The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-12-16
TWICCED A TIMER
Elmer Russell Made Hay
While the Sun ShOne.
Dropped in Town and Visited the
Former Home of a
Friend.

Elmer Russell, the boy who sang
only One Girl In This World for Me"
Sweet Tillie Taylor" and other songs
while he was here with the Elsie
Adair Company, got himself into so
much trouble and was such a nuisance
TO the company that it was decided 10
send him back to his home in Chicago
consequently, he was put on the steam
er Belgic, which arrived in port yester
day and sailed for San Francisco in
the afternoon.
Said one of the officers of the Belgic
yesterday: Elmer Russell nearly wor-
ried the Elsie Adair Company to death
with telling lies, stealing and raising
trouble generally wherever he went.
He formed a habit of strolling home
about 2 o'clock in the morning, and
could not be persuaded to remain at
home. One day he was found by the
police in the vilest part of Shanghai
after three days absence.
He was taken home and reprimand-
ed, but this seemed to have no effect
at all, so he was locked in a room and
his clothes were taken away from him.
Nothing daunted, Elmer wrapped a
sheet about him, crawled through the
transom stole into the managers room,
Sdlueu entrance 10 Jue JIullh anu JOOh
out a large sum of money, which he
spent down in some of the dives of the
city.
Previous to these happenings he
had shot one Chinaman in the leg and
another in the face with an air gun.
Not content with this he dropped a
heavy piece of iron from an upper win
dow of the hotel which cut open a
Chinaman's head and caused an infu-
rated mob to rush into the hotel in
search of the perpetratOr of the act.
Had it not been for the police Elmer
might have Jared badly.
"On the whole, it was thought best
by the manager of the Elsie Adair
Company TO send him back to his home
in Chicago"
Even when Elmer Russell was in Ho-
nolulu yesterday he did not fail to do
his share of mischief
He went up town Immediately after
the arrival of the Belgic, and began
searching for his friends.
Although it has not been proven
that Elmer was the boy concerned in
the following story, still, circum-
stances point toward him:
Between 10 and II o'clock in the
morning Capt. Searle's cottage, near
the corner of Beretania and Punch
bowl streets, was entered by a thief,
and things were turned upside down.
When Mrs. Searle returned, she found
a gold watch, with the monogram e.
H." and having attached a key and
three gold balls; locket, with dia-
mOnd set in it; a gold chain and gold
breast-pin, all gone.
1t seems that Mrs. Searle had left
the key in the outer door and had
InplEoH A l1IP1< would have
it the keys for both doors were iden-
teal, and the thief found this out.
Either before or after the theft was
committed a boy about 13 years old,
with a gray suit. with cap to match.
lace shoe, black stockings and a large
ruffied collar" was seen to linger
around the Downie place makai. Mrs
DOwnie asked him what he was doing
there, and what his name was. He re-
piled that he was looking for some
friends who lived near by. and that his
name was Frank Williams"
He left then, and the robbery was
discovered shortly after. Suspicion
was placed on the boy. as he had been
seen around the place for some time
Detective KAPPA went over to st. Louis
College to see Frank Williams, took
him to Mrs. DOwnie and found that Re
was not the boy wanted. The detec-
tives were kept going all day long try
ing to get some clue to the boy who
had been near the Searle premises dur
ing the morning.
After the steamer Belgic had left for
San Francisco, Tom Hughes. a brother
of Mrs. Searle. dropped in at the pO-
lice station and gave Detective KAPPA
the information that his bird had
flown" He then explained that while
in McInerny's store he had been told
of a boy answering exactly the de-
scription given by Mrs. DOwnie, and
that upon inquiry it had been found
to be Elmer Russell, the lad who was
being sent home on account of his
unruly habits.
The fact that Elmer said he had gone
to the locality of Beretania and Punch
bowl streets to see a friend seemed TO
strike Detective KAPPA forcibly. He
made inquiries, and found that a GER
tain family now living on Beretania
street had occupied the Searle prem
fses until just a few weeks ago, when
Capt. Searle and family moved in.
The boy in this family was asked if
he knew a lad by the name of Elmer
Russell. to which he replied in the af
firmative. He had met him when he
was here with the Elsie Adair Com
pany some months ago.
The mystery was solved Elmer had
gone to the house. where his friend
had fOrmely lived. and, receiving no re-
sponses to his whistles. had decided 10
enter, which he did with profit to him
self.