The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-08-04
MORIMEANT TOKlLL
THEN MAKE ESCAPE
(Continued from Page one.I

Sheba low as could possibly be, and
he hoped never to be apprehended as
the slayer of the editor of the Ha-
waii Shinpo.
Far from willing to sacrifice his own
life on the scaffold, if need be, in Or
der to fulfill what he may have be-
lieved to be the radiance of a traitor
TO the local Japanese cause; far from
seeking a notorious martyrdom, Morris
murderous plan involved nothing more
nor less than an intent to kill Sheba
without being caught and then to
sneak away, probably in the steam
ship Mauna Kea which was sailing at
noon for Hawaii and Maui ports, and
review of the circumstances points
to this idea.
The most peculiar feature of the
dastardly attempt at assassination yes
terday was the nature of the weapon
used and this is the most emphatic
evidence of Mort intended to get away
after the crime
Why should man intent upon
deliberated murder purchase a COM
mon pocket-knife as the weapon to
be used? If a pocket-knife, why not
enc with long blade or with a blade
that could be made to set and not
double on his fingers?
Mort was calculating the chance Of
discovery. If he had bought a dirk
a hunting knife or any large weapon
such as might be supposed to be eff
fective in the preparation of a crime,
the purchase would have been observ-
ed and would have been remarked;
whereas an /. X. l.. pocket-knife is
probably the most common of pocket
knives, probably a dozen or more be-
ing sold in Honolulu every day; also
pocket-knife of SO ordinary a pat
tern as the l, X. L., which he used,
has a blade sufficiently long to effect
fatal stab in the neck or throat.
Had his idea been to stab Sheab to
the heart, a pocket-knife would not
have been the weapon chosen, but a
small blade will let the life blood
from the thoat. Again, the presence
of a pocket-knife on his person would
excite no suspicion, and even in the
act of drawing it from his pocket and
opening it, he would not be likely to
attract Shebas alarm; not until he
raised it to strike would Sheba have
! any reason to suppose that this
youngster, for he Is hardly more than
a youth, though he claims to be
twenty-three, had any evil intent
MORT according to the present theo-
ry, planned to pick a quarrel with
! Sheba and to attack him, az he did
on Smith street, though perhaps not
in the exact spot where The assault
was made. He probably intended to
perfect his crime with one slash at
the throat and then to disappear and
make for the waterfront, scarcely more
than a block distant, where he would
board the Mauna Kea and mingle with
the Japanese deck passengers. He
would not have to show any ticket to
get aboard and the deck fare to Hilo
or some Maui port would be but few
dollars, whereas he had thirteen dol
lars or more in his clothes when
searched at the police station.
All his plans were spoiled by the
failure OF the first stroke OF the knife
to land in the throat, so the police
think, for then Sheba struggled, not
being seriously wounded, and the tus,
sic that ensued drew the attention Of
Elisha McCandless, the painter, who
at once went to Sheba's rescue and
grabbed the assassin and held on &c
him, Mort meanwhile throwing away
the knife.
His plans to escape frustrated. Nor
assumed the martyr role. Yes, he die
it, and glad he was, too; except that