Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-12
SCULLY MATTER
GOES TO TRIAL
INU. 5. court
Chun Chonq, Sail to Have Been
Robbed of More Than $500,
First Government Witness

. udllOU, uuTl0S WHICH many pSISOHS
were excused after stating they had
formed opinions as to the guilt or in
nocence OF the defendant, a jury to try
the case of John 7. Scully, charged
with transporting, concealing and 9th.
erwise handling opium. was secured in
federal court this morning.
The members OF the jury are Frank
L. La Moreaux, Marshal H. Webb
Oliver G. Lansing, George B. Hender.
son. Charles J. Campbell, Fred Tur.
rill. F. w. l., Humphrey, Donald Mac
Intyre, John Rothwell, H. A. Giles, viii.
liam Cummings and George S. Brom-
/ ley.
The Honolulu newspapers, politics
and social relations came IN for a
share of publicity during the exami
nation of the jurymen, especially upon
questions put by District Attorney Jeff
McCarn. Fred Turrill, member of the
G. A. R., talked very freely to the
district attorney reg 4rding his reading
of the local newspapers.
Attorney c. H. Mcbride, counsel for
the defense, asked Mr.. Turrill to what
political party he belonged. The jury
man said he was a Democrat.
Are you acquainted with any OF
the so-called 'Pauahi street bunch Of
Democrats? p" asked counsel
Slightly" answered Mr.. Turrill. Il
am what you might call an outcast
from allNpolitical parties. The 'PauahI
street bunch probably has no use for
me, and neither has Governor Pink.
ham," .... ~
On one occasion the question came
up as to whether the reading of news.
paper accounts of case. and the pos
sible forming OF an opinion from such
accounts, disqualify man to sit as a
juryman. Attorney Mcbride held that
it did not Mr.. McCarn held that to
some extent it did. :..>. .-.. j. .
Mccarn Roasts Newspapers. -..<...
Mr.. McCarn declared that there is
nothing more infamous than the sheets
in this city" He said they throw dust
in the eyes Of jurors. He said they
try cases before they get to the juries.
IF reading newspapers disqualify
jurors" retorted Mcbride, then all
cases would be tried in the newspa.
pers." - -, y I.
Following the selection of the jury
no time was lost in bringing the case
to trial. The first witness called was
Chun Chong, a Chinese merchant, who,
it is alleged, was robbed of more than
$500 in a house in Gulick avenue. in
which McGratht lived. :. 81. Il ! e 4
Chong said that on February 8 he
was approached by Scully and asked
IL he wanted to buy some tins of
stamped opium Scully wanted $50 "a
tin for the drug, said the witness. He
added that Scully finally reduced the
price to $40, whereupon the witness
said ne then told Scully he would
take about ten tins. Inc witness said
that he made an appointment with
Scully for $3.50 O'Clock at night at
River and Kukui streets. ...r.
Story Related in Court. .... .
At $3.50 o'clock Scully came to thu
place in a machine driven by Lewis,
said Chong The witness said he saw
two friends and asked them to go
along with him. They all got into
the machine, he added, and after a
roundabout drive arrived at a house
in Gulick avenue. ~.
The witness said he did not know
who lived in the house. When they
got there he and Scully and Lewis got
out and went into the house, leaving
the other Chinese in the machine, he
testified. A few minutes later Lewis
came into the room with a basket
which he handed to Scully, he con-
tinued. ~ III e =.
The witness then testified that the
basket contained tins of opium, and
that some of the tins were leaking.
He showed me the opium" we're the
words the wi2Iess used. " r= ~
Mcbride moved that the words "he
showed me the opium be stricken
out of the record on the ground that
the witness had not been qualified to
tell what was opium. Judge c. F.
Clemens decided to let the statement
remain in for the time being.
" why do you call it opium" ques:
toned McCarn. =, - . :. @... ~.
81 know opium when / see it. /
smoke it." answered the witness.
How long have you been smoking
opium" .~...=... ~
About ten years"
do you know how it looks when
you see it?" ~:
Il know opium when see it. You
can prove it by holding 1t over a fire
and burning it, ~. .s-
& Mr.. McCarn asked the witness II he
burned the substance in the tins Cd
the occasion in question. The Chi
1iese replied that he did. ."..
When you burned it did you smell
the odor?" asked McCarn. - r.
Il did," said the witness. ="
From your experience in smoking
opium for ten years, do you know the
odor of opium smoke when you smell
it," -.
Il do" .->
What is Opium?
The district attorney spent some
time questioning the witness as to his
knowledge of what is and what is not
opium. The Chinese said that during
the past ten years he has purchased it
sometimes every day and sometimes
only two or three times a week He
said it depended on whether he had
any money. .....
In outlining the case to the jury, Nc.
earn said that the government would
ondna v0r m provo that fho Cbinoco 70