The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-05-03
Ex-senator Held .
TO Be Guilty
Of Grave Offense
William j., CoeIho + Committed
Perjury and Forgery In Recent
Land Suit Ruling Of Circuit
Judge Ashford

2 Documents presented in court by
former Senator william J. Coelhu, an
employee Of the territorial land Office,
In q suit that was filed against him by
Xeao Kahumuhumu Kamahalo are con-
sidered forgerieE and evidence that he
gave IN the ease is held to be periured
In O rnling that has been handed down
by Circuit Judge Ashford
The suit was an involved fight for
possession Of a piece of land and in
giving the ruling il is with consider
able, hesitancy that the court holds
against Coelho
""I stin feel" Judge Ashford says
in his decision, "that TO rule adversely
to the truth Of Coelho' 4 evidence would
be taatamout to declaring him guilty,
not only Of perjury, but also Of forg-
cry, and confess that was, and am,
not q little appalled, at the prospect
Of such finding, and of its probable
results.
No Trivial Thing
+'fIt certainly is no light or trivial
thing for a judicial officer to feel OBJ
liged to decide and announce that, n
man Of the type, experience and stand.
ing Of Coelho has been guilty Of an
attempt to impose upon and deceive q
court lof Justice. But l further con-
fess myself utterly unable to believe
the testimony of Coelho with reference,
In particular to the statements testified
by him concerning the commences Of
the purported signatures of plaintiff.
=, tfI am therefore obliged TO find both
of said purported signatures are forg-
cries and that the evidence Of Coelho
wherein he prOclaims their genuine.
nCss is false and fabricated. I would
most gladly avail myself to any oppor-
tunity which, upon the record, might
appear to be open to me, to reach a con.
trary conclusion; and it would crafty
me if, lin the event of my decree be.
ing appealed from, the appellate trib.
unal should find a way of escape for
Coelh0 from the imPutatiOns of per
Jury and forgery hereby placed upon
him.Abut / confess myself, and most
Reluctantly, unable to find such a chan
neffof escape
Story Of Case
y According 10 the story unfulded in
the many sessions of the trial, Kama
halo. the plaintiff. an ignorant Hawaii
an woman, in 1912 acquired from tho
| Territory q lot to be paid for in five in
staIlments until the sum of $5S4.64 had
| been paid. The lot in question is one
| containing I4,6l6 square feet in the An
waiolimu tract. which with improve
ments has greatly Increased in value
The woman borrowed the first pay
| ment Of $ll6.54 from David Motley
| who had certain other claims agains
the property. When the second pay
ment became due she went to COelht
for aid IN paying of Motley and il
meeting the second payment.
This action led to a series of trans
! actions between the woman and Coelh'
in which he received from the woman
| title to the land. He testified that be
sides meeting the second payment, whel
the woman first approached him he adj
vanced $l75 to her, taking from her I
receipt, which he produced in court
This receipt is one of the two docu
ments held to be fraudulent.
Mortgaged Property
Some time ago CoelhO mortgage
the property to"the Mutual Building
Loan Society andNit was on foreclosur
proceedings brought when COelho fail
| Ell 10 I'VE up 10 tHe Terms VI tho h'''
gage by the building and loan soclet
that the case first came into the Courts
The woman's suit against Coelho WA
to have declared. invalid the dOeumen
by which he claimed the woman trans
frrred the property to him.
In his decision Judge Ashford direct
! that Coelho shah transfer the propert
back to the woman, but holds also tina
a proper balance shall be struck b'
tween money he has expended and re
crivrd and that the mortgage agains
the property shall hold good and mus
be met. ..-sE.-..