The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-22
A HEAVY HAUL
Three Stores Looted in
Chinatown.

to have been accomplished in China
town early yesterday morning. On the
makai side Of King street. near Smith,
is a large brick building occupied by
Wing On Tai & Co. and Wing Now
Chan & Co, Chinese merchants, and
Chu Jem. ieweler. 1t was in the rear
of this building that the Fire Depart
ment had the hardest fight Of the day,
in preventing the flames from reach
ing the Honolulu Iron Works, just in
the rear.
Guards were stationed near the
building all Saturday night. yet when
the proprietors visited their places Of
business yesterday morning it was dis
covered that the three stores had been
ransacked. Trunks, drawers and
boxes were broken open, and their con-
tents scattered over the floors Thou
sands Of cigars were lying about the
place, liquor cases had been preached
and a systematic search of the entire
store made for valuables. A large safe.
containing a considerable quantity of
cash and jewelry. had been tempered
with. and the combination so injured
/ that TIE safe cannot be opened for the
purpose of discovering if the thieves
/ had actually obtained access to its
contents.
/ II is impossible to place value on
the articles carried off. as many of
/ the trunks belonged to men at the va
rious quarantine camps. II is known
/ that a large quantity of valuable jew
elry including a large solitaire dia-
mond ring of exceptional quality, to-
gether with $500 in gold from one
trunk, and various smaller sums from
other boxes and drawers, and also a
large number of boxes of cigars and
bottles of various liquors have been
taken away.
Chu Jem, who takes his loss most
philosophically, has met with consid-
cradle misfortune in Hawaii. In 1886
he lost everything in the previous
Chinatown fire. which left him saddled
with heavy liabilities.
An offer by his creditors TO accept a
percentage was refused by Gnu Jem
who promised to pay every cent of his
Indebtedness. If given time. This prom
Use was faithfully carried out. and as
a result Chu Jem is today looked upon
as one of the most trustworthy men in
the city, and his word is considered
as good as cash in business transac-
tions.
Marshal Brown was busy all yester-
day in tracing the burglars, and last
night two men, employed at the Iron
Works, were held for investigation.
One of the guards states that early
on Sunday morning several men came
through the back way to King street
from the Iron Works, and gave hin
cigars which bear the same brand as
many scattered about the floor of the
warehouse. He says the men were I'M
der the influence of liquor at the time
and his evidence goes long way to
ward running down the providers. L
is expected that more arrests will b.
made in the same quarter. The build
ings were last night placed under
special guard to prevent further rob
berry
This is not the only case of pillag
in the burned district, although it i
by far the most important. \ tri
around the outskirts where the per
sonal effects saved from the fire wer
stacked reveals the fact that scores o
boxes and trunks have been tampere
with. Cords and cane lashings wer
cut. locks broken off and in man
cases boxes have been completed
. wrecked A drayman was caught yes
terday in the act of opening a packag
and abstracting silver-plated knlve
and forks therefrom.
General Indignation is expressed o
a. g.
, of affairs. and it is pretty safe to sa
= that any one caught will receive scar
, mercy at the hands of the authorize