The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-08-23
ALAMEDA ROBBERY
Australian Crooks Are
Wanted.
Criminals Imported to San fran
else sto take a Mans Life Com
mite the Robbery.


I"Australian Plunger," the man of
mystery, have been flung to the breeze
by the police. The mask of respecta-
lbility behind which he has tried to hide
vealed as an escaped Australian con-
Wet; as one of the greatest criminals
of the century. Three warrants for
his arrest are in the hands of the local
authorities. sworn to by w. Z. Green,
the Denver millionaire, charging him
with the embezzlement of sums aggre-
eating S26SOOO.
Howard or Doyle. his real name,
and as he will hereafter be known, has
not been seen since Thursday last. The
police believe he is in hiding in this
lefty.
Chief Lees and Green not only brand
him as a swindler, but as would-be
murderer, with the Denver man as the
intended victim. Doyle is believed to
be the head and plotter of the gang
who mysteriously robbed the specie
room of the Pacific liner Alameda of
5 900 sovereigns in May last during a
voyage between Sydney, n. S. W., and
this port Suspected of this crime he
has been under surveillance since that
time, but no attempt was made to APP
prehend him. the police being advised
of the coming of two members of the
clique, and it was their hope to gather
them all in at once.
w. E. Green came to this city in
September, 1897, when he met Doyle
for the first time. The latter repre-
sented himself to be an English naval
officer on leave of absence, granted be-
cause of wounds received in the bonn
bardment of Alexandria. But few
days were necessary for Howard, as he
was then known, to work himself IN
the good graces of Green, who, not
withstanding that he has seen much OF
the world, yet remains guileless.
He opened up scheme to make gas
from borax, shale lime and other ingre-
dents. and claiming for the process the
return of immense profits. Doyle also
had a gas engine that would practically
revolutionize the motive power OF the
commercial world. The one thing nee
essary to make the inventions success
full was a supply of shale. Doyle tolo
Green that a brother owned shale
bed in Australia, and if Green Woulo
advance the money he would go to the
Antipodes and negotiate for the pur'
chase of the land. On the strength o.
cablegrams signed by Agnes Faul, who
turns out to be Towards wife, setting
forth the ownership of the Shale bed t(
be vested in Towards brother, the
IDenver man advanced him Sl3,OOO u
make the purchase. Howard arrived II
|. Australia in November, 1897 HI
found his brother and then caDlel
Green that his brother would not sci
the property for less than 825,OOO
Green refused to advance any more
thinking the price was too high. Final
ly he received a cable from Howard
stating that he had purchased the lane
for s15O,OOO borrowing the additional
money from his sister to make the pur
2 chase.
On May 1. 1898, Howard returned tt
this city and was met by Green. IN
two on November following, sailed
together for the Colonies on the steam
er Mariposa to adjust difficulties Whlcl
had arisen in connection with TN
mythical purchase of the State land
At Honolulu Howard disappeared an'
was not found by Green until afte
the ship sailed. He feigned illness ant
insisted on returning to San FRANCIS
co. The two returned. Now comes GU
the reason why Howard did not wan
, to go to Sydney. Over his head i
hanging a sentence of five years for oh
tanning money under false pretenseS.
If he returned to Sydney direct h
no no
went to Australia a few months pre-
viously it had been by the way of New
Zealand Green being with him h
=. could not follow the route, and o
course did not want to show his hand
More money exchanged hands be
tween the two men until Howard ha
obtained the sum mentioned. 1nel
came the preparations for another Voy
age to Australia. but on the day o
departure Howard had himself ar
rested on a 'phoney" warrant charging
him with perjury in the Foster case.
Howard had timed the dealing of tn
last hand, knowing that it would b
. impossible to shake Green off whel
once the latter knew he had bee
swindled. He had imported N tn
meantime from the Colonies tire
men stepped in crime and who woul
not even stop aL HluTueI W GAIN Incl
ends. These men went to the whar
and We're paid S20, 1000 by Howard TO d
away with Green. They failed.
One of the trio followed the million
aire to Australia, back again, and be
tween Auckland and Honolulu robbie
the Alameda's specie room, escaping a
the latter port.
Towards scheme had been to hav
the stolen sovereigns placed in Green
stateroom if he could not be disposed
of. and in this way cast the suspicion
o of the robbery on him. The cupidit.
of the criminal to whom the task wa
: Entrusted overcame him and he failed
When Green returned to this cit,
Howard was the first one to point tn
! finger of suspicion at him, as die