The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1922-03-07
Threat of Death
Followed by Fire;
Woman Flees
Blackmailing Letter Received
By Occupant of Lahaina-
luna Cottage Which is Later
Burned

Attempted blackmail and incendiar-
ism appear to be connected with the
fire that destroyed a cottage at La
hainaluna School last Friday evening
The police and others are investigat-
ing but thus far without any result
ing arrests. The burned cottage was
near the old stone building used as a
machine shop and was occupied by
Mrs. Hillner, the matron of the school
Mrs. Hillner, according to the stor-
les the police have developed, was
lying down in her room, clad in ki-
mono, resting after her duties Of the
day when her attention was attracted
by something fluttering through the
tranSom over the door of the room
and falling on the floor. At first she
paid no attention to it but later rose
to see what it was. Opening the pa
per Mrs. Hilmer says she found it
was letter, well written in a flour
ishing hand writing. AS she read it
she found a demand for $75 with
threat to kill her if she did not give
it to the writer and in any event,
whether she paid or not, to kill her
if she told of the letter.
FIees From House
III IL DdllC, MIS-. u6Clu6u W
take refuge in fight. She slipped off
her shoes and put on a pair of Japa-
nese sandals so as to move noiselessly
and not be heard by any one lurking
near the house and decided to slip
out the rear door, the other side of
the house from which the note came.
She did not, however, in her haste,
take the note with her. 1t was then,
nc -c1,r Anf. Ok r. - nl Il
Carrying out her quickly formed
plan she fed to the house of George
Putnam, the principal, and reporting
TO him. The two of them proceeded
to the house of Samuel Mookini, one
of the teachers, and it was decided
to see whether all the scholars were
in the dormitories, considering the
possibility of a practical joke. AT the
dormitories all of the scholars were
found except the members of the bas-
ketball team who had been given per
mission to go down town
Fire Discovered
| About S:20 scholars discovered the
cottage was on fire. William Maka-
ena, another of the teachers, hurried
to the building with only garden hose
to fight the blaze. He tried to enter
the kitchen but found it too hot. 1t
| is said the cottage was then blazing
/ fiercely in several parts.
Down in Lahaina the blaze was
seen but it was thought it was cane
burning and at first no attention was
paid to it and it was after 8 when
the mill whistles blew.
Fortunately there was little wind
blowing Friday evening and so the
flames did not spread to other build
ings but they had gained such head
way when discovered that it was i'm
possible to save the building.
1t is regretted that Mrs. Hillner did
not take the letter with her as, though
it was unsigned, it might have afford
ed some clew to the writer.
Only other Theory
The only other theory than incend
iarism, the police say, is that there
was an oil stove in the building re-
ported to have been burning when
Mrs. Hillner went out, but connected
with the letter the theory of incend
iarism with intent to burn the inmate
would seem to carry more weight.
Deputy Sheriff Philip Pail of Lahai
ma was i'll with grippe so George Cum
mings as eX-officio deputy sheriff OF
Maui went over to Lahaina Saturday
p. H. Ross, representing the insur
ance company, went over Monday tC
adjust the loss.
--sy{s.