The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-06-25

The man who forged the name Of
Rev. Charles Strong to two checks of
SO each, which were passed success
fully last Saturday, is undoubtedly
Francis Leonard Harden. He is an En-
gIishman of good family who has seen
service with the royal navy, and who
has evidently knocked about pretty
much all over the world.
Harden arrived here May on the
British steamship Drumfell. He was
fired off the ship by the captain on &C
count of some trouble he had had on
board. The captain refused to let Har-
den have his chest of clothing, and the
first thing the latter did after arriving
in port was to go before Justice Naugh
tin and swear out a possessory war
rant for his property. He was success
full in getting it, there being no law
by which the captain of the steamship
could confiscate the property.
Harden claimed that he had done
newspaper work at various times and
that he at one time edited a paper in
Honolulu, where he said he was lieu
tenant on the staff of ex-Queen Liliuo-
kalani. He thought a little influence
brought to bear on the justice would
help his case. 1t was very evident, how
ever, that he was only tyro in the
newspaper business. He had very in
teresting story to tell of his adven-
lures, however, and his narrative in brief
was published in the Morning News of
May z.
Harden stated that while member of |
paper in the interest of the royal party |
When royalty was overthrown in Ha- |
wall by the restless Americans who had |
decided to run things there, he made |
himself so obnoxious to the American |
party. according to his own statement, |
that he was thrown into prison. He
was released after a short while, but |
having been involved in the plots for
the Queens restoration, he was compel |
led to leave. From Hawaii, he said he
went to the Fiji ISLANDS, which, after
a brief but meteoric career, he left, also |
at the special invitation of the Gov
eminent
A good part of this story was evil
IDENTIFY true, as Harden was well posted |
on the events which occurred in Ha-
wall about this time. He claimed to
have gone then to Chile, and to have
taken part in the revolution against |
President Balmaceda. He claims to
have held various positions with the in
surgents and to have witnessed the diff
ficulty between the Chileans and the
sailors of the United States steamship
Baltimore, in which several of the sail
ors were knitted by the Chileans, who
felt that the United States had been too
favorable to Balamceda. In fact, there
were few places of interest where Har-
den had not been. according to his
story, although he claimed to be only
"a years old He looked much older,
however
After he got his clothing from the
Drumfell, Harden rugged up in good
style for few days, but evidently had
no cash with which to back his style,
and his good clothes shortly began to
disappear. for the last week or so of
MS stay here his appearance was rather
Seedy. The manner in which the checks
were passed upon Messrs. Cooper and
Tuberdy was described in yesterday
News.
Harden represented himself as being
IN the employ of Mr.. Strong of Beau
lieu, and that the latter had sent him ]
to make some purchases. AS evidence
OF the truth of his statements he pre-
scented one of Mr.. Strong's cards. He
also stated that he was to take charge
or st. Johns Church as sexton in few
days.
Rev. Mr.. Strong tells how Harden
managed 10 secure the information
which enabled him to use Mr.. Strong's
name. An advertisement appeared in
the morning News last week for a sex
ton. mere were several applicants for
the position, and among them was Har-
den. He saw Mr.. Strong but once and I
was referred to Mr. G. H. Remsbart
the member of the vestry who had the T
matter in charge. Harden did not get
any satisfaction out of Mr.. Remshart
and returned to Mr.. Strong This was :
Saturday. Mr.. Strong was out and Har-
1en was told to wait for him in his
study. He spent some time there and
nnally went off. He came back in the
afternoon and was informed that Mr..
strong had gone out to Beaulieu. While
waiting in the study in the morning T
Harden had evidently improved the op- f
portunlty to rummage through Mr..
otrong's desk. He found there. among d
1ther things, Mr.. Strong's bank book. u
showing MS account with the Southern :,
sank, and his check book, with the
stubs of checks already used. and a 2