Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-09
FOR 5 YEARS
HE CHERISHED
MURDER Plan
]ohn Gina, Slayer of Maui citi.
zen, Tells Sheriff Reason
For Deed
STRUGGLE FOLLOWS
FIRST PISTOL SHOT
Japanese Gains Mastery of the
Weapon, Completes Act,
Then Rides Away

Especial Star r-Bulletin Correspondencs)
HAMA, Maui, Sept. 8. e: 30 p. MI
Shortly after noon today John Gina,
the Japanese arrested on suspicion
Of killing George o. Cooper on Tues
day morning, made full confession 10
the crime to Sheriff Glenn croweIl and
County Attorney Eevins.
Gina states that he came back
from Hawaii for the sole purpose Of
killing Cooper because Of dispute
over scne money matter some five
years ago when he was laborer on
the plantation. He also confessed TO
stealing horse from Haiku on which
20 make his trip Of vengeance.
Gina further admitted that he
came to Hama . month ago TO kill
Cooper, but at that time his nerve
eonpiishing his purpose.
The Japanese was mounted at the
time he met Cooper and took the first
shot at him. Cooper fell from his
horse and Ginza was also thrown, and
the two struggled for the revolver.
Finally the japanese broke away and
fired the other shots. which ended the
affray.
Sheriff Crowell will conduct an In.
quest tomorrow morning and viii
leave FOR home with hts prisoner to-
morrow afternoon.
A telephone message received late
this Afternoon from Sheriff Glenn
croweM at Hama said that he and
County "A Atfprpey Bevine we're. o1nfis,
dent theyf had the mufd defer 0fs George
Cooper under arrest Both believed
( that they would have the mystery
cleared tlp before dark tonight. we
viii have evidence enough to convict
in less than two and half hours,
was one Of the statements made by
the officer.
With two bullets which passed
through his body, Cooper was killed
early last Tuesday morning a few
hundred feet from the plantation of.
flee. The other bullet caused a slight
flesh wound just under his left arm
pit. One of the first two bullets pass.
ed through his body at the waist line
and the other just above Either of
the two wounds would have proved
fatal.
Through this clue and the notifica-
ton Of the officers OF the district.
John CANA was arrested for investi-
gaticn at Keanae at 10 o'clock that
morning. The prisoner was immedi-
ateiy taken back TO Hama to be ex-
amined by Sheriff Crowell and Coun-
ty Attorney Bevins. who had leftAfor
that side Of the island in q sampan as
soon as word OF the murder reached
Waikiki.
Ginza Was Armed
Gina Is a Japanese who was raised
by Hawaiian family by the name OF
Nahipoa, now residents Of the Hama
district During Ginza's youth they
at one time resided in Wailuku. Gina
reached the Hama district by horse
back on the day before the murder
and Is said to have spent the night
with his foster parents.
When arrested Gina was armed
with a hammerless 3g-caliber revolver,
which the Hama physician, DR.. Lich-
tenfels, says Is the size of the weapon
that caused Cooper,s death.
Has jail Record
Gina was in Hama for a few days
a month ego and left there to so to
Hilo. where be has lived at different
times. It had been five or six years
since he had been in the Hama dis
trict before that, it is claimed, Be
fore coming on his visit preceding the
Hilo trip he had just been released
from Jail in Honolulu, where he had
been serving sentence for vagrancy.
according to the police. The police
state that he has served other SEN
tences for attempted burglary and for
receiving stolen goods