The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-06-06
THE TRUTH ABOUT HAGEN.
IHE SHOWER" ron BNNK ronGrRs
ARRESTED.
How lie Was Traced to san Francisco,
Honolulu and sydney, and ut Last
Captured and Returned.

As noted in the STAR last Friday,
Detective Bennett of New York city
was a passenger on the Mariposa, Thurs.
day, and had in charge man by the
name of Hagen who had been arrested
in Samoa and was being taken back to
America for trial. The detective was
very reticent when approached for par
ticulars of the case, and left the i'm
preston upon all that there was moth
ing sensational or of general interest
connected with the matter. But facts
now in hand show that the capture of
Hagen is matter of considerable inter
est and one upon which the papers of
New York, Cincinnati and other large
cities will comment at great length.
The fact of the matter is that this
fellow Hagen was a ringleader in one
of the boldest and sharpest gangs of
bank swindlers that have ever operated
in any part of the world. Indeed, by
the keenest and best laid plans on
record this gang of bank operators has
managed to secure over 100000 from
the banks in New York and Cincinnati
during the past eight months.
The methods adopted by the swindlers
were as follows: A man purporting to
represent large printing establish
ment was detailed to call upon promi-
nent business houses, brokers, ETC., and
solicit their orders for bank drafts,
II. I. =
terview the sharper was enabled to get
the numbers upon the last check issued,
and then the course was clear. A
second party forged the name of the
business house, using the name signed
TO the order given to man No. as
guide. This forged paper was turned
over to a third party, called the
SHOWER" who passed it at the bank
and drew the money. Hagen (though,
by the way, his name is not Hagen),
was employed as ''shover" of the gang.
For several weeks operations contin
ued in New York City without Interrupt
ton. But, fearing detection, the party,
- sometime in January last transferred
their base of operations to Cincinnati.
Here the matter leaked out, and Hagen
was at once taken under surveillance
by the police. But before confirnatory
evidence had been secured by the police
Hagen had left Cincinnati. The case
was given over to the Pinkertons, and,
after no end of trouble, they traced
<, 30 a., Al,
sharper had taken passage by the Ala
media for Sydney, eluding the detective
by about two hours.
With this knowledge, the banks took
the case from the Pinkertons and sent
one of their own men, Mr.. Bennett, a
man who had seen Hagen, in pursuit of
the criminal. Hagen stopped over in
Honolulu and will be recalled by sew
wards, Bennett arrived and spent sew.
eral days at the Hawaiian Hotel but
said never a word of his mission TO this
country.
In the meantime, Hagen was appre.
hended and arrested in Sydney. There
he was turned over to Mr. Bennett, and
the officer left Australia with his prison
er by the last MaripoEa. But, at Samoa
Hagen made his escaped. He was soor
recaptured, however, and turned ovel
to the detective by the King. Wher
the Mariposa reached Honolulu las
Wednesday, Hagen was put in irons anC
kept so until the vessel had cleared fo
San Francisco.