The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-25

An ordinary looking man with
grip sack full of $50 gold pieces, cut IA
wide swath in the lower strata of So
ciety last Friday and Saturday. He
arrived here on the 5. S. Moana, un-
der the name of A. c. Osgood, and de-
parted again, with the sack of gold,
by the s. 5. Peru, under the name of
\. Howard. He was a three DAYS
mystery, for during his brief soiourn
in the city he spent money with Law
ish hand and kept his personal affairs
to himself.
The mysterious visitor was about
the last passenger to leave the Ocean
ic dock after the arrival of the Moa-
ma. The dock was almost deserted
when he approached Port Surveyor
Stratemeyer and Inspector Story at
the boarding office, and asked them to
inspect the grip which he carried in
his hand. He was asked the usual
questions about its contents, to which
he replied in such a iocular way. that
Inspector Storey finally asked him 10
open the bag. He did 50 and there
was displayed to the astouished gaze
of the customs officers pile of $50
gold pieces. Are they genuine?"
queried Story. you bet" replied the
traveller, running his fingers through
the golden pile, and lifting a handful
for closer inspection. Nothing more
was said, and Osgood passed through
the gate.
Osgood secured hack and at once
started out for good time, leaving his
grip in the meantime at an office for
safe keeping. During his entire stay
in the city he had hack waiting on
him, and paid without question what
ever was asked. Whenever he drank,
his order was for champagne, but he
did not drink much even of that. And
wherever he went he made a display
of plenty of gold, actually throwing
it about him at times. He visited the
stores and purchased the best and the
most costly of everything he wanted,
refusing to accept discount for cash.
Once or twice he dined at the Hawa-
iian hotel, but did not have a room
there. Where he slept only the hack
men who served him know.
From various sources it is learned
that Osgood was booked through on
the Moana for Australia, but gave his
ticket to a steerage passenger and got
off here. He told one person that he
had received important letters calling
him back to San Francisco. Another
he told that he had taken a fancy to
Honolulu, and' was going back to get
hisNwife, and then return here to be-
come permanent resident. He was
apparently in his right mind. On his
fingers and shirt bosom he displayed
some magnificent diamonds.
On Saturday morning Osgood drove
down to the Peru and tried to make
arrangements for shipping a large
sum of money to San Francisco, OBJ
jecting when told that a charge of /
per cent would be made. Next he
went to the safe deposit vaults and
secured a box, into which he dump
ed his gold. 1t only remained there
for few hours, for he withdrew it
again, paced it in the same grip sack
and again drove to the steamer.
In the meantime the stranger had
purchased a first class ticket for San
Francisco, giving his name as \. How
ard. Although no record of anyone by
that name can be found at the Gus
tom House among arrivals from
abroad, Surveyor Statemeyer did not
| demand a passport, because he rec
ognized in 4. Howard the earstwhile
| \. c. Osgood. Up to the time the gang
plank was taken in, Osgood or How
ard had been standing for half an
hour on the dock, talking to steam.
er acquaintance. He was the last
man to go aboard.
The impression seems to prevail
that the mysterious stranger is either
bold defaulter or an eccentric man
| nf wealth whose mind iS tpmpDro ri \