1932 NY Times newspaper The MASSIE MURDER CASE exposes RACE CONFLICT in Honolulu, HAWAII between Hawaii Natives & Whites 

- inv # 8I-416

In the waning days of summer 1931, Honolulu’s tropical tranquility was shattered when a young Navy wife made a drastic allegation of rape against five nonwhite islanders. What unfolded in the following days and weeks was a racially charged murder case that would make headlines across the nation, enrage Hawai`i’s native population, and galvanize the island’s law enforcers and the nation’s social elite.

In the 1930s, Hawai`i was an American territory and thought of by many as a paradise in the Pacific. But beneath the peaceful veneer, tensions were building. The workforce was struggling with a depression-era job market and racial tensions were about to erupt. The population of white mainlanders, or haoles as they were called, was growing rapidly. The Navy bases on the island also created tension, as the military men showed little respect for nonwhites. Many natives were convinced that the mainlanders were taking over. Tensions hit the boiling point on September 12, 1931, when Lieutenant Thomas Massie and his 20-year-old wife Thalia joined a Navy crowd at the Ala Wai Inn, a Honolulu nightspot.

Well known for their volatile relationship, the couple had an argument, and Thalia stormed out. Hours later she reported that she had been assaulted but could not identify the men who attacked her or the car they were driving due to darkness. Despite lack of evidence, five islanders were quickly rounded up and charged with the crime. The accused included two native Hawaiians, one Hawaiian-Chinese man, and two Japanese men. The driving forces behind the trumped-up charges, it turned out, were high-ranking Naval officials, including the admiral in charge at Pearl Harbor, Yates Stirling. Portrayed as a victim whose womanhood had been violated, Thalia became the center of a media frenzy. The five defendants were painted as criminal fiends, heathens. But while Thalia fared well in the press, there was plenty of gossip around town about her wild behavior and liaisons with other officers. Thalia’s mother, New York socialite Grace Hubbard Bell Fortescue, flew to Honolulu to support her daughter and protect the family’s reputation. But Grace would play a much larger role in the tragedy that was unraveling.

At the November trial, Thalia offered graphic testimony, even identifying her assailants by name. However, there was scant evidence to corroborate her story, and the jury could not agree on a verdict. Forced to declare a mistrial, the judge set the defendants free. Grace Fortescue and Thomas Massie took matters into their own hands, setting out to force a confession from one of the suspects, Joseph Kahahawai. When coercion turned to violence, Kahahawai was shot and killed. Papers across the nation eagerly carried reports of the “honor killing.” Despite a passionate defense by Clarence Darrow, Grace and Thomas were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison. But under pressure from the Hoover Administration, Congress, and the Navy, Governor Lawrence Judd caved, reducing the sentence to just one hour. The people of Hawai`i were incensed.

Even today, this remains a painful piece of Hawai`i’s history. Joe Kahahawai’s murder and the aftermath shed light on the egregious institutional racism that stretched from the halls of power in the U.S. government to its outermost territory.

The Navy shipped Grace, Thomas and Thalia out on the first available boat to California, where they were met with a hero’s welcome.

Very good condition. This listing includes the complete entire original newspaper and the Sunday special section 9, NOT just a clipping or a page of them. STEPHEN A. GOLDMAN HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS stands behind all of the items that we sell with a no questions asked, money back guarantee. Every item we sell is an original newspaper printed on the date indicated at the beginning of its description. U.S. buyers pay priority mail postage which includes waterproof plastic and a heavy cardboard flat to protect the purchased item from damage in the mail. Upon request by the buyer, we can ship by USPS Media Mail to reduce postage cost; however, please be aware that USPS Media Mail can be very slow in its time of transit to the buyer. International postage is quoted when we are informed as to where the package is to be sent. We do combine postage (to reduce postage costs) for multiple purchases sent in the same package. We list thousands of rare newspapers with dates from 1570 through 2004 on Ebay each week. This is truly SIX CENTURIES OF HISTORY that YOU CAN OWN!

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