Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-03
MERE BOYS HELD
INPOtEECELLS
CONTRARY TOLAW
tContinued -ro1n page one)


today. will be laid before the civil
service commission and also before
the juvenile court.
First attention was directed 10 the
matter by Principal Isaac w. Cox OF
Kalih!-waena school: who found one
OF his boys. Robert KahanamUi, aged
, II, in Jail and told startling story
20 Honolulans of his acquaintance.
This story he reiterated to the Star
Bulletin this morning, with amplift.
cation. .H...#.
Robert had the double misfortune
last week to be not only taken TO jail
by the police, but also to be the wrong
boy wanted for a charge of assault on
another boy, according to Mr.. Cox b.
Why the police would arrest and
hold for five days an Il-year-old lad,
small for his age, as Robert is, for
an alleged assault on a boy nearly
twice as large as Robert, Mr.. Cox Is
unable to understand. Why they
should keep the little fellow behind
the bars, with mo recourse to the law,
and without an opportunity to ac-
quaint his father and friends Of his
pilSHI 10 d SOulSS VI ItIbuEI alhdHC-
ment ....
Il heard that Robert was in Jail, y
explained Mr. Cox today, through his
teacher in my school She, in turn,
had been told of his detention by his
fellow schoolmates. ! went at. once
to the Jail and asked why he was held.
Deputy Sheriff Asch told me he was
detained upon order Of the juvenile
court, that he was only one of several
similar cases and that he had been
in Jail shorter time than any of
them. Mr. Asch said he would be
glad TO give the boy into my care, and
] took him away" SIX - =. -
Juvenile Court Didn't Know. -.
Mr.. Cox went to the clerk of the
juvenile court, he continued, and ask
ed why Robert had been remanded to
the city Jail. The clerk is said to have
declared that he had no knowledge
of such a case. !.
From several storie5, which bear
each other out in main details, it
seems that Roberts trouble came
about In the park near Kalihi chapel
last week, when he resented the at.
tempts of some larger boys to put
him and his friends out of the park
when he (Robertt had obtained per-
mission to play there. 1t is told on
good authority to Mr. Cox that in
stead of Robert knocking down and
battering another boy, the latter
really did this to Robert 1t is also
claimed that the larger boy then made
complaint to the police that little IL
year-old Robert had assaulted him
and induced them to come in the pa
troll and take Robert TO the city Jail,
where he was held until Mr.. Cox took
him away yesterday,
Four other boys were in jail with
Robert, according to the story the
latter told Mr.. Cox after his release.
Two of them were smaller thsn Rob,
err. One of the. hoss had been in,
two days over two weeks and another
two days oyer ne week, according to
Robert. He Sc one had been thrown
in jail for steaI.lg Q coconut. When
asked how he rs treated in jail, Rob.
ert said he haa lots to eat.
Roberts mother is dead and his
father was working away from home
at the time of the arrest. Mr.. Cox
said today that the father either, did
not know of Roberts arrest or could
not leave his Job to look IL up. In
any event he did not come to the res
cue OF his son and the boy might
have stayed there indefinitely had
not Mr.. Cox learned of his plight from
the other pupils. Robert says his ia
ther came once to the jail but did not
see him; why, he does not know.