Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-05
SOLDIERS TAKEN
BY POLICE FROM
LUAU OF MAYOR
Sheriff Says Lanes Order Was
Cause of Trouble Last Night
All Deny Responsibility

Soldier versus Honolulu police is
the case before the police court. TO
decide whether or not two enlisted
men from Fort De Russy we're guilty
of assault and battery at the congress.
sional luau given by Mayor Lane at
Kapiolani Park last night The po-
lice declare they were under orders
not to permit any soldiers or sailors
on the space allotted for spectators.
Sheriff Rose declares he instructed
his men according to orders from
Mayor Lane. The mayor in turn says
he asked that order he kept at
the scene of the luau The conflict
ing testimonies will be brought out at
the trial set for 10 o'clock Friday
morning
The soldiers were represented by
Lieut. C. T. Harris of the 55th Coast
Defense, Fort De Russy, at the police
court this morning
What would like to know" said
Lieut. Harris to the police, lis why
the party who issued the order dis
eliminating against the soldiers did
not telephone headquarters. ] could
have, kept my company at the fort, or
sent down the provost guard"
According to the soldiers a group Of
their number sauntered to the gate
of the park about $3.50 o'clock to see
the luau in progress along with the
rest of the huge crowd which gath!
cred about the improvised building.
The mounted police officer, Manuel
Smith, denied them admittance. The
soldiers, numbering about 25, main
tain it was not the discrimination
which "riled" them as much as the
language used by the officer, whom
they report as saying:
mo dogs nor $13 month men al
lowed in the park tonight.
Whereupon, according to the sol
diers' story, Corporal A. H. Meteyer
asked Policeman Smith for his mum.
Der. Smith shook his club in answer.
A bottle was thrown out of the crowd
somewhere, striking the saddle Of the
mounted police. The soldiers declare
the missile was thrown by a marine
but A. E. Pike was arrested on the
charge of assault and battery. Mete,
yer was arrested on the charge al
disturbing the peace. The police de,
clare both arrested men to have been
under the influence OF liquor. The
soldiers say Pike never drinks and
Meteyer was perfectly sober last
night. i...... >':~- =-:a :. -. 49,.
The military men will be defended
by r. J. O'Brien The police authori'
ties regret the incident but hope IL
can be Strengthened out without car.
rying it beyond the court. The two
enlisted men, after spending the night
in Jail, we're released upon the re-
quest of Lieut.. Harris this morning
and are in his charge until the trial. =.
Mayor Gives His Side ~
Mayor Lane said today that he had
given orders to the police to keep the
soldiers away from the vicinity of the
luau as several of the Hawaiians
against whom the soldiers had vowed
revenge were assisting in the kitchen
of the luau garden. 1t was this order
that the soldiers resented and the
battle resulted. e..
Il feared a fight between the Wal.
kiki Hawaiian boys, who were work.
ing at the luau, and the soldiers" said
Mayor Lane today land as expected
there was small fight before the
luau started Consequently ordered
the police to keep the soldiers out of
the vicinity of the luau simply as
matter of precaution.
Il did not wish the luau to be dis.
turbed and spoiled by a fight. It was
not that intended any diserimina.
ton against the soldiers or any one
else. l knew that the boys In the,
kitchen had enemies outside, but the
soldiers were the only ones we could
distinguish, on account of their uni.
forms. That was why | gave the
order"
The Police Explanation.
: Il was acting soleiy under Mayor
John Lanes orders ahen | gave in
structions to police officers detailed
for duty at the Kapiolani luau to ex-
clude soldiers from the enclosed por-
tion of the grounds" said Captain
Charles Baker, in charge of the watch,
this morning. -....s-. i
Mayor Lane came to ne and init
mated that there might be trouble
between some Hawaiians and a few
soldiers, who had previously indulged
in a fistic fight. The mayor said he
had reason to believe that a fight
might take place while the crowd was
gathering. was ordered to post po-
lice officers at all entrances to the
enclosure and to patrol the grounds.
Soldiers in uniform were not to be ad-
mitted. If they objected to the ex.
clusion or believed that the proclama-
ton carried with it discrimination,