The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-02-01
THE WALKER TRIAL.
The Jury Disagree In the Post Office
Robbery Case.

menced IN the Supreme Court at O'Clock
Saturday morning, January Goth. The
Courtroom was crowded with spectators
during the day, and especially in the even
ing while the closing arguments and the
Judges charge were being delivered. The
Attorney General appeared for the prose
cutlOn, and MeSsrs. r. NJ. Hatch and A.
&. Smith for defendant.
The following jury was sworn: II. Davis,
ID. Waterhouse, a. l.. Smith, H. Mossman,
J. j. Locker, Chas. Hammer, f. McInerny,
II. w. Morse, +. Eckley, 5. NJ. Whitman j.,
II. Gum and L. A. Jones.
Mr.. Warehouse said he had heard a
great deal about the case, which, if true,
had biased his mind, and it would take a
great deal of evidence to remove it, Elk
cused, and II. Mcintyre called.
Mr.. Hatch challenged Messrs. Hammer
and Mcintyre. Messrs. \. +. Burgess and
Geo. Lucas were called, and the jury was
satisfactory.
The Attorney General stated the case for
the Crown, and called witnesses in the fol-
lowing order;
Nathan Willfong, sworn, stated: / am
Money Order Clerk at the Post Office; was
on the I'd and Sd of January On Satur-
day, January I'd, l left the Office at 5
O'Clock in the evening. left everything
all right. / left my safe locked. 1t has a
combination. l turned it so as it was
locked. l went to the Office Sunday morn
drawers belonging to the safe on table in
front of the safe; found the safe locked and
the combination little injured SO as l
could not set it again. 1t would not turn.
l saw some papers belonging to the safe
scattered on the floor. | saw the police
there. 1 stayed all day. Mr.. Peterson was
not there. He came in the afternoon. Mr..
More was sent for by the Minister of Int
rior, and he opened the safe. The inner
door was unlocked. had key to it. l
.F L.
When the inner door was opened, found
two drawers gone. One drawer was on the
table, the other was found later on. One
drawer was locked. | had one key. | do
not know who opened the other. That
drawer had been forced open. There was
private money of my own IN it. The other
drawer contained gold and silver coin,
drafts and certificates. 1t was all missing
but some small change and the drafts. Mr..
Peterson and myself had the combination
of that safe. l do not know whether any
one else had the combination. In the safe
was $3.50 in certificates, 81 1865 in gold, 81
American currency and $4S2 silver coin
(Hawaiian).
Cross examined: There were books in
my safe in which l kept the money order
accounts, all of which I use. On Sunday
morning l got down to the Office about
O'Clock. l was called there by another
clerk, Mr.. Swain. l am in the habit of GO
ing down Sundays in the forenoon. l
~
Manaku at the office when | went there.
There is always money in the safe, as we
are paying out and receiving all the time.
Saturday nights there is always more
money than ut other times in the safe. OF
the amounts given none belonged TO me.
During Sunday no attempt was made to
open my safe, not until Mr.. Peterson came.
| tried the combination when l first got
down, and found / could not turn 1t. The
disc outside had been denied so that the
l., l.. l r,fnfY fi,a
office after o'clock Saturday evening. l
left two clerks working at that hour. The
usual time for closing the window Is
o'clock on Saturdays. l usually leave be-
tween and 4 o'clock. The other clerks
leave about the same time. All are gener-
ally gone before o'clock / did not know
anything that would have kept the clerks
there till 10 O'Clock that night. The safe L
used was Magneso Calcite, made at Bos-
ton. L think Mr.. Peterson did not say
anything about the affair until the after
noon. L found the other safe with two
doors open. L know the moneys received
from sale of stamps are kept in that safe.
1t was an old one with combination lock.
L never knew the combination of that safe.
G. q. Berger, sworn, stated: l was i'll
the Post Office on January 9th. l saw the
money order safe. | was there when 1t
was opened by Mr.. More. l examined
the combination. L am agent for safes;
have been for ten or twelve years. under
stand what IS necessary about locks and
combinations. / observed dent on the
disc, which must have been made af ter the
safe was opened. The lock was III perfect
condition-the only defect was the indenta-
ton on the dial on the lower part. The ef-
feet of the blow was to prevent the turning
of the knob any more than to just lock the
safe again. l do not remember where the
combination stood; L think on the ten.
The blow may have been struck before the
safe was re-locked or after. The door could
not be opened after the blow.
CroSs-examined: 1t is not burglar
proof safe, only fire-prOof. 1t Is three
numbered safe, the last being fixed num-
Der. You can change any one number on
that lock. l did not examine the old safe.
L looked at il. 1t had a combination and
key both on the outer door. 1t Is an old
styled safe.
o. Swain: am delivery clerk at the Post
Office. l was there on Saturday, January
I'd. The office usually closes at O'Clock
on Saturdays. | was there from $50 a. m.
until 10 D. m. After hours Manaku, Peter
son and myself were there until 10. l was
taking inventory of the office, Manaku as
sisting me. Peterson came in the office
the fore part of the evening about o'clock.
He did no work. After taking inventory we
were to giveit to Peterson. Peterson was only
there at intervals. l cannot say how often
he went out. When we left we left Peter
son there. There is a light on the veranda
on Merchant street. l went out the back
door, up Bethel street to King street. L
could not see the light In front the way we
went home.
Cross-examined: When we left, Peter
son was doing nothing. He intimated he
had to write up his cash book. There was
nothing to prevent him doing it earlier in
the evening. He went in and out twice
that l remember of; might have been
more. He was out longer than he was III.
l did not pay any special attention. When
he came in he did nothing. He talked with
us and seemed to have his senses and APP
peared as usual. Manaku and myself
have keys to the door leading out on Bethel
street L am never in the Post Office
evenings except when there is work to do.
Peterson did not take out his books that
evening while / was there. 1 did not OBJ
serve Whether his safe was locked when |
went out Money received at the window
was kept in his safe. L do not know how
much was in the safe. l turned the money
in every evening. / could tell how much
was turned in that evening by referring to
the books.
David ManaBu, sworn, stated; am en-
ployed at the Post Office. L was there Sat
urday evening, January 2d. The office
was closed at O'Clock. Was there in the
evening until between $50 and 10 O'Clock
taking inventory of the stock and making
out list of advertised letters. Peterson
was not there in the afternoon. He came
to the Office after shutdown. He was in
and out We left him there. When we
got through l handed him the stamp &C
count book and the lamp. 1 left between
$50 and 10 O'Clock.
Cross-examined: Peterson had to enter
the stamp account book in his cash book.
Don't know whether the cash book was out.