The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-27
tanned by the committee are herewith
presented.
S. NJ. BALLOU
secretary Citizens Sanitary Commit
tee
Statement Of L. A. rhurston.

statement Of L. A. Thurston-
On Monday last, the 22nd inst, Mr..
l.. Schweitzer made a complaint to me
at the headquarters OF the Citizens
Sanitary Committee, that a while man.
puIportlng To be an inspsc. .or by the
name OF w. johnson. was extorting
goods from Chinese on Nuuanu street.
Inc locality Indicated was IN the In
sPectlon district OF Mr. +. J.. Cross
mere was no inspector OF that name
reported by Mr.. Gross and accord .ng-
~ d-ctated letter to him 70 investi-
gaze the matter. On Iuesaay morn
Ing, before the letter had zone out. Mr.
schWeitzer again came In and made a
further statement in regaid 10 the mat
ter and asked that no further action be
taken by the Committee. saving that
Marshal Brown had investigated the
matter and was satisfied 10 drop II.
replied that the mans actions had cast
an inputation upon all OF the inspec-
tors and that whether Marshal Brown
c. to prosecute or not, ,Iought the
Collector genera or the custom house
should be informed OF the situation.
thereupon laid the mater before the
committee and 4; was Unanimously
voted that the facts should be present
ed TO the Collector and Mr.. Tenney WAS
appointed a committee OF one TO prp-
sent them to him. At his request I
dictated the further statement made 10
me by Mr.. Schwelt7er in the form OF a
postscript to the first letter, In order
that he could lay definitely before the
Collector the facts stated to us. Mg.
Tenney later reported tha. nc had pre-
sented the matter 10 the Collector: that
Mr.. johnson had admitted the charges
were true ant that he had been dis
charged. On Wednesday a friend of
M. Johnson's called on me and wanted
Oh matter dropped. told him that
the committee had already taken nc
ton and reported IL to the Collector OF
the Custom house and they had noshlng
further to do with Il. He requested
me TO use my influence 10 have Mr..
Johnson restored 20 his position In the
Cistom-house. This declined to do.
as from the Information which I had
received ! thought Mr.. StackabIe's
course was correct / have no personal
-uaintance with Mr.. johnson and
have had nothing to do with the mat
ter other Than that above stated.
The folio wing is a copy Of the let
ter which ! wrote to Mr.. Cross:
Honolulu, Jan. 22nd, 1900.
F. J. Cross. ESQ. City.
Dear Sir:-Complalnt IL made 90
this Office by Yee Chan. proprietor Of
store on Nuuanu street. between King
and Hotel. that one W. Johnson. ailcg-
ing TO be sub-inspe,tor came into
his store and demanded a hat, s'atlng
that he was working for the beneit OF
Yee Chan as well as others. He stated
also that Sing Woo had furnished him
with cigars and Ahana with a pair Of
pants. Objection was made TO his TAX
lI4g the hat. but pe took It and went
out with II, stating that II they did not
give IL TO him, that he would pay for n
later.
This. of course, is extortlon pure and
simple. We do not find the name w.
Johnson on your list OF sub-'nFpectora
VIII you kindly investigate this charge
and let us know what explanation, II
any. you can give OF Il?
p S.-Since writing the foregoing
! have ascertained that the w. johnson
in question was paid inspector on the
block in question a week OF 90 ago.
He has admitted his acts to Mr.Schweit-
ger. and under fear OF exposure has
paid for all the articles extorted by him
from Chinese. He IS an employee Of
the custom house. Mr.. Schweitzer
states that he has discussed the mat
ter with Marshal Brown. and out of
consideration for the mans family
he is stated to have a mother and three
sisters-Brown agreed 20 drop any
criminal procedure
The propriety OF this course IN more
than doubtful. as ne has cast an fmpu-
tation uDon the entire body OF iuspec-
tors, and a man who will be guffy Of
extortion under the circumstances indf-
Gated, will steal. and In certainly unfff
20 be In Government employ whether
he is prosecuted or not
I remain,
Yours truly.
L. A. THURSTOH.