No. 7.
Affidavit of John Lota Kaulukotu

Hawaiian Islands, Honolulu, Island of Oahu, ss:

And now comes John Lota Kaulukou, and on his oath deposes and says: That he is a native Hawaiian by birth and is a resident of Honolulu for a long time last past; that he is a lawyer by occupation and at present practicing law in Honolulu aforesaid; that on or about 2:30 p.m. of the 17th day of January last, it had been declared in front of the Government building a new form of government for Hawaii nei known as the “Provisional Government;” that at the said time the troops of the Boston were lined between the Government building and the Arion Hall, and well supplied with ammunition and Gatling guns, which were faced to the palace, where Her Majesty the Queen, was then residing; that the Provisional Government at the aforesaid time had only 50 armed men, more or less, and it could have been suppressed by the guards of the Queen’s Government in a short time; that at the aforesaid time Her Majesty Queen Liliuokalani was residing in the palace and had charge of that building, the barracks, the guards, and the ammunition, and also the police station, where Marshal Chas. B. Wilson, the constables, and those who lent their assistance to Her Majesty the Queen’s Government, who have been well armed.

That at the aforesaid time the said buildings, the police force, and the other public buildings were not under the charge of the Provisional Government, and that in or about 2:45 p.m. of said date, one Chas. L. Hopkins took a communication from the Queen’s cabinet from the police station, where they were then, to J. L. Stevens, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, residing at the court of the Hawaiian Islands; and that on or about 3:15 p.m. of said date the said Chas. L. Hopkins returned to the said police station with a letter from said J. L. Stevens; and that after that it had been announced to the public, who were there then, that said United States minister, J. L. Stevens, had recognized the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands, and will back and help the said Provisional Government, and not to Her Majesty the Queen’s Government.

That at the recognition of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands by the said J. L. Stevens, United States minister in Hawaii nei, the palace was in the possession of Her Majesty Queen Liliuokalani, and she was living in there; and under the charge and authority of the Queen’s Government were the barracks, the guards, and the ammunition; under the care of Capt. S. Nowlien, the police station; under the charge of Marshal Chas. B. Wilson, as aforementioned, the custom-house, the Oahu prison, and other public buildings, and also the protection of the lives and property of the people without trouble.

John Lota Kaulukou.


Geo. Lucas, Deputy Clerk, Supreme Court.