HONOLULU LYNCHING TRIAL

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 25 May 1932, Page 8

HONOLULU LYNCHING TRIAL

KEEN PUBLIC INTEREST. FEATURES OF PROCEEDINGS. Dramatic moments in the trial of Mrs. Fortesque, her son-in-law, Lieut. T. H. Massie, of the United States Navy, and two bluejackets, E. J. Lord and Albert O. Jones, on a charge of kidnapping and murdering a native, Joe Kahahawai, are given prominence in Honolulu newspapers brought to Auckland by the Niagara this week. The trial lasted several days and aroused intense public interest. According to one writer, the case for the prosecution moved like “a well-oiled machine.” Every day the courtroom was crowded, but it was not until the defence was opened that the sensational aspect developed. At 5 a.in. on the day when Lieutenant Massie gave evidence 10!) people, some of whom had arrived before midnight, were whiting to gain admission. Some of those who attended the session arrived with pillows and their lunch. They camped all night, and persons who rose at three o’clock in the morning, hoping to be among the early ones, found they were too late. ALL PERSONS SEARCHED. All persons entering the court buildings were searched, most of them submitting with a smile. Among those searched were counsel for the defence, who protested mildly. He reached the age of 75 during the course of the trial. Because of the court rule that all spectators must be seated, a number of improvised seats were arranged. One woman brought in a waste-paper basket, which she inverted and used as a seat. A man, finding no seats vacant, removed some of the (bulky law books from a shelf in the courtroom and made himself a seat from them. Counsel for the prosecution sought to show that the murder was a premeditated one. Witnesses gave evidence relating to the kidnapping of Kahahawai on January 8, when, he was making his daily report to the police, pending his re-trial with four other natives on a charge of criminally assaulting Mrs. Thalia Massie, wife of Lieutenant Massie. Police witnesses testified to the chase.of the kidnappers and the finding of Kahahawai’s body in the back of a motor-car. Lieutenant Massie was identified as one of the occupants of the car.

MAIN PLEA FOEi DEFENCE. The defence was based- largely upon a plea that Massie was temporarily insane at the time of the crime. The .evidence given by Massie covered events connected', with the assault on Mrs Massie and the killing of Kahahawai. Pale but composed he testified in clear tones, a crowded courtroom listening intently to catch every word. Referring to the night of the assault. he said he was summoned home bv Mrs Massie, who said over the telephone : “Something terrible has happened. Please come home.” Massie continued : 1 ‘When I got there, she wascrying and collapsed in my arms. Her lips were crushed and bruised, and she was bleeding from her nose and mouth. T asked her what had happened, and she said, ‘lt is too terrible. ’ Finally she told me tlie story of the assault.” . After giving evidence of Mrs Mas-; sic’s critical condition, Massie said: “T went back to duty, but I could not work. The thing kept coming back, and all T could see was that crushed, face. The thing preyed on my mind, and I could not sleep or eat.” “Did you ever get it out of your mind?” asked counsel. “Never,” replied Massie.

STORY OF THE KILLING

A bushed court listened to details of the killing of Kahahawai in the home of Mrs Fortcseue. Lieutenant Massie said that Kahahawai admitted at the point of a gun thnt he was one of those who assaulted Mrs Massie. “Yes, we done it,” were his words. According to Massie’s testimony, all then became 'blank. What happened from then until an hour later when he was arrested in a- sedan car with his mother-in-law and a sailor, the dead body at their feet-, was a'll vague and blurred. He did not remember what became of the revolver, and he bad no comprehension of bow the body was wrapped and placed in the car or of the effort to escape.

There was a dramatic scene in court during the hearing of Mrs Ma.ssie’s evidence. Questioned about a mental test she had undergone at the University of Hawaii, she tore up the record of her examination, which tended, to show an estrangement between her and her husband. Her action was applauded by people in the court, which was instantly called to order by the judge.

BRUTAL ASSAULT RECOUNTED

Mrs Massie told the complete story of what happened on the night in September, when it is stated the assault noon her took place. She said that Kahahawai had broken her jaw and knocked her teeth out. She had left the party which she and her husband were attending: in order to go for a walk because the party was becoming tiresome. She had had only one highball to drink. Xervons and hysterical in the witness box. Mrs Massie had difficulty in controlling her emotions, which at times prevented her from proceeding. At the close of her testimony she rushed to her husband’s seat, threw herself in his arms' and cried, “What right have they to sav T do not love you. Everybody l knows I love you.” The evidence of alienists was heard during the final stages of the tidal. A verdict of manslaughter against all accused, with a recommendation to mercy, was returned hy the jury. On May 4 the accused were sentenced to imprisonment for “not more than 10 years,” and this was commuted by the Governor of Hawaii to one houy’_s detention. This was duly .served and the attention of the police was turnerl to the retrial of the natives on the charge of assaulting Mrs Massie. Evading a subpoena to appear in the case. Mrs Massie boarded the Malolo at Honolulu on Mav 8 for San Ftancisco.