The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-04
HOW "SIR JAMES ROSS TOOK
in HONOLULU'S RICH MEN

tually hunted him up for the purpose of
lending him money, so finished chap
WIS he in his business, and so glibly did
he talk of the coffee business-of which
he appeared to know every detail-and
the wonderful transformation that was
going to take place all over the islands
when his syndicate got into operating
shape.
E.tAbout two months before the finish
that Is to say. about four months after
hts arrival in Honolulu-'Sir James be-
gan giving big drafts on his London
pankers.' all of which were instantly
dashed by Honolulu banking institu-
tt1ns It took. then, about two months
for draft to work It's way to London
and back, and Honolulu has no cable.
you understand.
g Sir James never paid penny to the
tradesmen with whom he dealt on so big
o scale, and a few of them began to get
BIT nervous when he had been in Ho-
noauiu for nearly six months and had
given no evidences that he was a pro-
aacer Of real coin. His debts. including
those for the furnishing OF the house he
had taken. and for servant hire, choice
foods, wines, cigars and so on, were said
to be easily $4,000 at the wind-up. AS
I say, some OF the tradesmen began to
get a triae nervous, although these few
were ashamed to express their feeling,
| so great was Sir James prestige, but
all the same these few got into the habit
of keeping an eye on the outgoing steam
| era to see that Sir James was not
among the departing passengers There
was and still is in Honolulu, you know.
law prohibiting any man, native or
visitor, from leaving the islands so long
as he is In debt q single farthing, and
/ a little hnnCh of nDnaid tr2deSmen
who kept their eyes on the steamers on
sailing days had this law in mind.
| well. at the close of a residence of
about six months, and just about the
time that some of those big drafts on
Ibis London bankers were due back on
the steamers, Sir James disappeared,
and the bubble broke. The sensation was
something terrific. 1t was certain that
he hadn't got away on any of the steam
| ers, for as I said, a few of the trades
men had carefully watched the outgoing
| steamers. At any rate, he was gone.
and he had in his clothing something
| like $4,000 in cash that he had got on
those London drafts from Honolulu
bankers and business men. 1t was fig
ured that he must have departed on an
outgoing sailing vessel, and after many
months this fact was determined. A brig
that had sailed for Australia from Ho-
nolulu on the day of Sir James dis
appearance returned to Honolulu about
six months later, and the captain un-
hesitatingly admitted that he had car
ried MISUNDERSTANDING man away
with him on his last departure from the
port. He said that the distinguished
looking man had informed him that he
was in danger of arrest as a revolutions
LIST, and had inspired him with sympa-
thy. The captain of the brig went on to
say that the fne-looking man had got
his numerous trunks aboard under cover
OF night. and had paid a rafting good
sum for his transportation to Australia
The captains part In the performance
was only natural. and he didn't come II
for any condemnation. But I can tel
you that for good many years aftel
there was a f1ne-tooth-comb going-ovel
of strangers credentials that made i'm
position virtually impossible. and righ
down to the present day stranger drop
ping or at Honolulu with letters Of In
PRODUCTION Is studied pretty carefully be
fore he can get check cashed. "-Wash
iington Star.