The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-02

they had purchased them. As the over
coats cost the United States govern
ment nearly ten dollars apiece the value
OF the property recovered was coRsid-
cradle
Major Roach. when seen on board the
| transport last evening. said he had no
intention OF prosecuting the purchasers
Of the property.
ut Is a crime to either buy or sell n
uniform other accoutrement of II
| United States soldier" he said. 1T Is
unnecessary 70 invoke the aid the author
| tiles to take possession OF property DIS
posed OF in this manner, though in this
instance the sheriff was asked to lend
his assistance, which he kindly did The
civilians who bought the uniforms could
be punished under the articles of war,
but we Will take no action of that kind.
The men who sold their overcoats be-
cause they thought they wouldn't need
them in the Philippines, and because they
were broke, may have TO suffer for it,
Nothing has been done in the matter
yet.
1T appears to be common practice
for the people here to buy clothing and
other articles of equipment from the SOL
diers. An old soldier will not sell any
part Of his uniform. for he knows what
the punishment may be: but these new
fellows are willing TO take chances. a
United States army officer has right to
recover this sort of property at any time
and without legal action. If 1 saw a man
passing along the street with a KraA-
Jorgensen, il would be my duty to at
once take possession Of it, without any
fcrmality''
I'VE found old uniforms in nearly every
place visited" said the officer who
had conducted the raid. THE purchas-
ers anu possessors of United States prop
erty made no secret of the fact. either.
We took only that which belonged to our
own soldiers and did not modest people
having that which belonged TO other reeI-
ments. 1t appears to be common prac-
tice here in Honolulu TO purchase uni
forms from passing soldiers. The volun-
teers started il going, and there are very
few natives in the city who have not
some article OF equipment. One man who
was driving a brewery wagon had an
ovcrcoat i'm his possession. He was per-
fectly honest about it, and said he had
bought ii for $50. Nearly every hack
driver in the city has an army overcoat.
so my guide informed me- bought from
the volunteers on their way to the Phil
ippines OF the States.
our men are not allowed to leave the
ship with any extra equipment They
didn't do it in this instance. but soldiers
on board the transport threw the goods
over onto the coal wharf where friends
were in waiting 10 take them away. 1t
was easy enough To- hnd where the over
tOdtS ana ui4loiti5 ldu Dten SOiQ. as
Is known just what equipment each man
ought TO have. Those who were unable
To produce all that had been issued to
them then had To offer explanations. AL
together We recovered about twenty over
coats and some other articles OF clothinA
The most OF il came from the fish mar
ket. There were half a dozen Cinnamon
in each stall, and none of them appeared
TO know how the garments happened 10
be In their possession.
Altogether about two score overcoats
were discovered, quite a number being
found in other shops. As q direct result
Of the discovery OF the infraction of c.
ders the liberties allowed the soldiers
have been very much curtailed. No one
Is allowed to leave the ship now without
passes, and eight sentries have been sta
toned about the wharf to prevent any
further disposal of property. The sale
Or purchase of military equipment is a
violation OF Section Il OF Articles Of War
II is reported that the purchase Of
clothing from soldiers has come to be a
business among some of the Jap
lnese living near Camp Mckinley When
they get a sufficient quantity. the cloth
Ing * dyed and shipped TO Japan for
sale.