Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-14
REPORTS CONFLICT
AND HEADQUARTERS
IS Investigating
Both 9th Cavalry and 25th In
fantry Representatives Say
Own Men Little Involved
MOBBERY IN "RED LIGHT"
DISTRICT IS QUELlED
End Infantry With Increased
Provost Guard Patrols Sec
ton Ready to Stop Disorder
BY Military Force

Drastic investigation is in progress
today 10y Hawaiian Department head
quarters of the soldier riot in the lwi-
lei district last night.
Conflicting reports from various Of
ficers and commands as to the soldiers
involved in the wrecking of the houses
in the ''red light" section came today.
Following thick and fast upon the
melee which broke out shortly after
O'Clock last night, are denials from
both 9th Cavalry and 25th Infantry Of
ficers that many of their men were
in the mob which broke into houses.
smashed the contents. terrorized the
painted women and generally ran
amuck.
Several independent inquiries are
in progress. the results OF which will
be officially reported to army head
quarters and then the army staff will
reach their conclusions with all the
facts before them.
The facts that have reached army
headquarters 30 far show that the
trouble really started early yesterday
afternoon. A number OF soldiers of
the 9th cavalry, a colored organiza-
tion, here with the transport Sheri.
dan, and the 25th Infantry, the colored
regiment from Schofield. met at the
social entertainment given by the 25th
for the visiting cofnrades the Ma.
tionai Guard Arfnory. It is held that
both near or at the armory and In
saloons OF Honolulu the soldiers CON
suIned more booze than was good for
them, and that this was the original
cause OF trouble.
From that TO the Iwilei visit at
nightfail. the refusal of most of the
women to harbor the soldiers, and the
sudden outbreak OF destructiyeness,
was series OF quick steps.
Rigid investigation Ordered.
The following statement was made
at army headquarters at noon today:
"A thorough and comprehensive in
vestigation Of all the facts surround.
ing the outbreak at Iwilei last night
has been ordered Department Head
quarters have as yet had no official
reports. The commanding officer on
the transport, Col Harry s. Hale; Ma
jor I.enihan. who commended the Fort
Shafter battalion that furnished the
increased provost guard last night,
and the authorities at Schofield Bar
racks have been ordered to assemble
and report all facts concerning the
matter.
No Martial Law.
mo martial law was declared last
night The End Infantry. which pro.
vides the regular provost guard, was
called on to send an increased guard
and responded with four companies.
The soldier riot was due to the en-
tertaining Of the 9th Cavalry by the
25th Infantry and to the rough men
who at that time became aroused with
drink The outbreak was confined to
the 9th cavalyymen and 25th infantry
men, and the trouble was confined to
the red-light district. There was no
disorder outside this district, so far
as reported
IL is understood that officers of the
9th cavalry say that their own pro-
vost guard was able to restore order
in 1wilei and that this guard had
cleared the district and gone back to
the ship before the End infantry ap
peared in response to the hurry call
by the police when the police found
the situation beyond civil authority.
Good Work by 2nd Infantry.
Unofficially. army men give credit
to the battalion of the End Infantry
and its officers for a clean-cut and
capable piece of work in checking the
disorder and patrolling the district.
While no martial law was declared
and none even suggested the district
under the patrol OF the End Infantry
last night was virtually under mill.
tary rule akin to martial Law. The
police turned the job of handling the
riot over to the soldiers entirely, the
soldiers formed lines around the dis.
trict with bayonets ready for service
If necessary, and military passes were
requisite to get civilians into the pa
trolled region. Civilians already there
were ordered to leave and the women
told to close up their houses.
That the situation almost instantly
got beyond the police and that Dep
uty Sheriff Asch acted correctly in es-
timating the extent Of the trouble and
calling on Shafter for the increased
provost guard is the consensus of
opinion so far heard this morning.
CONTINUED on page three)