Thalia Fortescue Massie
Encyclopedia
Thalia Fortescue Massie was a member of a socially prominent family who became the genesis of a series of heavily publicized trials in Hawaii
.
(1875–1952).
She married Navy lieutenant Thomas Hedges Massie (1905–1987) who was stationed at Pearl Harbor
.
Subsequently, five young men, Horace Ida, Henry Chang, Joseph Kahahawai, Benny Ahakuelo, and David Takai, two of Hawaiian ancestry, two of Japanese ancestry, and one of half Chinese/Hawaiian ancestry were initially arrested for assaulting a Hawaiian woman, Agnes Peeples, earlier that same night and they were later charged with the rape
of Massie. Joseph Kahahawai, a boxer
, admitted to the earlier assault on Peeples, whom he had slugged and knocked over during a road rage
incident at King and Liliha Streets, but all defendants denied having been involved in the assault on Mrs. Massie. The men were represented by two of the foremost criminal lawyers in the islands, William Heen and William B. Pittman, and the mixed race jury deadlocked along racial lines. The five defendants were released on bail to await retrial at a later date.
Thalia's mother, Grace Fortescue, was deeply disturbed by the release of the defendants and many U.S. Navy personnel at Pearl Harbor
were outraged. A short time later, Joseph Kahahawai was abducted when leaving the courthouse after a probation hearing and was found shot dead in the back seat of Grace Fortescue's car. Defended by attorney Clarence Darrow
, of the Scopes Monkey Trial fame, Fortescue, Thalia's husband Thomas Massie, and two Navy sailors were eventually tried and convicted of manslaughter
in the death of Kahahawai. Originally sentenced to 10 years, their sentence was commuted to one hour in the executive chambers of Governor Lawrence Judd of the Territory of Hawaii
.
The commutation of Fortescue's sentence was perceived by native Hawaiians and other citizens as a gross miscarriage of justice
in the Territory. Thalia's dubious claim of rape and the subsequent events were seminal in strengthening the labor-union movement in Hawaii and in inspiring concerned citizens to form the Hawaii Democratic Party.
Thomas and Thalia Massie divorced on February 23, 1934 in Reno, Nevada
. Thalia died of an overdose of barbiturate pills in Palm Beach, Florida
on July 3, 1963.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Family life
Thalia Fortescue was born February 14, 1911 in Washington, DC. Her mother was Grace Hubbard Fortescue (1883–1979) and father was Granville Roland FortescueGranville Roland Fortescue
Granville Roland Fortescue was an American soldier, a Rough Rider serving with his cousin, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in Cuba, a presidential aide in the first Roosevelt administration and later, a journalist and war correspondent for the London Standard during the Rif War in 1920 Spanish Morocco...
(1875–1952).
She married Navy lieutenant Thomas Hedges Massie (1905–1987) who was stationed at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
.
The cases
In September, 1931, Thalia Massie was found by a passing car, driven by Eustace Bellinger, wandering along Ala Moana Road in Honolulu at about 1 am on a Sunday morning. She had been beaten and had suffered a broken jaw after being abducted while leaving a party at a nearby Japanese Tea House. When questioned by Bellinger and his passenger George Clark, Jr., she stated that a group of 5 or 6 Hawaiian boys had assaulted her. Later at the hospital she claimed to police that she had been raped as well as assaulted, although the evidence did not entirely support the rape claim.Subsequently, five young men, Horace Ida, Henry Chang, Joseph Kahahawai, Benny Ahakuelo, and David Takai, two of Hawaiian ancestry, two of Japanese ancestry, and one of half Chinese/Hawaiian ancestry were initially arrested for assaulting a Hawaiian woman, Agnes Peeples, earlier that same night and they were later charged with the rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
of Massie. Joseph Kahahawai, a boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, admitted to the earlier assault on Peeples, whom he had slugged and knocked over during a road rage
Road rage
Road rage is an aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Such behavior might include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe or threatening manner, or making threats. Road rage can lead to altercations, assaults, and collisions...
incident at King and Liliha Streets, but all defendants denied having been involved in the assault on Mrs. Massie. The men were represented by two of the foremost criminal lawyers in the islands, William Heen and William B. Pittman, and the mixed race jury deadlocked along racial lines. The five defendants were released on bail to await retrial at a later date.
Thalia's mother, Grace Fortescue, was deeply disturbed by the release of the defendants and many U.S. Navy personnel at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
were outraged. A short time later, Joseph Kahahawai was abducted when leaving the courthouse after a probation hearing and was found shot dead in the back seat of Grace Fortescue's car. Defended by attorney Clarence Darrow
Clarence Darrow
Clarence Seward Darrow was an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, best known for defending teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks and defending John T...
, of the Scopes Monkey Trial fame, Fortescue, Thalia's husband Thomas Massie, and two Navy sailors were eventually tried and convicted of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
in the death of Kahahawai. Originally sentenced to 10 years, their sentence was commuted to one hour in the executive chambers of Governor Lawrence Judd of the Territory of Hawaii
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
.
The commutation of Fortescue's sentence was perceived by native Hawaiians and other citizens as a gross miscarriage of justice
Miscarriage of justice
A miscarriage of justice primarily is the conviction and punishment of a person for a crime they did not commit. The term can also apply to errors in the other direction—"errors of impunity", and to civil cases. Most criminal justice systems have some means to overturn, or "quash", a wrongful...
in the Territory. Thalia's dubious claim of rape and the subsequent events were seminal in strengthening the labor-union movement in Hawaii and in inspiring concerned citizens to form the Hawaii Democratic Party.
Thomas and Thalia Massie divorced on February 23, 1934 in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. Thalia died of an overdose of barbiturate pills in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
on July 3, 1963.