The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-02-01


was about SIX months ago in regard to
Post Office affairs. He said the money
could easily be taken. The conversation
was partly on the street and at the ROYAL
he spoke to rue again on the street. He
said the Post Office could easily be robbed
and he would divide. I would not listen.
| had no conversation with him previous
to this about my books. A short time ago
told him that my books were behind and
there was an examination going on. / do
not know whether Walker had any assist
ance. The back door was left open and the
gate open. The gate gave access to the
back yard and the mauka door was also
left open. 1t was easy for anyone 10 get
access to the building l shut my safe but
did not lock it, and left my books in it. Be
sides the books in the safe there was post
age stamps and money-about 800. The
money order safe was left open. / I'M
closed the combination before Walker
came Some of the drawers in the safe
were locked. | did not examine them
Walker tried the drawers and opened
them. The money order safe has two
doors | had the duplicate KEY and opened
1t. Wlllfong has the other key. l went
home after L left the Anchor Saloon.
was in the Post Office next morning at 5
o'clock with Kalaelao. lit the lamp and
found my safes open. shut Willfong'S safe
l told my boy To strike the knob of the safe
TO make II appear rs II II was injured. He
did so with a hammer He also took off
the hasp. 1t was done from the inside
telephOned for the police and one came
Before others arrived, | got a carriage on
Queen street and went home. | stayed
home about one and half hours. / told
my little boy was going To Maunaloa. l
went on horseback. l felt excited and
thought it would ease my mind. Return
ing, met Manaku. He said was wanted
at the Post Office. On Tuesday | met
Walker at the Anchor saloon lie asked
tn drink gbnUDna and said hn haH
81 900 for me. | had glass of beer. There
was quite number in the saloon. O'Sulli-
van, the barkeeper, was behind the bar
about ten feet away. Walker spoke very
low. On the 18th | went To his house and
asked for Mr.. Cummins. | asked him for
some money; he had none, but his wife
had 800. She took the money from a
trunk. gave her my note for six months
at one per cent. She gave me $500 gold
and 500 silver The note was made paya-
bic to Mrs. Matilda Walker. They live on
Beretania street. They formerly lived over
the Royal Saloon. The Post Office is at
the corner of Merchant and Bethel streets,
Honolulu.
Cross-examined: do not know who be-
gan the conversation that Saturday even
ing. | do not think it was the first matter
talked about. did not go there with the
intention OF speaking about my books. The
condition of my books worried me very
much. The books were behind, and my
ACCOUNTS Sl1OulNI nave gone Ill by january
9th. There were omissions of entries, but
no wrong entries, to my knowledge. There
might be one or two. | could not explain
though | might if l had time. Ny anxiety
was about them being behind. There was
not the amount of money in my safe which
was in the cash book; about $500 short.
have been behind in my cash for three or
four months. | told Walker my books
were behind, and my cash short some 5000
| asked him to destroy my books. l am
-, l., -,
had time to write them up. Ny books
were kept in my safe. | wanted the ledger
and journal destroyed, not the cash book
There was about $400 or $500 in my safe
that night Walker said he would not do
anything without having the combination
OF both safes. 1t was agreed to that even
ing. He said he was going to blow up one
safe. do not remember saying anything
about dynamite in my examination
at the Police Court. The Postmaster
spoke to me six months ago about
my books not being written up,
told him l could write them up in little
time. | am not sure there were any
wrong entries at that time, though there
may have been one. There was mix ure
l have had conversation with Mr.. Walker
the Auditor General He saw my books,
and thought that by separating the two ac-
counts they would come out all right. He
has not repeatedly asked me for my ac-
counts. 1t is clear to my mind what took
place that evening. | had two glasses of
beer during the day. After coming down
in the evening the first thing | drank was
claret | went to Cunha's and had glass of
claret there. 1t was after | left Gertzs.
There were several people at the Royal
when l made my first visit. | did not
drink anything but claret that evening
with the exception of a glass of brandy |
had in the Anchor Saloon. 1t was nearly
1890 when | went to tell Walker the
clerks had gone home. | waited for
Walker a few minutes. He was in the of
flee fifteen minutes. He went outside first
and went down the street, and l went
home. Nothing was taken from the office
at that time. l did not go round on to
Merchant street. | did not stand talking
to any person | did not see ANYBODY. /
was not intoxicated that evening-one can
not always tell. | was under mental eX-
element. | could not have said in the PO-
lice Court that my head was not clear. l
remember the circumstances of that even
ing very well. l did not return to the
Post Office that night. On Sunday morn
ing L locked the safe door, because / was
excited, and for the same reason made the
dent in the safe. l might have borrowed
the money from the defendant. My head
was tired, and l was quite unwell. People
sometimes do foolish things | told the
policeman first that locked the safe. To
the authorities / first made it known be-
fore | went to the Police Court. II was be-
fore Walkers arrest, and after | borrowed
the money from Mrs. Walker. She told
me 1t was her money. | knew for several
days there was a suspicion against me. l
told the story first about Walkers connec-
ton III the matter to the Attorney General
at my house. l was sick then. | believe it
was in the evening. | was not charged on
that occasion in being implicated No
promises were made TO me whatever. The
conversation with Walker lasted about fiji
teen minutes or half an hour. 1t was more
than five minutes We drank together. |
do not know what Walker drank. The
door leading to the bar was open.
BY the Court: / let Walker in by the door
on Bethel street. | never saw that Ga
skeleton key before until that Sunday
morning.
The prosecution rested here.
After a short recess Mr.. Hatch opened
the defense by calling H NJ. Whitney, who
was sworn and stated: | am Postmaster
General l have held the position nearly
three years. Peterson was there when [
went in. He had been there for two or
three years prior. Previous to the robbery
his books had not been kept with that
accuracy that l should have liked. All /
could do was to get him to be more prompt
| have taken him to task several times. L
might have done. Shortly before the rob
berry l had not said anything to him that
would cause unusual anxiety.
CrOSs-eXamined: was aware the Auditor
General was having investigations made.
1t began with the Post Office early in
October PetersOns books were examined
then by Mr.. Walker, the Auditor General
The latter went through them not very
closely, but appeared to be satisfied. There
ha 4 find hn n