The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-09-16
REVENGE LED
TO BLOODY
DEEDS
Discharged Japanese Killed Head
Ditch Tender of Hamakua Sys-
tenn and Then Committed Sui
cide-Had Planned a Second
Murder, But His Nerve Went
Back on Him.
(Mail Special to The Advertiser.1

(Mail Special to The Advertiser)
HILO, September i3.--Claus Johan-
sen, head ditch tender of the upper
lIamakua ditch, was shot and killed
last Monday night by japanese ditch
man, whom he had discharged a short
time previously After the murder tho
Japanese committed suicide. Definite
news regarding the details of the af-
fair were received in Ililo only last
Thursday.
Johanscn was killed Monday even.
ing, bit after nine o clock, the muir
der being a most deliberate one. Johan.
sen has been in the employ of the
llamakua Ditch Company for a number
of years and was considered trust
worthy aud efficient employe.
Johansen had for years had charge
of the Hamakua upper ditch and had
under him a small force of japanese
ditch tenders OF these the murderer
had been one, but he had been dis
charged by Johansen.
Lay in Wait.
On the night of the murder, the Jap
anese hid himself near the Johansen
house, and waited until the night
Waterman arrived to make his regular
evening report regaI ding the flow of
water and similar matters to Johansen.
The murderer must have been well ac.
quainted with this detail of routine, for
he used it in carrying out his plan.
When the Waterman knocked at 10.
hansen s door, the murderer sneaked up
behind him, but was not discovered.
johnson opened the door with his left
hand As his burly form appeared in
the doorway the assassin leaned for
ward, extended his hand grasping
revolver Under the arm of the watch
man, who stood in front of him, and
fred pointblank at Jobansen.
Instant Death for Victim.
He held the muzzle of the revolver
against Johansen IS right breast, but at
such an angle that the bullet pene-
trated through the left side piercing
the heart The muzzle of the gun was
held so close to the victim S body that
the clothing was burned by the powder
,Johansen expired Immediately, and
the murderer disappeared in the dark.
ness. A telephone message was sent
Immediately to the police at Waimea,
who responded with great prompt
ness, arriving on the scene about half
an hour later. They made search of
the promises and found the japanese
lying in one of the sheds in which ditch
repairing tools are kept He had shot
himself in the neck, the bullet being
imbeddcd near the spine. He was still
alive, and was willing to talk quite
freely, but be died later.
Pleased at Crime s Success.
In answer to questions put to him by
the police, the japanese said that he
had killed Johansen because he had
been discharged by him for no just
reason.
".Johansen no pololei haole, - was his
expression, which he Kept reiterating.
He told of how he had conceived his
plan to revenge himself by killing 10.
hansen. lie had, in pursuance of this
plan. gone to Hamakua abou. week
before the shooting, and there he had
bought his revolver and box of car
tridges. He said that he had the rest
of the cartridges in his pocket, which
was found to be true.
The murderous fellow confessed fur
ther that he had originally intended to
Kill Mrs. Johansen also, but that he be-
came frightened, after he had done the
shooting. SO 1t was only by narrow
margin that Mrs Jobansen escaped fol-
| lowing ner husband into the grave.
The murderer was much pleased with
| his success, and showed not the slight
est conjunction. On the contrary, when
he was told that ,Iohansen was dead, he
smiled grimly, and said that it was
'guru.'
The police had coroner's jury in
yestgate the case, but it was so plain
that a murder verdict was foregono
conclusion.
.Iohansen. his wife and sister.in-law,
who are Norwegians, have number
of friends and acquaintance in IIilo,
They stayed in this town for about two
months n short time ago, when Joban-
sen was here to receive medical treat
ment for kidney trouble, sister Of
the victim of the murder, Mrs. Berg.
strom, lives in Honolulu.