Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-10

the same way-less than two years,
maximum penalty 10 years. Perjury.
which is sneaking crime, comes into
the same category. one case of PER
jury convicted, sentenced to two wears,
where the maximum penalty is for
20, was paroled in less than two years
after serving of sentence was begun.
This crime goes directly against the
administration of justice.
THE theory is not that the law
should be vindictiye in it's punishment
of a man who has fallen by the way.
side" the report adds, "but that he
should be punished commensurate
with his own deserts SO far as he is
concerned; but the still higher p,ir.
post of the law that the penalties i'm.
posed upon a violator of it's mandates,
while commensurate with the deserts
of the offender, shall be OF such ma
ture as to deter others from similar
transqressions." ~" ..:.- m.
Comment On Parole Law.
The jurors comment further to the
effect that the parole law of this ter.
ritory seems to be interpreted to
mean that the minimum sentence
shall be all that a man convicted of
crime shall be required to serve
They add. however, that I'VE do not
think it is the intention of the parole
statute to encourage minimum sem
fences except in cases where peculiar
circumstances may require it, or JUS
tice be tempered with mercy
In closing this section of its report,
the grand jury recommends the fol-
lowing to the particular attention of
Circuit Judge Ashford and to the other
judges of the local circuit court:
Information has come to this jury
that certain felons, paroled from the
territorial penitentiary, have, since
their parole, committed misdemeanors
and are now serving short terms OF
Imprisonment in the county Jail. We
feel that this is detrimental to the in
stitution and against the spirit of the
parole law; and such paroled prison
ers should be Immediately returned to
the penitentiary and in the future any
prisoner that has been paroled and
commits offense against the laws
of the territory should be returned to
the penitentiary to serve out his for
mer sentence" -.s.~.
City Jail investigation.
Concerning its investigation of af-
fairs at the city Jail; the notorious get
away of ]. j. McGrath, and the story
of Jail conditions related to the tri-
bunal by Fred Cough, former prison
er, the jurymen repeat their former
assertion that there has been careless
ness and laxness in administration at
the Jail. Various statements were
made to the grand jury which, in the
opinion of the members, were of inn
portance and should be considered.
Coughs testimony conveyed much
startling information which. if corrobo-
rated, would show beyond a question
of doubt that there was criminal negli-
gence about the iail's hospital. the re.
port adds, 49,. -. . :..-..=:.
There are certain statements made
by Cough, the report continues,
which have been, corroborated by the
testimony of others: but generally
speaking, we are of the opinion that
the charges and statements made by
Cough are absolutely without founda-
tion and should he given but little con-
sideration." ..... .-...>...*
Summarizing the situation as far as
Cough was concerned. the grand jurors
reached the following conclusion:
Guarding Was Lax. III.
The fact that McGrath escaped
from the Jail and is now at large, DEM
onstrates question that there was
not sufficient guarding of the hospital
while these men were confined there.
There was a manifest laXness among
the Jail officials in allowing visitors
to visit these men. There was lack
of discipline in allowing Cough to
have free access to the dispensary,
and there seems TO be difference of
opinion as to whose custody these