The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-16
SURRENDERED D
HIMSELF To
THE LAW
Moromura, Murderer,
Confesses His Crime
and Explains.

MOrOmura ku1cn1, the japanese IIiui
derer from Halawa, for whom the po-
lice have been searching since he cut
the throat of his friend Numata in
their quarters at the Japanese camp
on New Years night, gave himself up
last night to the authorities. The man
is a quiet, intelligent-looking Japa-
nese, of erect, military bearing and
about the last one who would be sus-
pected from his appearance of having
the life's blood Of another upon his
hands.
The story he tells is that he acted in
self defense in killing Numata, who
had attacked him while he lay in his
bunk and who had been killed by his
own knife, held in his own hands. Nu-
mata, with two others, had threatened
to kill him, Moromura, and he had
grasped Numata's wrist and SO turned
blow delivered at him that it had
entered the throat of, and killed, the
man who had been the aggressor. At
the time when Moromura had fed in
his underclothes, after seeing Numata
fall, he did not know how dangerous
had been the wound inflicted, finding
out definitely Sunday that the man
was dead. Then he worked his way
the Rev. G. Motokawa, by whom he
was taken to the police station last
night. The story of the killing as told
by the murderer seems strange one.
but the bearing of the man after he
had been brought into the police sta
ton and the straightforward manner
in which he answered all the questions
asked him was impressive and inspired
in the cane fields near the scene of the
crime. For days he 1urked there, lis
tening to the conversations of the men
passing along the roads in an endeavor
to learn the fate of his victim, and at
night he would visit the camp, trying
in some way to get possession Of his
discharge papers from the Japanese
army, the papers which carried with
them the commentator of his empe
'or and which he valued as the most
precious of all his possessions. Dur
ng all this time he had lived on a few
bananas, purchased from Chinaman,
rom whom he had also been able to
1uy an undershirt. An old pair of
,veralls he had picked up at Puloa. He
lad no shoes and his feet We're torn
md cut in his passages through the
;ane fields.
On Sunday he knew that his friend
lad died. That night he began his
walk to Honolulu, crawling through |
he cane fields by day and taking to
he road at night. With his lacerated |
eet his progress was slow. Last night |
lie reached the outskirts of the town |
t Kalihi where he took a rapid tran |
1T car as far as Liliha street. Here |
e engaged a japanese hack and was
riven to the residence of Mr.. Moto-
sawa, to whom he wished to make his
onfession.
Mr. Motokawa took him into his
ouse. clothed and fed him, Mrs Mo-
okawa making up a bundle of other
lotheS for him. Then he accompanied
is confessor to the station, where he
ras booked for investigation. At no
me during the examination at the
tation did the confessed murderer
how the slightest sign of fear. With
is heels together, shoulders thrown
ack and head up, he answered all
uestions promptly and without the
ast suspicion of quibbling. When
sked what he had done with his
nife he told of the circumstances of
lie killing, seizing the reverend mans
rm and illustrating how the act of
lrning the knife upon the throat of I
lie one who welded it had been done.
hen he Strengthened back to atten- S
on. At no time had he made any !
ans to try and leave the island.
The story told by the man is con- t
med by good deal of information {
hich has come to the police from the G
onolulu plantation, where it would i
EN- that the murderer had a better f
than the man he killed. /
Is story also confirms the tips re- &
ived on Sunday by Chief Taylor, who q
Id been told that the man was lurk v
g in the vicinity of the Halawa ditch.
Id who, accompanied by Detective t
Ike of the County Attorneys depart v
ent and by Interpreter Mkt, had kept q
atch for several hours on Sunday t
sht in deserted warehouse there.
linking that the heavy rains would p
i've the murderer in for shelter. Il