Grace Hubbard Fortescue

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Grace Hubbard Fortescue, née Grace Hubbard Bell (born November 3, 1883 in Washington D.C. – died 1979) was the mother of Thalia Fortescue Massie. Her husband was Major Granville "Rolly" Fortescue, one of the sons of Robert Barnwell Roosevelt, the uncle of US President Theodore Roosevelt.

A graying woman of fair complexion, standing at 5-feet 6-inches (168 cm) tall and weighing 134 pounds (61 kg), Grace Fortescue was charged and convicted by a jury with murder in the first degree after the death of Joseph Kahahawai, one of the defendants in the alleged rape of her daughter.

Also charged and convicted with Fortescue were two sailors, Edward J. Lord and Deacon Jones, as well as Fortescue's son-in-law, Thomas Massie who participated in the abduction and murder of Kahahawai.

As of January 8, 1932, a criminal record indicates that while in Honolulu, Grace Fortescue lived on Kolowalu Street in Manoa Valley, a short distance from her daughter's home on Kahawai Street.

Attorney Clarence Darrow defended Fortescue, Jones, Massie and Lord and obtained a commutation of their sentence of ten-years imprisonment for manslaughter to one-hour in the executive chambers of Territorial Governor Lawrence M. Judd.

[edit] Source

  • David E. Stannard, "Honor Killing", Viking Penguin, 2005 (illustration number 28, entitled Mug Shots and arrest file of Grace Fortescue)

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