The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-11-02
HELD on .
MURDER CHARGE
I 4
Inquest Brings Out Conflicting
Testimony But Jury Did
Not Believe It All

anan, who was shot and killed early on
Thursday morning in her residence at
the corner of Nnuanu and Kukui
streets, returned a verdict that deceased
came to her death from the result of
bullet wounds in the abdomen and
tboraN, the shots being fred from n
Ss-eaiiher lvPrIOhnson revolver by her
husband, Eugene Buchanan.
Following the verdict buchanan was
charged with murder In the first de-
gree.
The city attorneys department had
been requested by the police to be
present at the inquest and was repre-
sented by city Attorney A. NJ. Brown,
First Deputy City Attorney w. T. Car
den and Defective Harry T. Lake.
The Husbands story
Corporal Eugene Buchanan. Company
II, Twenty fifth Infantry, adhered to
the story which he told at the police
station following the murder. He said
that an attempt had been made to have
him return to Schofeld Barracks on
"wednesday night and that note had
been left on the porch of his house,
written hy another enlisted man, stat
ing that there had bee trouble at Scho
field Barracks aud that he was wanted
there at once He missed the last train
to Schofeld and after trying to make
OnnectiOns with an automobile went
| home. Arrived home he saw Private
Bert Palmer, Company +, Twenty fifth
Infantry, going out Of his house by the
back door with some of his clothes un-
der his arm. He went in and demanded
an explanation of his wife and some
/, time later Palmer entered the house
md challenged Buchanan to 90 out in
the street and fight him. He had on
a pair of brass knuckles at the time.
| Buchanan went for his revolver, in.
tending to shoot Palmer, but could not
end the gun. A little later he saw it
under his wife 5 pillow and says that
q struggle for the weapon took place,
Turing which the revolver was dis
| charged. How many shots were fred or
whether he fred any Of them himself
he could not say, being in n very ex-
| cited condition at the time.
Buchanan told his story in n straight
/ forward manner. He is thirty-three
years old, has been seven years in the
| service and possesses an excellent rec.
Olhs llN MAJ lOu MS WIZ ONtI JnTtt
years ago at Schofeld Barracks. She
was a divorced woman with three chill
dren.
, Palmer's Strange Tale
Private Palmer testified that a sol,
der named Eddie Thomas of the quar-
| termaster s corps had told him that
Buchanan was wanted at once at the
barracks and that he asked him to find
him and give him the message. He
said that he signed Thomas name to n
note and left it on the porch of Buch
anan s house on Wednesday. Witness
,lenied that he saw Buchanan ON
Wednesday night or Thursday morning
and stated that from ten clock on
Wednesday evening until after four
O'Clock on Thursday he was shooting
craps in a big game back Of the depot,
This game, he stated, had been run
ming for two years and started every
night after the police chad gone
home" Palmer stated that Hawaiian
boy told him that colOred soldier han
killed his wife in Nuuanu street, and
that he went to the house and saw the
police and a crowd gathered.
1t is believed by the military authori-
ties that Palmer s evidence was a it's
ne of falsehoods, and he will be tried
by court martial for making a false
statement to a nOn-cOmmissioned officer
He will also probably be proceeded
against for perjury by the civil authori
ties.
Daughter Tells of Row
Sarah Buchanan, aged twelve, step,
laughter of buchanan, swOre that Pal
ner had come to their house after her
stepfather had left for the depot, in
espOnse to a note which he found on
the lanai. She was sleeping with her
mother when Palmer came in. He sat
in a chair and talked with Mrs. Buch
anan and that the girl fell asleep. When
buchanan returned he made her go to
her own room as he said he had some
hing to say to her mother which she
houidn I heal She saw Palmer break
N the back door after he had left the
house the first time. When the FIRST
shot was fred she ran screaming to
he window and called for help. Pre-
viOus TO the shooting she had seen he
stepfather knock her mother down.
The witness, although weeping con
tinuOusly before being called, told her
story without hesitation. She is u
bright little girl and is being looked
after for the present by Humane OH
Ger Lucy Ward.
Barndie A. Watson, sharing the Buch
anans' cottage, testified that he heard
Buchanan tell Palmer to get out of the
house. Palmer offered to fight him il
the street and then Buchanan came to
Watson and asked for the loan of gun
Witness said that he had no gun. lie
heard three shots fred in quick success
sion, and then two at slight intervals.
Palmer Frequent Visitor
Mrs. Watson testified along the same
lines. She said that she heard Buch
anan ask Palmer if he broke in the back
dOor and that the latter answered in
the Affirmative. She stated that when
Buchanan told Palmer to leave the
house the latter said that the house was
ais and that he paid the rent. She saw
, "almer, when he was in the house the
irst time, take his coat and hat from
he bathroom. She had seen Palmer at
he Rurhanans' hOuaa nm nthar orcn