The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-11-21
WITNESS WOO BEFORE Commission SAYS
HE WAS BR0WbEATEN BY ATTORNEY PETERS
Chairman Wirts Adjourns Hear
ing to Give Members opportu-
nifty to Verify Whether One Of
Witnesses Could Have Seen AL
legged Choking of Prisoners by
Sergeant Kellett.

would be taken before his on sueh a
report.
Another case was then taken mp and
young colored man named Abraham
Joseph Buckly tooS the witness chair.
He told story Of being arrested by
kellctt and Detective Olson at his
home one morning, on charge of steal
ing watch from japanese. When
he was confronted by the japanese,
however, the latter said he was not
the man, as white man had robbed
him.
Nevertheless, Buckly was taken to
the police station in an automobile and
during the ride Kellett struck ut him
twice, because he kept protesting his
innocence and demanding his freedom.
At the station he said he was grabbed
by the throat ana choked by Kellett,
Gets Little Satisfaction.
When Buckly was taken before Me
Duffie he testified that he had com
planned of the treatment accorded him
by Kellett and that McDuflie told him
to "shut up. - Kellett, he stated
threatened to throw him out of the
window, and he answered to go ahead
and do it if he wanted to.
On cross examination he confessed
to having been arrested several times,
to have been in the reform school and
in jail. Tho witness was questioned
at length about where he had worked
and about all of his jail sentences
Then he was taken over the story of
the assault and made to describe it
infinitely.
'And You say that Kellett grabbed
you by the throat because you talked -
asked Peters.
Yes, SIR answered the witness.
"Well, did you stop talking then!'
ANYBODY would stop talking when
grabbed by the throat" replied Buck
ly and there was general laugh.
Buckly was examined in detail as to
how he came before Smith to tell his
story. He had been informed by Woo
that the attorney general wanted to
see him and he went. ~
We're you told to keep Your mouth
closedi' asked Peters.
"Yes, sir.'
"Whu told your"
Did Not Obey Mamma.
"My mamma" replied the witness,
and even Peters smiled.
Buckly stated that he had talked
shout the case, however, with Collector
Cottrill. He denied that he had been
offered any money to testify against
kellett, or given any other inducerhent.
He was now working on the Inter
Island drydock.
Woo was again called in and asked
on direct examination about the al
legged assault on Buckly by Kellett He
said that in the afternoon one day
about year ago, he heard noise in
the street and ran to the head of the
stairs and looked down and saw Kel-
lett choking the prisoner as they came
IN the doorway, who was then pushed
up the stairs.
On DISCRIMINATION Peters tried to
pin Woo down to the exact time in the
afternoon when this alleged assault
took place, but the best the witness
could remember was that il was after
one o'clock in the afternoon, but be.
fore four clock.
Pretty Pierce.
You feel pretty safe in the protee-
ton of the attorney general s office,
don t yOuSo asked Peters with a sneer.
Ihen IL was that Smith objected and
after considerable argument Chairman
Wirtz held the question was irrelevant
Peters then took up the examination
of Wood about just the position in
which Kellett was when he said he saw
HIM choking Buckly, and the witness
told of how he saw him in the door.
way.
This started things going again and
Peters declared it was impossible for
anyone to see through the doorway from
the head of the stairs. He insisted
upon an adjournment until the com.
mission could examine for themselves
and finally this was taken.
Commissioners Wirtz, Doyle and Ku
pihea, accompanied by the attorneys
and Others, proceeded to the police sta
tion and made an examination. The
doorway, in part, can be plainly seen
from the head of the stairs, as Woo
testified.