Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-13
CALLS FOR
INVESTIGATION
BY GRAND JURY
CONTINUED from page one)

lutely unfair in its attack upon Judge
Ashford and upon me as city and
county attorney and not justified by
the facts and tends to create in the
minds of those unfamiliar with the
true facts an impression that the pre-
sent congested state of the criminal
calendar in the circuit court OF this
circuit is due to 'procrastination and
delay on the part Of Judge Ashford
and myself. -: -, #...- ........- T."
las a member of this Bar Associa-
ton, | feel that ii is but right and
proper that this matter be inyestigat-
ed by the Bar Association and report
ed upon, and that such report be made
public in order that the community
at large may. know the exact truth;
to wit. that the entire administration
of justice, in the territory is tied up
because of the neglect of the territory
by the national administration in SO
far as concerns judicial appointments.
Especially do urge such action in
view Of the fact that this editorial
suggests that it is up to the Hawai-
ian Bar Association to take prompt
measures to remedy the present prac-
teal break down of the administration
of criminal law in Honolulu.
Asks Grand Jury Probe
The first two paragraphs of Attor-
ney Browns letter to Judge Ashford
are practically identical to those in
the letter to President Frear. The
last two paragraphs of the letter to
Ashford read as follows:
AS city and county attorney of this
city, as an attorney licensed to prac-
tise in all of the courts of fhis terri
tory, and as an officer of your honors
court, Il feel that have the right to
ask. and that it is right that the
public has right to ask, that my
official and professional conduct as
city and county attorney, and more
particularly as regards the alleged
lack CT prosecution on my part as city
and county attorney of criminal cases
pending in your honor's court, be in
yestigated by the grand jury of this
circuit and that such grand jury be re-
quested to report as speedily as pos
sible its findings, and that such re-
port be published in order that. the
taxpayers and citizens of this commu-
nifty may know the exact truth and
not be misled by malicious and preju-
diced newspaper editorials.
Especially do urge such action in
view of the fact that this same edito-
rial'' (the EDITORIAL referred to in the
letter to Frear) suggests that it is
up to your honor and the Honolulu
community to take proper measures
concerning this alleged break down
of our criminal law.
THE grand jury, as representing
the community in matters Of this
kind, it seems to me is the proper
body for your honor to refer this mat
ter to, and very respectfully ask that
the same be done without delay in JUS
tice to myself, my friends and the
community in which live"
Brown Denies Report
Contrary to reports published this
morning. the city attorneys office
says that neither Morehead, Klunk or
Wilson, who were indicted in July for
first degree larceny, were held in Jail
for eight months awaiting trial.
City Attorney Brown says his rec
ords show that Morehead was releas-
ed on bonds shortly after he was in
dicted; that Wilson was released on
bond on October q, about three
months after he was indicted, and that
Wilson was released on bond at the
same time.
These men were indicted on July
49," says Brown. According to law
no jury trials can be held during July |
and August. When jury trials could |
be resumed the first Wednesday in |
September, Circuit Judge Ashford was
engaged in handling the work of Judge |
Whitney's court, which consisted of
civil cases. Judge Whitney was then
absent from the territory.
Criminal Trials Begin
Judge Ashford continued to handle |
civil cases until the first week in
November. There was no third judge |
at that time On the first of Novem-
Der the trial of criminal cases was be-
gun. We went to trial in those cases
where the defendants were in Jail and |
unable to secure bond. There were |
81 such cases then. Eight were for
murder and the rest for crimes of a
lesser degree. Eighteen of the cases
were tried and disposed of, from Nov
ember to the last week in December,
when the jury was excused.
Since that time there has been no
opportunity to try criminal cases, as
there is no judge for that purpose,
and Judge Ashford is busy with a cal.
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