Evening star., 1932-01-11

Detailed circumstances OF the tenSe
situation in Honolulu extending over
many months, which eliminated in the
assault on Mrs. Thomas H. Massie,
bride Of a Navy ofncer, were reported 70
the Secretary Of the Navy December 23
by Rear Admiral Yates Sterling, 1r.,
commander Of the 14th Naval District
at Pearl Harbor.
Admiral Strings report, prepared
nearly two weeks before the murder OF
one of Mrs. Massie's alleged assailants-
for which staying her husband and her
mother are now under arrest--sheds
much light on the inflaming background
OF this event Some Of the outstanding
facts brought out in the report are:
Mrs. Massie, still under 20 years old,
positively identified four of the men
who attacked her-including the mur-
dered man.
Three Had Crime Records.
Three of the men had criminal rec
or1s. Two had served jail terms for as
sault with intent to commit rape and
one. the man who was murdered, for
robbery.
One Of the alleged Assailants is =
foot ball star and somewhat of popu-
lar hero.
The men were defended by two Of
the best criminal lawyers in Honolulu
one the brothersof United States Sem
ator-and the Skill Of the defense Was
largely responsible for the jury dis
agreement which resulted in the de-
PENDANTS temporarily resaining their lib
erty.
The defense lawyers charged high
fees indicating the alleged assailants
had large financial backing the source
of which is not known.
Assaults on women, both white and
native, have taken place constantly
during the past year. Public hospital
records show 40 such cases have been
treated in the last II months. Many
more were not reported because Of de-
sire to avoid publicity.
Gives Details Of Attack.
Rear Admiral Strings report opens
with the details Of the Massie case
The assault took place on the evening
Of September IL. Lieut.. and Mrs. Mas
sic, with two other Navy couples, had
gone to q rather popular cafe In the
city. About II: 80 pm, bored and tired,
Mrs. Massie decided to take walk.
She intended, after getting q little
fresh air, to rejoin the party She had
gone only little way when the assault,
reported in her own words as follows,
took place:
There a car drove up beside me
and two men got out. They seized me
and struck me. They were Chang and
Kshahawai. Kahahawai hit me. I
screamed, but they dragged me into the
car and held me on the seat. Hahp L.
hawai- was on the right and Chang on
the left.
"I tried to talk to them, to get them
to let me 60. They were holding me,
and every time spoke they hit me.
told them my husband would pay them
if they would let me go. 1 told them
had money in my pocketbook and
would give it to them. Ahakuelo turned
around and said, Take her pocket
book"
"Tt was not very dark; there are
street lights along there"
q. How did you recognize Aha
kuelo?
Identifies Suspect.
"A. He turned around several times.
I saw him by the light OF the street
lights. I saw his gold tooth. He
turned around to see what was going
on. They were hitting me and holding
me. Once he told KahAhawai TO hit
me again.
"I don't know what they did with
the purse. I saw 1t next in the grand
jury room.
"'Ahskuelo was sitting ct the right
of Ida. who was driving. ! noticed
Ida wore a brown leather packet.
saw his face when he turned halfway
around on the Ala Moana. There was
not as much light (there) as on John
Ena road, but enough 80 I could see
his coat and face.
at was struck many times by Kaha =
hawais fist, I struggled and cried out
every time he struck me.
1.-The car moved at about 40 miles
per hour. 1t turned oil the Ala Moana
and drove among trees and bushes on
the side Of the road away from the sea.
It stopped among the bushes.
1.-The two men who were holding me
dragged me out of the car. They were
Chang and Kahahawai. They dragged
me about IS or 80 feet
"She then testified to the first as
sault. The first man was Chang who
had never let 90 OF her. The others
held her.
@. What happened next?
"A. One of the others assaulted me.
I don't know which one.
@ What happened them?
"A Kahahawai assaulted me.
%. How did you know htm2
"A, He had been sitting next to me.
I knew him by his short-sleeved polo
shirt. I prayed, and heard his voice.
He told me to shut up and hit me IN
the jaw"
Womans Jaw Broken.
During the affair both sides Of her
jaw were broken" Admiral Stirling s
report continues.
"She continued with descriptions OF
the assaults by Ida and Ahakuelo. No
specific statement Of assault by Taksi
was made, in fact, she could not
identify this man She stated that
Chang assaulted her twice. During this
time she struggled so hard with her as
sailants that she was completely
exhausted.
when the men had completed their
acts, one pointed out the general direc-
ton of the road, and they got into their
car and left. She made her way to the
Ala Moana road, walked until she
stopped q passing automobile whose oc-
cupants took her to her home. She
arrived home before her husband, who
was looking for her; she reported the
assault to him. He Immediately re-
ported It to the police. The same day
September i3. she VA taken TO thu
hospital.
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