The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-12-09
MURDERED FOR A
F|VE-CENT PROFIT
Confession of Slayer Of Store
keeper Shows Astonishing
State of Mind.

two competing Chinese country store
keepers, was the motive that caused
the murder of Akona. an aged mer-
chant in South Kona last week, reports
the Hawaii Herald.
Such 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 IDstigation of Chung Tai,
another Chinese merchant.
While the confession is definite in
details it is cold blooded document
showing the care with which the muir
der was planned and without evident
fear of retribution. The only touch of
feeling apparent in the whole confess
sion is the statement of one of the
murderers that they concluded to kill
Akona by enticing him out of his store
rather than to set fire to the building
because they didn't want to kill his
wIfe. SO casually is this set forth
in the confession that reader would
feel that the woman's life was spared
on account of superstition rather
than on account OF any tenderness.
The confession of Chan Kui was Sc.
tuith ny anu
Archie Hapai, last Friday they having
was reported. When they arrived
there they learned that Chan Ku was
being held on suspicion and that Chun
Tai had offered the officers bride to
release his accomplish. The evidence
at this time was entirely circumstan-
tial and far from conclusive, SO
Iua decided to use Conan Doyle IS tao
tics. He arrested the suspected store
keeper on bribery charge and
placed him in room with the other
suspect. Two Chinese informers were
placed in other rooms to listen to the
men conversation, but nothing came
of it.
Sheriff An Akua.
Then the store keeper was released
of the bribery charge in order to ex
cite the other mans anger. This hat
the desired effect and while being ia
ken from one point to another, Char
Kuf told Hapai that Pua was an akua
Ga god) and could see through anything
and that he would confess.
In this confession Chan Kui tell,
how he became acquainted with hi
accomplish, Tai, who complained t,
him that he was making very littl,
money, as Akona was selling some OF
his canned goods at thirty cents Will,
ne could make no profit If he sold tn,
goods for less than thirty-five cents.
The murderer continuing says: ,"W,
were both eating and drinking shan
! shu at the time and he told me h
wanted to find man to kill Akona. HI
said that If he could not find any ON
| to do it he would take gasoline to tn,
| Akona store and burn the place.
told him he had better not burn tn
store because in that case all the good
and the old lady (Akona g wife) woul,
lose her ife.D
copsinlv Ala
r,
nv, 'nou gus on W eH
p,'''n .na. nc .o'un nv. W Nh ANU
"a .auao ne anu al mo'e cousins
~ '"" S,oia ao' 'ne sahe PIo.i nce =
,tt =, I'o'.aiy 'ne ,ninaihan auu
No I' a., ' ~ "Ss.''dn'I nc mah'eu irol
"ao 'na' ne uo tne 'aiAins W ON
mn. ANon" ou. VI 'he sIoIe'
nv IVY ".uiuelols weh' 10 AhoHa
I.o.e "a. Sen''nil.t cioch WEEK ag
' a., monuag us s., anu Ia calleu
49," 'oi! 'Ii.iS oay ins oI'ei' e'
w. ~ wy ~" 'oIuv 80 tne oiu iau
"V"'u my near "neh Akoha wa
.plu tna' ~ was Shang Ial ne came 7
T nG uooi, .ne Confession States ana a
Ia Ia, Slappeo hoio Vi MIN ana pune
mn. y. uomn ca,
derer saws, ~ ran from WHARF ! wa
standing and struck him ON the hea
three times. / struck him with ham
mer. Twice used the fat side an
once with the head. When | struc
Akona / killed him outright for
stood there for a little while to see
he was dead"
After they were certain their victir
! was dead the Two murderers robbie
the store, one of them even going il
, to the room where the dead man s wit
was sleeping. They then separated an
went home by different routes.
1t was slip of the tongue that frs
, turned suspicion to Chan Kui. for tn
next day he started IN On from KaaI,
kekua to Keokeo in an automobile an
and on the way passed the store wher
the search was being made for clu