Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-12-06
Difference IN
MERCHANDISING
CAUSES MURDER

Especial star Bulletin Correspondence
HILO, Dec. 5.-A difference of I've
cents on the retail price of canned
goods. between two. competing Chi
nese country store keepers, was the
motive that caused the murder Of
Akdna, an aged merchant IN South
KonA last week.
Sueh has been learned by Sheriff
Pua from confession made by Chan
Kui who has acknowledged that he
struck Akona three blows with ham
mer, at the fnstigation Of Chung Tai.
another Chinese merchant
While the confession Is definite In
details 1t is.a cold blooded document
showing the care with which the muir
der was planned and without evident
fear 81 retribufion. The only touch Of
feeling apparent In the whole confes-
sion Is the statement of one Of the
murderers that they concluded 70 kill
Akona BY enticing him out Of his store
rather than to set IRE to the building
because they didn't want to KIN his
wife SO casually is this set forth
In the cnnfession that q reader would
feel that the wOman,s life was spared
on account of sunorstition rather
than on account Of any tenderness
The confession OF Chan Kni was
secured by Eheriif Pua and bis clerk.
Archie Hapai. last FRIDAY, they. hav.
ing gone to kona 4hortly after the
murder was reported When th4y ar
rived there they learned that Chan
Kui was being held on suspicion and
that Chung Tai had offered the Qfii-
GERS bribe to release his accompl De.
The evidence at this time was entire
u 4circuustantial and far from con-
elusive. so Pna decided to use Conan
Doyle tactics. He arrested TIE suss
pected store keeper on 4 bribery
charge and placed him III room
with the other suspect Two Chi.
I1ese infornsrs were placed IN other
rooms to listen to the mems CONVEX.
sation, but nothing came of Il
Then the store keeper was released
Of the bribery charge In order to ex-
cite the other mans anger This had
the desired effect and while being
taken from one point to another Chan
Kui told Hapai that Ppa was an
Alma, Ca god) and could see through
anything and that he would confess
ID this confession Chan Kui tells
how he became acquainted with his
accomplice, Tai who complained to
him that he was making very little
money as Akona was selling some Of
his canned goods at thirty cents
while he could make no profit II he
sold the goods for less than thirty
I'VE cents.
The murderer then goes on TO- ex-
plain that he volunteered to kin Ako-
ma because he and Tai were cousins
as they came from the same pro-
vince Ia China Et0ically the ChinAs
man adds that all the assistance he
wanted from Tai was that he do the
talking to entice Akona out Of the
store
store at 1880 O'Clock week ago last
Monday evening and Tai called to
Akona very softly saying letter. let
ter, In very low voice so the old
lady would not hear. When Akona |
was told that 1t was Chang Tai he
came to the door, the confession
states. and All Tai grabbed hold. Of
him and pulled him down.
As soon as he fell down., the
murderer says. Il ran from where
was standing and struck him on the
head three times. struck him with
q hammer. Twice / used the fat side
and once with The head. When
struck Akona killed him outright,
for stood there for a little while to
see II he was dead. <
Besides being chiefly instrumental
in getting the Chinese murderers
confession, Sheriff Pua also effected
the capture of japanese murderer
in South Kona this week.