The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-12-19
A Plan To Overthrow The Govern
ment All Mapped Out.
j. h. VAN GEIsEN EXPLAINS ALL.
The Part That Bush, Crick and Nawahi
Took In the Affair They Were to
Make Prisoners OF Prominent Men
Treason Discovered in Printers Lane.

The preliminary examination Of j. L.
Bush, E. c. Crick, Joseph Nawahi and
F. Weed, charged with conspiracy, was
commenced yesterday morning in the
District Court before Judge Perry. The
prosecution was conducted by Attorney
General Smith and his deputy, A. g. NJ.
Robertson. The defendants were repre-
sented by G.. W. Ashford and A. P.
Peterson. The courtroom was well filled
all day with attentive spectators. In
side of the railing every available chair
was occupied by members OF the bar who
seemed to take a keen interest in the
proceedings.
The defendants were seated near their
counsel and seemed greatly disturbed
when J. 81. Van Giesen, the first
witness for the prosecution, told his
overthrow the Government. Van Giesen
was formerly a schoolteacher on Molo-
kai, but for the last year he has been
employed in the secret service OF the
police department. He ingratiated him
self into the confidence of Bush, Crick
and Nawahi, and while associating with
them ne was kept posted in regard to
their plans. According to his story,
Crick was particularly confding and
nothing of importance transpired with
out the witness being informed regard
ing it. 1t seemed that he and Crick
lived in the same house, and on one oc-
casion the witness was handed some
guns by the defendant to care for them
until the time was ripe for the uprising.
Van Giesen was welcome caller at
Bush's house in Printers Lane and for
some time was employed as a writer for
the English edition of the Ka Leo. He
mingled freely with his employer and
his friends and was present on several
occasions when reasonable talk was in
dulged in. While all this was going on
he made frequent reports to the Marshal.
According to his testimony no talk of
using force was heard until after the ar
rival of the ex-Queen's commission after
fruitless visit to Washington.
Van Giesen did not implicate Weed in
the conspiracy, in fact he did not men
ton his name in connection with the
affair. 1t is stated, however, that the
prosecution will connect Weed with the
affair by statements from other wit
nesses.
About IL 80 O'Clock Van Giesen was
turned over to the attorneys for the de-
PENDANTS. He received severe cross
examination but his original story was
not changed very much under the heavy
cross-fire. The witness was asked a
number of embarrassing questions with
the intention of discrediting his testl-
mony.
Before the witness was placed on the
stand the charge against the defendants
made. NIr. Ashford made formal OBJ
lection to the charge, claiming that
it was insufficient, ami closing his re-
marks by saving, "The Republic OF Ha-
waii has not been in existence for six
months.'
J.H. Van Giesen, after he was sworn
stated that he was a police officer en-
ployed in the secret service. He resides
in Honolulu and has been in the Mar
shal's employ since Novem Der, 1893.
He had made reports OF his work
to his superior as frequently as oc-
casion demanded. He knew Bush,
Acquainted with Weed Bush is en-
gagged in the printing business, with
headquarters in tTinter's Lane. Chick
| was assisting Bush in the publication OF
Ia Leo, and additional assistance was
| rendered by Nawahi ss a writer. The
| witness also helped by setting type and
| writing articles.
During the last six months he had
many conversations with the defendants
on different SUBJECTS, Dut the most I'M
poitaut one was with Crick. This was
on August 22d, when Crick told him that
! blood would yet be shed to settle the
present political question OF Hawaii. he
replied that he thought the matter would
| be settled quietly, and in time the ma
/ tiyes would accept the new order OF
| things. Crick warned him not to count
| too much on his conclusion, remarking
| that Robert Wilcox had g. o men who
| would follow hin but they lacked arms
| and ammut ition The witness expressed
| the opinion that the natives would do
| nothing themselves. ant as for the for
eigners, ti,e extent Of their warfare would
| be limited to talk only. Crck then said
| there were sone white man who would
| fight, and named Tom Walker as one,
| remarking, ''He vii fight ike tiger
| then thele is Mers err, his frothe in
| law. Oh, there viii be quite crowd.
| The witness then asked for Information
| regarding the plan in case OF an uprising,
| and as near as he cor.d remem Der Crlc4
| told him that simultaneous attach
would be made at different portions o
the city, and at the same time the Gov
eminent building and the station hous'
| would be taken. While this was going
on all the prominent men in town woul'
be at their homes under arrest to pre-
vent them from rendering any assist
ance. The witness replied that the roy
alists might take the Government bnild
ing, but not the station house, b cause