Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-03

tCOntih0eQ ron cage Onel
OF his boys. Robert KahaHanui. aged
IL, Ia jail and told startling story
10 Honoiulans Of his acquaintance.
This story he reiterated TO the Star
Bulletin this morning, with amplifi-
cation
Robert had the double misfortune
last week 10 be not only taken TO jail
by the police, but also to be the wrong
boy wanted for charge OF assault on
another boy, according to Mr.. Cox.
Why the police would arrest and
hold for five days an 11-year-old I'D,
small for his age, as Robert is, for
an alleged assault on a boy nearly
twice as large as Robert, Mr. Cox is
unable 10 understand. Why they
should keep the little fellow behind
the bars. with no recourse to the law.
and without an opportunity to ac-
quaint his father and friends OF his
plight is source of further amaze
ment.
Il heard that Robert was in Jail,
explained Mr. Cox today, through his
teacher in my school. She, in turn,
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"
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 case.
From several stories, which bear
each other out in main details, IL
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 (Robert) had obtained per-
mission to play there. II 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 H.
oyear-old Robert had assaulted him
and induced them to come in the pa
troll aud take Robert 70 the city jail,
where be 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 than Rob
ert. One of the boys had been in
two days over two Weeks and another
two days over one 4eek, according tol
Robert. He says one had been thrown
In Jail for stealing a coconut When
asked howshe rTas treatedin Jail Rob
ert said he ha lots to eat
Roberts d her IS dead and his
father was W king away from home
at the time of the arrest Mr.. Cox
said today e. the father either did
not know CT Roberts arrest or could
not leave his job to look it 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
Their came once to the jail but did not |
see him; why. he does not know.
"only Place Honolulu Has,"
Says Asch.
When asked why the boys are de-
tanned in the city jail in the face of
the statute to the contrary, Deputy
Sheriff Julius W. Asch said this
afternoon that there is no other place
for boys who have been committed
TO the reform school TO be lodged up
to the time they were taken to the
school at Waialee.
"what is needed in Honolulu" said
Mr.. Asch, is some place where boys
who go to the Juvenile court can be |
taken. 1t used to be the custom o;
John Anderson, the probation officer |
to care for them at his own home, !
However, he received no compensa-
tion for this and as the number grew
he. found he couldn't afford it, For |
the last year he has been in the habit !
of bringing them here until he could
take them away. We merely took
them off his hands"
Mrs. Asch says that at present there
are three such youthful prisoners in !
the. city jail, having been placed there
by Anderson. They are Ernest
Mortts, aged Is; David Gilman, aged
10; Eddie Mitchell, aged IA
These boys were booked at the re.
ceiying desk as follows:
Ernest Mortta, April "a: David Gill
man, April 81; Eddie Mitchell, April
%.
roDAY,s NEWS TO-DAY.