The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-11-03
CRIME UNCOVERED
AFTER TWO YEARS
Woman Accuses Men Of Murder
Which coroner's Jury Declar-
ed Accidental Death

.
that Adolph Garcia came TO an acct
dental death on Hawaii nearly two
years ago, two other Porto Rieans are
in Jail on the Big Island, charged will
his murder. They were arrested in
Hamakauapoko on the strength or a
story told by eountrywoman Of thoits
who had been friend Of the dead man
On November IL, 1912, man was
found lying on the railroad track near
Hakalau. He was nneonscious and was
badly injured, especially about the
head. He was taken 70 the hospital
where he died, without recovering
consciousness, some twenty.four hours
later. The mans name was Adolph
Garcia and he was Porto Riean.
Accidental DEATH
An inquest was held and the police
presented all the evidence they had
been able to gather The man had ap.
parently fallen, or had been thrown,
over a fcut = sixty~fye feet deep. On
the crown Of the railroad cut were dis
covered marks that seemed to indicate
that a body had rolled or had been
dragged around for some time before
Il went over the cliff. The jury eonsid-
cred the matter from every angle, and
when the fact was brought out that
Garcia was a heavy drinker they de-
eided that the man had fallen over the
bluff while intoxicated.
Murder VIII Out
Two years rolled on, and Garcia and
the other men who had been camped
en- the road to Hakalau were forgotten
by everyone except woman who had
been a friend OF the dead man and an
the means Of the alleged murder being
brought TO light. She became involved
in a row with another woman and a
man, and she began to spread around
a story that astonished and shocked
those who heard Il, The story, in time,
was related TO Sheriff Pua, and he had
the woman brought TO his office. There
she told a marvellous tale Of intrigue
and murder.
Story Told by Woman
From the woman's story it seems that
when the gang of Porto Rieans were
working on contract near Hakalau,
they eamped in shaeks and whatever
houses were available. They worked
hard, lived hard and drank hard. At
night gambling games were run and
much dago red was consumed. There
were many fights, and always there was
the fear that the police would drop in
and arrest the crowd for
gambling.
On the evening Of November II, 1912
the usual gambling WAS going on, when,
at about ten o clock, d noise was heard
and then a thud. The Others ran from
the house and there saw man on
the ground. The man, Pedro BONITA,
who is alleged by the woman to have
stricken the visitor, declared that the
stranger was a police officer, and that
be had struck him ON the head in order
to prevent him from raiding the gam
bling game.
Throw Victim over Cut
The woman goes Cd to say that the
men procured lanterns, and then it was
discovered that the stricken man was
Adolph Garcia. The men thought that
he was dead, and they Immediately de
vised ways and means of turning sus
picion from themselves.
After some deliberation il was de-
sided TO carry the supposed dead body
10 the edge Of the high railroad cut
and to throw II over, hoping to leave
the impression that the man had wan
iered there while drunk and had fallen
over on to the railroad track. This was
done, and the men then returned TO
heir homes. Next day the still living
nan was found, but he died soon after
wards. 4as
All this was related to Sheriff Pua by
he woman, who told a clear story that
convinced the sheriff that she was
truth. The first thing to
10 was TO discover the present where
lbouts of Pedro Bonija and Fonto.
This took a little time, but il was
earned that the twofmen were located
II HamakuapOko, Maui, where they
rave been for some time past.
sheriff Pua Gets Men - A2.a
Sheriff Pua made an his arrangements
N hurry and jumped aboard the
Mama Kea on Monday afternoon and
proceeded to Lahainp Landing, Maui, |
Upon arrival there he took waiting
and ran across to Wailuku,
where he mad Consultation with Sher-
II Glenn Crowell. The word was passed
o the deputy sheriff at HamakuapolSo,
md he asecrtained that the two wanted
men were still hvingfin that district.
At daybrcak on Tuesday morning |
qua took the Porto Means into custody
md after short stay at Wailuku pro
eeded to Lahaina, where the two pris'
'ners were lodged in Jail to await the
trivial Of the Mauna Kea on Wednes-
lay afternoon. As soon as the sheriff
4 Hawaii arrested his men he wire,
essed the news 70 Deputy Sheriff
Martin.