The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-12-20
Story Of Death
OF White Told
Coroner's S jury
Only Material Changes Are
Made by Nicholas Who
Testi6es Passenger Claimed
He Had Been Robbed.

II. L. White, of the engine crew
of Eagle boat 5S, came to his death
as result of fractures of the skull,
from blow or blows given directly
or indirectly by one Louis Lake, was
the verdict of the corners jury con
sisting of Dan T. Carey, l.. Ben. Kau-
meheiwa, M. j. Moura, Paul Lada
Chas. A. Puck and Alfred Martinsen
Saturday afternoon at 4:30, after five
hours of testimony at the coroner's
inquest
Only one important change in the
story as it had been evolved by Sher.
iff Crowell came out in the testimony
before the jury. Ned Nicholas had
told the sheriff previously that when
the argument arose over the fare to
be paid by the sailor near the Clau-
dine wharf. White had said the
change he offered was all he had
story and said that the sailor ex
claimed: Driver, l have been rob
bed!"
Liquor Passes Freely
Gene Bal, the first witness Sat
urday, told the story of early events
of the Saturday night ride from Wal
luku and testified that two pint bot
ties of corn whiskey" were passed
around on the way down to kahului
and another drink when Nicholas Dla
chine in company with another rolled
Ou1 oI the Claudine wharf for the oc
cupants to sing. From there the party
rode TO two homes, one il luunene
another in Kahului, at both VI which
drinkS were taken. THIS witness
stated tina: the sailor n trying tn sit
doyE while in one of the p,aCes Wis
tied icll OH the floor. Also that be
did DOT see the sailor flash his
purse and that the pa:iy vas in a
good humor From Kahului they re
turned to Wailuku, he said, and stop
ped in front Of the Grand Hotel
where mick" expected White TO Sc
cure room for the night. There an
argument arose over the loss OF
Whites hat. Nicholas started to re.
turn to Kahului to recover the hat
and the witness said he, the witness
hid so as not to ride back with Nj
cholas because he thought Nicholas
was angry and would drive fast.
Injuries Described
DR.. G. H. Lichtner came before the
jury next and told of being called on
board Eagle boat So about II o'clock
Sunday morning to see a sick man.
He found White in Semi-conSciOus
state, with SYMPTOMS of fracture of the
skull. Under the doctors orders
White was removed to the Puunene
hospital and operated upon Sunday
afternoon. The skull was opened an
artery which was bleeding was closed
a drain placed in the wound and the
wound closed The doctor said that
there was the mark of a blow on the
left side one and half inches above
the ear the size of a silver dollar and
a similar mark on the right side only
smaller; blood was coming from a.
round both eyes; and the upper lip
was darkened and swollen. White
rallied slightly after the operation,
but could not keep up and died Mon
day morning. An autopsy was per
formed at the request of the authori-
ties, it was found that Whites skull
was fractured starting on the left
side and running across, inside to the
right side. The skull was a thick one
for blow of the fist to cause the
fracture, but that blow, combined
with the head striking some hard OBJ
ject might do it. When asked if he
could give an opinion as to whether
or not he thought White was drunk
at the time he was hit, DR.. Lichtner
replied that he did not think White
was heavily drunk at the time.
mates was that he was not a drinking
man, never went ashore much, and
used his liberty time to wash clothes
and earn a little extra money Lit
n H. Smith, commander of Eagle
boat So, said Whites character was
excellent
Assault Is Detailed.
Harvey Cornwell told substantially
the same story as Gene Bal up to
the argument in front of the Grand
Hotel. From there Nicholas, White
Louis Lake, and Cornwell rode to the
place they had visited in Kahului
where they recovered the lost hat
and from there went to the Claudine
wharf Cornwell said that White Of
fered change to Nicholas who refused
it, when Lake, who had also slipped
from the car, without a word struck
White on the right side, knocking him
down, picked him up, hit him again
in the face and then jumped on the
car which Nicholas already had NOV
ing toward Wailuku.
Nicholas in his testimony changed
the story he previously gave the Sher-
iff, by saying that the sailor eXclaim-
ed to him when he reached for his
purse, Driver, I've been robbed" Nj
cholas said that Lake hit the sailor
and knocked him the length of the
machine, picked him up and hit him
again all the while Nicholas was cry
ing, Pau, don't lick him" Then
COrnWell and Lake dragged White TO