SANDWICH ISLAND.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 706, 19 January 1853, Page 3

SANDWICH ISLAND.

[From the " Polynesian," 17th and 20th <^^Pfember.] The Honolulu Riot. —It is our sad duty to chronicle an occurrence, as unjustifiable in its conception, as it proved mischievous in its results. \Ve mean the late disturbance in this city. On Wednesday morning last, Henry. Burns, a seaman, brought into the Fort for drunkenness the preceding evening, was found dead with his skull fractured. A great excitement immediately arose, and the rumour spread in all directions, that he bad been killed by the jailor, one George E. Sherman. The Coroner’s jury was rapidly summoned by the Marshal, but, while they were sitting, a crowd of seamen on shore on liberty and on duty assembled before the Fort, and for the first time —and we sincerely hope the last—was heard in Honolulu the ominous, soul-appalling cry of “the public demands the murderer,” “ hand him out!” &c. The jury postponed their verdict until next day : meanwhile every boat that landed from the shipping added fresh numbers to the clamorous crowd. Towards evening the interment took place, followed by an immense congregation of seamen, who, on their return from the cemetery commenced parading the streets, huzzaing and vowing vengeance. Terrorand consternation spread through the city, and the direst apprehensions were entertained. Several eminent gentlemen addressed the crowd, and the U. S. Commissioner Ihd Consul, after exhorting the seamen to respect the existing laws of this country, and to respect themselves and the nation to which they belonged, so far as not to commit acts of violence and disorder, advised them to return quietly on board of their ships, promising in their official capacity that the fullest justice should be done in the matter. This advice was followed by many. The crowd partly dispersed, and quiet seemed on the point of being restored. Groups of sailors still traversed the streets, more, we believe, in a spirit of bravado, than with any actual intentions of mischief, when through one of those accidents which so frequently turn the tide of human affairs, their attention was directed to the Police Station-house. Constable Williams, being there in attendance, was threatened with instant death and with having the house burnt down over his head. Not choosing to surrender on such terms, he made a desperate resistance until the building was fired, when he succeeded in making his escape from the clutches of such would-be redressers of wrong. The burning building now became the rallying point of everybody. The Fire Companies were promptly on the spot,and—strange to tell—many of those who had cheered on the perpetration of the outrage, worked afterwards with a hearty good will at the brakes of the engine. The building however, was entirely destroyed along with two butcher shops standing in its rear. The danger to the crowded shipping was imminent,

]<nt Inakflv the wind was very light Serious apprelSisions were now entertained tor the safety of the Custom House, aijd but for the exertions and personal sacrifice of several gentlemen —among whom we notice Messrs? 1 . H. Mac.ailane, Cartwright, Vincent, and others, whom we did not recognise—it would have shared the tate ot tlnf Station-house. The greater part of the seamen now went on hoard and a comparatively small number finding no opposition, patrolled the streets until daylight, making however no further disturbance. Next morning, the Coroner’s verdict was made known through a printed address of Consul Alien to all American seamen. The verdict itself is as follows: « We, the undersigned, summoned by the Marshal of Honolulu, to hold an inquest upon the body of Henry Burns, seaman, and to decide upon the probable cause of his death, have all a g* ee > after due reflection upon the statements of the witnesses produced, that Henry Burns’ death was caused by a blow inflicted with a club m tho hands of constable Geo. Sherhian, on the evening of the Oth of November. . « We believe that the blow was not given with malice aforethought, hut rather from cowardice in quelling the disturbance which was the cause of his visit to the cell where Burns and others were confined.” .. “ Julius A. Anthon, foreman, J. C. Bullions, Jas. K. Turner, Thos. Spencer, W. A. Aidrich, C. S. Bartow, J. B. Cleveland, H. Smith, Benjiman Clough, A. C. Edwards. “ Honolulu, Nov. 9th, 185^. A printed call was made, in the course of the morning, upon the citizens, residents and others, to assemble in the Fort to adopt measures to quell the nibb, and secure law and order. The upshot of the meeting, which was convened awpr-J 1 o’clock, a.m., was the formation of a volunteer company, who chose as their Captain, Ajj. McDuffee, Esq., and as Lieutenants Messrs.*. Macfarlane, Howe, R. A. S. Wood, and Thorp. About 3 p. m., a large concourse of natives assembled outside of the Fort complaining of the insults and unprovoked attacks of the seamen. The Governor told them, to clear the streets and arrest such as made resistance. They repaired at once to the crossing of Nunanu and King streets, where the greatest body of seamen were stationed, and some sharp and rather curious fighting ensued; clubs and stones being the only weapons used. After about one hour’s melee the nat ives had made be tween forty and fifty prisoners, when the rest of the seamen dispersed, and the streets were once more clear and quiet. The newly enrolled corps of citizens divided into ftarr 'infantry companies* and one of cavalry, which patrolled the streets until a late hour, to prevent any fresh collection of the seamen. On Friday morning an appeal to American seamen in port by Mr. Commissioner Severance Avas extensively circulated on board and ashore, representing in’vivid colors, and in strong but parental language, the reprehensible course they had been pursuing, and culling upon them, as a duty which they owed to the high character which Americans bore all over the Avorld, to assist in identifying the incendiaries of Wednesday night. An order was also published by the Governor forbidding, until further notice, any seamen belonging to vessels, to remain on shore after sunset without a pass. Saturday and Monday, the preparatory examinations for committal Avere made at the Police Court.