Hawaii’s Lynching Shame: Navy Men and Society Matron Walk Free

In a shocking turn of events, Mrs. Oranville Fortescue and three naval men, convicted of manslaughter in the brutal lynching of Joseph Kahahawai, were released from custody after serving just one hour of their 10-year prison sentences in Honolulu on May 5, 1932. The commutation, granted by Governor Lawrence M. Judd, brought an abrupt end to a highly publicized case that had sent shockwaves through Hawaii’s political and social circles.

The saga began in January, when Joseph Kahahawai, a native, was abducted and killed. He had allegedly confessed to participating in a violent attack on Mrs. Thalia Massie, the wife of Lieutenant Thomas H. Massie. The incident sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice.

However, the outcome of the trial was anything but just. The three naval men, Albert O. Jones and E.J. Lord, along with Lieutenant Massie’s son-in-law, Mrs. Fortescue’s son-in-law, were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison. But Governor Judd’s surprise commutation of their sentences meant they would serve a mere 60 minutes in jail before being released.

Cap. Ward Wortman, Lieutenant Massie’s commander, stated that federal action would have been necessary to clear the naval men’s records had they been actually committed to prison, even for a short time. The commutation also spared the reputations of the navy men, who would have otherwise faced the consequences of a prison sentence.

The decision to commute the sentences has been met with criticism from some quarters, with Attorney General Harry Hewitt arguing that it did not constitute a genuine pardon. However, the release of the defendants has brought an end to a highly charged and divisive case that had captivated Hawaii and the nation.