The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-12-31
JEST TURNS
INTO GRIM
EARNEST
AS Joke, Policeman Threatens to
Arrest Larsen on a
Murder Charge.
NOW HE is IN THE CELLS
Man He Had Struck Dies From a
Fractured Skull Few Hours
Afterwards.
now HE is IN THE CELLS
tFrom Thursday,s Advertiser.)


Twelve hours after a police officer
and friend had played practical
Joke on him by telling him that he
had killed man and was to be arrest
ed for murder, William Larsen Jr. was
yesterday placed under arrest and is
nov held for investigation until the
cause of the death of Hawaiian
named Kaihue is ascertained by the
coroner. The Hawaiian who figured In
the Joke as the victim is the man
whose body now lies in the city's
morgue, with the pase of the skull frac-
tured. Death came yesterday morning,
after a fight had taken place about
midnight on Tuesday
The joke turned into grim earnest
and Larsen. faces probably serious
charge.
The man who died from injuries re-
ceiyed in the course of short fight
with Larsen was taken to the Queens
Hospital Immediately after he had been
hurt. Although his skull WAS fractured
so badly that he died few hofrs after,
he was allowed to leave the hospital
with only the superficial wounds
dressed.
This is the third timo within few
months that men with fractured skulls
have been allowed to leave the hos
pital to die without the extent of their
injuries being learned and with moth
ing done to prevent them from dying
Larsen IS friends state that he became
involved in the affair through efforts
to protect a drunken man of small size
from the assault of a much larger man.
They claim that he wished to act only
hot tho h10yv
given by him, as direct result OF
which Kaihue is dead, was given with,
out the slightest malice behind it.
Witness Statement.
Eugene Duvauchelle, who was with
Larsen at the time of the affray, says
concerning it:
"We Tmeaning Larsen and himself
had dinner at w. Mahuka's place and
after dinner strolled around town
About eleven clock we went to Frank
Harvey's saloon where Charley kumu
kahi tends bar. He cleaned out the
DRINKS and closed the bar early. Their
we went to chop suey house and hac
supper.
I'VE then went to the King street
bridge and that is where the low start
ed. When we got there, three fellows
rushed out of the building on the EVE
side, coming downstairs. One big fel
low. Kaihue was kicking a small fel
low. Kamalu. There was negro there
who caught Kaihue and pulled hin
away. When he did this l heard Ka
malu say: You invite me to your house
Is this the way to treat met? He spok
in Hawaiian.
"While the negro was holding him
Kaihue broke loose and went at Ka
malu again. Larsen jumped in as
peacemaker. / suppose he thought Ka
malu was an old man for he said
Flight man your own age
''Kaihue cursed him and struck a
him. Larsen also struck and Kaihu
toppled over, his head striking stone
When he fell, Larsen picked him up an
put him on the sidewalk. BY this tim
Policemen Nawahi and Dan Kaah
came up and the others there were Lal
sen, Kumukahi, the negro, myself an
Kamalu, the latter dead drunk. N
oneNelse was around.
''Then the women came down an
began wailipg, about half dozen, an
then crowd gathered. The patro
wagon came and Kaihue was wei
enough to walk to the wagon himself
He was taken to the hospital.
1lt was blouEHl Duth ohoiAig ditN
twelve Before he came back, however
the women were making so much nois
wailing'that the Chinese neighbors sen
for the police to make them keep quiet
"When kaihue got back from tn
hospital he was still full of fight an
wanted to know where the haole wa
who struck him. He did net appear i
the least hurt although his head wa
in bandages."
A Good Joke.
Larsen, by this time, had wake
away as far as the depot, the fgh
having taken place in front of tn
River Rhine saloon, and the idea o
playing joke on him occurred /
Duvaucheile and negro, named Miller
They took Machado, mounted polio
officer, into the joke, the two gon
TO Larsen aud telling him that Kaihu
was dead and that the police were lool
ing for him.
The Victim Of the joke was yer
much affected at the alarming news an
practically broke down az the idea O
being arrested on a charge q mufde
lie became 20 excited nj the though
~ facing 30 gave d charge that b
threatened to hin himself rather thu
BIO taken alive by the police.
Then Maehado rode up aad demande
10 know Nlafe Larsen was. This adda
90 i4aneH's misery and he fell fac
down on the giass aad began 10 plea
for liberty
liy thai tins the trio Thought N
joke had gnae faT enough Raa the
told him ihal the supposed dead ma
Nss back ~ bic holsa anl leakia
iag anoihsI hght
psslh fsne,ssa nlev.