The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-05-03
AG|TATORS COME
BEFORE JUDGE
Vasilieff and His Friends Plead
Not Guilty to Vagrancy--
Trial Tuesday.
(From Sundays ADVERTISER


Boldly explaining that he was a |
leader of the Russian squatters at Iwi.
lei, assisting them in obtaining en-
ployment, and therefore unable to do |
other work himself, Vasilieff, the Rus
sian agitator, stood before Police Mag.
istrate Andrade yesterday morning
when called upon to answer to charge
of vagrancy. Keen, cunning, obser.
want, Vasilieff stood unHinchingly be.
fore the judge and made long speech
through Interpreter Dumbrowsky, as
to why he was without employment.
Associated with him in the prisoner IS
dock were Biloff and Surupove, arrest
ed on the same charge, which is liter
ally for not having been at work dur
ing the past two weeks and having no
lawful or visible means of support.
When the prisoners were brought up
from the cells and placed in the dock
they sat quietly but with eyes rowing
about the courtroom. They were un;
familiar with that room, but have had
some acquaintance with various police
officials When the magistrate entered
and took his chair they conferred their
attention upon him. When Vasilieff
was called he walked out of the dock
and came to attention before Judge
Andrade, half turning toward Prose-
cutor Brown and Interpreter Dunn
Ibrowsky. The charge was read, when
Judge Andrade carefully instructed the
interpreter what to say to the pris-
oner. The Judge said the charge meant
that he was charged with having no
means of support that were lawful.
Vasilieff Immediately replied, when the
interpreter finished, and made a long
talk. He explained that being the
chosen leader of the people he had to
put all his attention to the work of
finding employment in town and this
prevented him from engaging in work,
although he said he had had opportuni-
ties to work.
The judge cut the explanation short
by asking him whether he pleaded gull
ty or not guilty, adding that Gin this
country if man does not work or
show any inclination to do so, he is
liable to go to Jail for it. Knowing
that much about our law, do you plead
guilty or not guiltyi'
81 do not plead guilty." was Vasi-
lief IS ready reply, "because the people
keep me from going to work, because
they wanted me to help them out. "
When pressed for a plea he entered
one of not guilty
Attorney-General Lindsay arose and
asked that the case be continued until
Tuesday, as So far he had not had an
, opportunity to secure interpreters
vasilieff Immediately objected to con
tinuance to that date stating that the
Russians needed him to help them.
Vasilieff's eyes flashed when the
judge told him the case would go over
until Tuesday, but with true military
) obedience, he faced about and returned
to the dock.
Biloff, his lieutenant, was next call
ed. Biloff is handsome man of a
romantic type, strongly built and very
military in his actions. He stood al
attention while the charge was read
TO him. He entered plea of not
guilty and his case was also continued
to Tuesday. Biloff also said he was
aiding his people. Surupove did moi
present such a military-looking appear,
ance as his companions, but entered q
plea of guilty in a slow voice and his
! case was also set over.
Ihen came the case or Russian
/ charged with using threatening Ian
, guage toward his wife. Court Officer
Weed called out a name which sounded
very much like "Sour beef but ref.
erence to the calendar showed it was
! Suerbieve. When the charge was read
TO him he answered that his wife had
been leading life Of shame and words
!, had passed between them. The rela
tons of husband and wife relative tC
her alleged earnings in this life may
be prominent feature mt the trial
; which has been set for Tuesday.