Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-18
KELLEFT ON.
TRIAkBEFORE
COMMISSION
Robinson, Witness, Loses Good
Humor at Prison Record
Mention

Once more Clarence Robinson. a ne
gro whose trespasses against the law
are well-known here. stepped into
the limelight this morning as the first
witness to be called before the civil
service commission to testify against
Detective John r. Kellett, who was
discharged from the department by
Sheriff Jarrett yesterday afternoon,
and whose appeal is now being heard
by the commission.
Delayed in converting, because of
the absence of Commissioner Doyle,
who did not arrive until IL o'clock, the
testimony of Robinson and Officer
John. Woo. who was put on the stand
to corroborate what the negro said
cncerning the brutal treatment he al
/ leges he once received at the hands Of
the discharged officer, consumed the
entire morning session,
The hearing was resumed at 2
o'clock this afternoon in the senate
, chamber, and will probably continue
until late this afternoon. The senate
chamber was decided upon. in place
of the room. of the supervisors. be-
cause of the noise from the building
of the Brewer structure next door,
which makes it almost impossible to
hear the witnesses.
| Clarence testified that he had been
struck twice and later showed down
the decline into the Jail yard, where
he fell on his face, breaking his nose.
He attributed the treatment he receiv-
ed to Kellett, who had on an occasion
or two arrested him. Woo swore that
he was present at the time and re-
imembered, he said, that Kellett had
struck the negro.
ClaTeRce's natural good nature
sometimes left him as he was put
through cross-examination by E. c.
Peters, the attorney for Kellett. AS
the lawyer dragged past the eyes of
| the witness the many times he has
faced court and jail, now on charge
of gambling, now on larceny, Robin
! son ."bucked," once or twice fatty
refusing to answer an interrogatory.
Robinson says he was drunk at the
! time he was arrested. He had been
caught stealing fish from the back of
the market, and when the officers
came for him he led them a chase
| across Aala park. He was finally ar
rested, he testified, thrown into a pa
| troll wagon and taken to the police
station. 1t was not Until he arrived
there, he said that he encountered
Kellett. ... .-
Kellett's side of the story has not
directly come out yet. Peters has not
put him on the stand. It is probable
that Deputy Attorney general Arthur
G. Smith will proceed to put in his
entire case before Peters offers the
defense for Kellett.
The first argument, which waxed
into a heated one before it ended, be-
gan when Peters requested the CON-
mission to order all witnesses from
the room. Smith asked that one ex.
ception be made, that in favor Of De
tective SWaGen. He said that he
would need to consult the detective
from time to time during the proceed.
ings.
Il object to this man Swaden re
naming here" declared Peters, rising
to his feet. This commission will
see. as evidence develops, that it is
this Detective Swaden's hand which
is to be seen throughout this entire
investigation. 1t is this man Swaden
who is to testify to the money Kel-
lett is alleged to have taken from the
gambling games. and when it comes
10 final analysis it will be his word
against kelletts. There is no good
or sufficient reason to make him an
exception. to allow him to sit here
and listen to what the other witnesses
say. He is not the removing author.
ity. | am perfectly willing to have
Sheriff Jarrett here, but not Detective
Swaden"
So Swaden was not allowed to hear
the testimony this morning. A re-
porter on the morning paper who is
accused Of having a hand in the in
vestigatiOn, was also asked to leave
the room. Peters gave motive that
he will call him as a witness.
Sheriff Jarrett was present during
the hearing. He took no part in it.