The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-05-29
ATTORNEY GENERAL
SCORES SHERIFF
Says That He Rushes Into Print
Without Trying to Settle
Trouble.

The interview appearing in one OF
the afternoon papers and purportIng to
be from Sheriff Iaukea, in which he IS
made to say that the Attorney-Gener-
al s department tries to inconvenience
witnesses, called forth a rather sharp
answer from Attorney General Peters.
When seen yesterday afternoon by an
Advertiser reporter, he said; =,
~ am rather surprised at the re-
marks attributed to Sheriff Iaukea,
which appeared in the Bulletin this at
ternoon. Had he made any effort to
see me in regard to the subject of
which he pretends to have knowledge,
neither inconvenience to him nor a dis
cussion OIL it in the public prints would
have been necessary.
ssThe case of which Mr.. Iaukea
speaks is one in which the witnesses for
the prosecution resided in and about
Eva. The case having been set for
trial on Monday the 9th inst, Mr.. Mil
verton, on Saturday last, in order to
see that a subpoena issued by the Court
in the case would be properly served
by the officer, and for the further pur-
pose of examining the witness, accom-
panied Harry Juen to Eva. Two OF
the witnesses pleading lack of funds
were advanced their fare to Honolulu
by Mr.. Milverton. Manuel Philip made
no request for assistance and therefore
none was given.
.sUpon the arrival of the witnesses
in Honolulu. Mr.. Cathcart, the County
Attorney, advanced them the sum or
five dollars, more than sufficient to pay
all of their return fares. Complaint
was made by them nevertheless to Har-
ry .Juen of the Police Department, and
upon that officer notifying US that the
Police Department could not take care
of them. provision was made by US that
thev be fed in Honolulu at our eX-
pense, and they were taken by an en-
ploye of this Office to restaurant
where they secured proper food and
drink This arrangement left at their
disposal the five dollars already secured
from MI. 10buCdtb anu NO
should have been made by them. The
five dollars was amply sufficient TO car
ry them home and bring them back
again on Wednesday morning.
"Sheriff Iaukea, in his sollc1tude OF
these witnesses seems to have over
looked the fact that there is no pro
vision made for the payment of ex-
penses of witnesses in criminal cases
and that this office is under no obi1ga-
tion whatever to pay any expenses In
such behalf. The advances made by
Mr.. Milverton as also the expenses IN
cured by the office for the food of the
witnesses was practically gratultous
over and above what IS now provided
them by the recent Act referred to.
The Police Department through Harry
Juen advised us on Monday that they
could do nothing for these witnesses,
and upon such advice, word was sent
them that they send the witnesses to
our office and we proceeded to look
after them as already stated.
.'What Sheriff Iaukea means when
he saws that there is no sense IN the
Attorney Generals Department trying
TO inconvenience these people by re-
fusing them expenses which are essen
TALLY necessary is hard to grasp. IL
he is imposed upon by witnesses that
is his own lookout. The entire article
oecurs to me to be nothing more than
an attempt to again reiterate to the
public the lack OF funds appropriated
bv the Supervisors for the Police De-
partment. There is no one that IS
more desirous than [ am to assist the
Police Department in every way pos
sible. but In return we expect assistance
from it. If every time difficulty arises
as to the administration of the criminal
prosecutions of this Territory, County
police officers, without any attempt or
desire to settle the difficulties by per-
sonal reference to this office, rush unto
print in order to make the difficulties
public, criminal prosecutions Will be
handicapped and witnesses lose respect
for the officers administering the laws
and the processes of the Court. II
Sheriff Iaukea, in the future, would
confer more with me and less with tine
newspapers, I see little opportunity for
difficulty in the matter of securing VIII
nesses in criminal prosecutions.
s"The desire to secure larger appro-
nriations for the police of Oahu Is COM
mendable. But do not propose to pass
unanswered comments directed to tha1
nurpose which reflect upon the conduct
of this department
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