Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-10-27
Sheriff and Jail Wardens Scout
Story Told BY Cough; An
other Witness Secured


other Witness Secured
City and County Attorney Brown
will have ready TO present to the ter
ritorial grand jury tomorrow the sto-
ries OF at least three witnesses in the
proposed Investigation Of county Jail
conditions. This Investigation, result
ing from the statements made TO the
county attorney, as published yester-
day in the Star-Bulletin, deals with
the alleged liberties allowed the Nc
Grath-Scully- Boggs-Rower gang prior
to the escape OF McGrath from the
county Jail on the night OF April 80.
At least one more witness has been
secured by the county attorney. He.
had both Fred Cough and George Will
colt, whose statements had already
taken, in his office today, presumab-
ly securing further details to pre-
gent to the jury.
Rumors were afloat today that
Cough and Willcptt were trying to
get cut Of town, also that they had
got out. The rumors were set at rest
by the appearance Of the men when
they were wanted by the county at
torney. Rumors were also afloat Of
Influences that might be brought to
bear to prevent the men testifying
before the grand jury, presumably by
persons who feared the testimony, but
both Cough and Willcott adhere to
their original stories and today de-
clared that they are ready to go be-
fore the jury at any time they are
called upon TO do SO.
In the morning paper, DR.. r. G.
Aver, the jan physician, was quoted
as saying he thought Cough addicted
to drugs, and apparently an effort was
made to show that Coughs story was
that Of drughser The Star ulie-
tin, however, has the statements OF
both Dr.. George F. StfauD, who attend
ed Cough when he was taken to
Queen's hospital to be operated upon
for appendicitis, and Or. A. B. Plum
| the resident physician, and neither of
them know anything about drug
habit II he has one-and they have
been IN q position to observe.
DIR. Straub said today:
There is absolutely no evidence
thai Oou6H uou auJ Nlu6 WhHO uAuCA
my care, except the drugs necessary
| for the operation for appendicitis and
the resultant treatment"
DR.. A. F. Plum, resident physician
at Queens hospital, who saw the pa
tient every day, says.
Cough was admitted to Queens
hospital on September 3, received the
regular surgical preparation, was OPP
Grated on next day, and according to
the charts, made an uneventful re-
Icovery."
He corroborates DIR, Straub's state
ment that there was no evidence
| that he had morphine during the
month while he was in the charge Of
| the physicians.
Fern podnes Responsibility.
Joseph J. Fern, iailor at the city and
county jail. and his deputy, w. X.
lPunohu, disclaim responsibility for
1.-THE escape Of John J. McGrath, April
80, when he made a aclean getaway"
from the jail and later from the
islands.
aSherif Rose sent two special
guards to watch Bower, Boggs, Nc
Grath, scully and Lewis Fern stated
today. They were stationed at the
hospital, where the men were confined
by special order At any time the
men could get out Of the hospital and
/ it was the duty of these two officers
| to watch them. The officers were not
always the same Different officers
were on duty every night. On the
might of the escape OFFICERS Joseph
Lii and William e. Legros were sta
toned at the hospital to watch the
prisoners.
Cough was trusty. He was made
lone at his own request, was put in
charge Of the dispensary, and was the
lbest treated prisoner we had
deputy Jailer Hunohu gave graph.
ic account of the escape Of McGrath
las Il was reported to him the night
the prisoner got away. Fern was
home sick at the time.
McGrath Went to Take Bath.
sQnicer Legros was on the porch
here watching the door" Punnhu
said There is no other way out. ex-
eept by the window. Some Of the men
lwere playing cards in the big room
here. Officer Joseph Lii was watch
ing them In the next room, with the
door open, Cough, the trusty, was
lstanding near the bathroom door
where MeGrath had gone for bath
/ Cough was sent to watch McGrath.
Lii. noticing that McGrath was gone
a long time, called to Cough:
is McGrath still bathing@
Cough answered yes, and as the
water was running, Lii did not inves.
tigate In a few minutes he began to
suspect something, and stepped in
land pushed open the door of the bath
room. There was no one there. Cough
had let McGrath escape.
@McGrath went out of the bathroom
window. We found his tracks on the
sand, and we know he went over the
fence. because the gate was closed
Cough did not let McGrath out of the
gate for two reasons. He had no key
to open the gate, which is always
locked, and he was not outside the
hospital building that night. Bower
and the officers told me that.
Says Cough Is to Blame.
Cough is the man primarily respon
aihlo for McGrafhss ascanor althouoh