letter |
written by him on April 29th. "as to |
Lena Honuakau, the Deputy Sheriff Of |
Kau sends me the following record of !
convictions:
April 9Th. 1894, obstructing justice.
April 18th, 1894, larceny of horse.
June 1st, 1894, obstructing justice
October IA, 1905, drunkenness.
January 23rd, 1906 malicious injury |
February 18th, 1906, drunkenness.
July 18th, 1905, drunkenness.
While serving sentence in the fore |
going case, his jail record was bad. He |
escaped from the prison gang March |
10Th, 1904. October 3rd, 1904 and No
vember Both, 1904, was given fifteen |
lashes for Jail breaking"
I am, therefore, directed by the Gov
ernor to say that he declines to restore /
Lena Honuakau his civil rights, and |
I am further directed by the Governor
to express surprise that you should
bring before him the matter without
making a proper investigation, or by
to mislead him by the pc
titiOn submitted. I trust that you will |
show this letter to some of the signers
of the petition.
| have the honor to be, sir,
Your obedient servant
T ~