James Kaulia injured, 1899.

James Kaulia Injured

BY HENRY VIDA AND JACK GIBSON.

Aboard the Steamer Australia is Where This Evil Act Was Done.

Right before the Steamship Australia [Auseteralia] left its mooring, on the evening of this Tuesday, James K. Kaulia was found left below in the storage hold, and because he was found quickly that he was saved, lest he have been taken to San Francisco.

There was no one else other than Kaulia who witnessed him being hurt by Henry Vida and Jack Gibson, but he stated that he was shoved by these haole men and fell. He says that when he took the case of Hansen, the haole that was arrested by Stratemeyer for importing opium, that haole agreed to pay $100 if his charges were overturned, he [Kaulia] agreed, and this Saturday, Hansen was set free.

James Kaulia waited for his lawyer fees. Garvin, a worker aboard the Australia agreed that he’d pay the money, and Henry Vida stood as an intermediary.

But when it grew near to the time when the Australia was to leave, he went to go see Garvin, who told him that he gave the money in the hands of Henry Vida. Henry Vida denied this, and for this reason they all went aboard the ship. Garvin however was not found, for he was busy working.

Half and hour prior to the ship’s departure, Garvin appeared, and he told him [Kaulia] to go up front to the prow, where the sailors were; and as for Vida and Gibson, they went to meet with the purser.

And just a few minutes after that, the two of them suddenly showed with a jug being held by Henry Vida; and they jumped to one side of the opening of the storage, while telling Kaulia to come over to that side, but he refused because he was hesitant about the storage hold.

That was when Gibson pushed him from behind and he fell on the side of the door to the storage, at which point Gibson shoved him again and he fell once more, his hands grabbing on to a corner of the door; then Vida stomped on his ribs and he fell into the room on top of the baggage.

Before Kaulia was able to stand, the entrance to the storage was shut, and he sat there in the dark. However, he sought a way for him to get out, pounding at the door until he was found by a haole who exclaimed that there was a runaway. And officers Halelau and Kaili came to rescue him from his precarious situation. Some parts of his arms were broken when he fell, and in the morning of this Wednesday, he filed a suit against Henry Vida and Jack Gibson for injuring him. The two of them deny harming James Kaulia.

(Aloha Aina, 2/25/1899, p. 2)

Ke Aloha Aina, Buke V, Helu 8, Aoao 3. Feberuari 25, 1899.