The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-04-08
Public Meeting

Public Meeting
A meeting of some fifty of the leading mer-
chants and business men of Honolulu took place
at the rooms over Capt. Thomas Spencer's store
on last Friday evening. 1t was got up in quite
an impromptu manner, no previousnotice having
been given other than a verbal one that the sub
ject of the recent robbery Of the Custom House
would be discussed. The me ting was organized
BY the choice of DIR. G.. P. Judd as Chairman and
H. L. Sheldon, Secretary.
Mr.. j. T. Waterhouse stated that the meeting
had been called for the purpose of discussing the
subject of offering an additional reward besides
that offered by the government for the detection
of the parties who robbed the Custom House on
the night of the 2Sth inst. The government Of
fer was equivalent to none-it was a farce. One
thousand dollars had been offered by them for the
conviction of the thief and the recovery of the
money stolen. The public was dissatisfied with
this. and the object of this meeting was to discuss
the propriety of the citizens taking some measures
for the detection of the thieves, which detection
would be a public benefit. 4 large reward should
be offered for Information which shall lead to the
detection and conviction of the thieves-sufH-
GENTLY large to induce some one of the accom-
plices to peach. The sum of $500, which he
begged to suggest, could be easily raised in the
community for this object.
Capt. Thomas Spencer seconded the views of
Mr. Waterhouse- He felt personally unsafe in
view of the alarming increase of burglaries in
Honolulu, and he thought the community ought
to be awakened to the real danger which sur
rounded it. 4 large reward ought to be offered
by the citizens and an energetic effort made to
bring the band of thieves, which he believed was
now in our midst, to condign punishment. For
one, he was ready to assist in any measures that
might be necessary for the protection of property,
even to the org ~nizition of IA Vigilance Commit
tee. 1t was high time that, in justice to itself,
the community took some measures for self pro-
lection.
DIR. Judd thought the citizens ought to organ
ize or appoint skillful detectives who would be
commissioned as a special police to ferret out this
business, whom they should pay a regular salary.
Did not believe that Offering a reward wJuld in
duce the thieves to inform on each other.
Capt. Spencer disagreed with the last speaker.
He wanted each and all of the citizens to take
hold of this matter. Did not believe in the plan
of hiring men to detect the crime.
Mr.. q. c. Harris agreed with Capt. Spencer
and argued in favor of Offering a reward,-an I'M
conditional one-for the detection of the thief, or
thieves. Spoke of the probable character of the
operators on the Custom House. They were for
eigners-either Americans, Europeans or Chinese.
In the discussion of this subject the Chinese mer-
chants of Honolulu ought to be conferred with.
Capt. Spencer remarked that thus far, no Chi
nese store had been robbed.
S,,,a savara sfr;oturas bay;no baor o,,Jo 49,
the government hand bill offering a reward
Mr.. Waterhouse said that Mr.. Parke had had
nothing to do with drawing up the speciously
worded document which bore his signature.
Mr.. S. n. Castle offered a resolution to the fol-
lowing effect That this meeting respectfully Pc
tition the government to offer a reward of $1,000
for the detection and conviction of the parties who
committed the late robbery on the Custom House,
with a promise of full pardon to the accomplice
who shall inform.
Mr.. A. j. Cartwright was opposed to any petit
ton to the government. This was useless and
had been done often enough and with no practical
result. Was in favor of independent action. The
citizens must organize themselves for their own
protection, and the first step was to begin with a
police organization.
Messrs. O.. Hinton and j. r. Waterbouse
agreed with Mr.. Cartwright. The community
was endangered by the presence in our midst of
burglars and thieves, and the next thing might
be the torch of the incendiary. Mr.. Hinton,
however, thought that before any permanent ac-
ton was taken in the matter of organization, a
regularly notified public meeting should be called.
On motion of Mr.. Waterhouse, seconded by
Capt. Spencer, it was voted that a committee of
four be appointed to raise subscriptions for a re-
ward to be offered for the detection and convic-
ton Of the parties b orobbed the Custom House
and the following gentlemen were appointed
said committee Messrs. A. j. Cartwright, T.
Spencer, j.. /. Dowsett, and j. T.. Waterhouse.
Adjourned.
The imbecility of the government was never
more plainly evinced than in the recent publica-
ton of posters ~purporting to offer a reward for
the detection Of the Custom House thieves. After
a delay of nearly one day, the combined result of
the deliberative wisdom Of government appears in
the shape of what has been very properly desig-
mated a "speciously worded document" Were
it the intention Of the trainers of this sapient en-
riosity to completely discourage all inquiry into
the circumstance of the robbery, with q view
that the thieves might quietly withdraw from the
country with their skiIlfally acquired booty, no
~