The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-08-01
SWIFT YACHTS MISSION
GOING TO RESCUE A NOTORIOUS
CRIMINAL.
King of Bunco Steerers -Dashing De-
tail-New California -- Handsome
Craft May Call at This Port.

NEW YORK.-The Herald says: 1t
is asserted on excellent authority that
the friends of tom" O'Brien of New
York, better known as the liking of
bunco steerers," have perfected plan
for his liberation from the French
penal settlement of New Caledonia, to
which he was transported for life last
March, after being convicted at Paris
of the murder of his one-time partner
and brother in swindles, kid Wad-
dell. The friends of the bunco man
have invented a scheme of rescue and
perfected it's details, and their boast
is they will have O'Brien inhaling deep
breaths of the air of freedom before
the leaves begin to fall.
Within few days, it is said, large
steam yacht. carrying ample supplies
for an intended cruise, will leave San
Francisco for the South Pacific. She
will carry picked crew, selected for
their supreme Indifference to any con-
siderations but those of Doodle. Their
apparent destination will be Sydney,
! Australia, and the gentlemen" who
embark on her as passengers will be
| known as rich New Workers, off for n
pleasure jaunt.
The yacht it is said, will carry n
/ Of 10 of ~
has been promised handsome bonus
in the event of successful termina-
ton of the voyage. She is heavily
armed and prepared to make fierce
bluff if the occasion should arise for
such action. Four noted crooks will
occupy the yachts saloon. The only
man in their confidence is the captain,
who will receive $4,000 when O'Brien is
safely landed. The names of these
four passengers have, of course, not
been trumpeted abroad, but it is
understood that one of them halls
from this city. All of them are reso-
lutte men who would stop at nothing
to attain the desired end. The captain
is unfavorably known as one of the
stiffest sea martinets on the Pacific
Coast, and he selected the crew him
self.
The plan of operations is very sim
pie 1t has been ascertained that
o Brien had been put to work in one
of the convict tobacco plantations not
far from Noumea, the capital of the
island. The yacht will come to anchor
Il couple of miles off the coast and the
king" will be appraised of this fact al
once by agents who have been heavily
bribed for the service. Signals will be
made which will be satisfactorily ac
counted for by these agents to the
authorities in the event of embaras
sing questions being asked. The res
cue is fixed to take place any night
thereafter when the conditions are
suitable.
! O'Brien is confined in onestorN
dormitory with other members of the
gang in which he labors under the
broling southern sun. Sentries patro
he enclosure in which these dormito
ries are situated the whole night long
The inclosure consists of a high fence
practically unscalable by man unas
sisted from without. Even if he sue
ceeded in getting into the yard il
which the sentries are posted thu
would-be fugitive must surely be dis
covered and shot before he could reacl
the fence.
/, 1t is said, however. that the king
of bunko steerers has nearly succeeded
in digging his way to freedom TIL,
story goes that he has, assisted, o
. course, by those who know the secret
scooped out passage1way through
the unused and delapidated cellar un
der his prison house to point out
side the fence which encloses the bar
racks.
AS soon as he energies from hi
home, if he ever does emerge, he viii
be met by guides, who will conduc
him to the shore, where the yacht
boat will be in waiting If O'Brien eve
, reaches the boat, manned by his pow
erful oarsmen, his safety will be as
. sured.
ARE YOU TIRED