The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-02-19
COMMODORE WEAVER
IN HONOLULU

ver. Of yacht Norma fame. Weavei
came here without invitation as a pas
senger on the Alameda on which h.
took passage for San Francisco from
the scene OF his latest operations al
Apla.
once boon companion and partner oil
IT. W. Allen, alias BILLY Hurt" whose
criminal career in this city was cut
short by the timely exposure in the
columns of the Advertiser, the Incl.
dents of which are still fresh in the
minds OF Honolulu residents, It was
only fitting that he should have been
forced to leave Apia by the German
Governor. who had received full infor-
nation Of his crooked ways and Grim
inal operations.
1t is not every man, accomplished
crook though he may be, that can sue
lcessfuly evade the law time after time
and the end of Weaver is not far dis
tant. OF good presence, an accomplish
! ed liar, and thorough man of the
world, Weaver had found willing vic
tins for his nefarious schemes, and his
last coup II successful would have made
him independent for life.
Weaver left San Francisco on the
Alameda on January 4 and passed
through this city on the 10th inst. en-
route to Page Page. from whence he
went to Apia, presumably to complete
! the payments on certain lands on
which he was supposed to hold options,
but really to try to make some pur-
chases in realty, in order to make good
his representations to- various English
capitalists who were and remain today
his latest victims. .nln a. $50
With him on the Alameda on her
down trip was a woman who passed
herself off as his sister. and who was
represented as such by the "Oommo-
dore." This woman is now deserted by
Weaver AID left on board lumber
schooner in the vicinity of Page Page.
Like the rest of the gullible women
who have been ensnared by him. when
caught in tight place she has been
left to shift for herself with her mon
ey gone and without friends in
strange country.
AS a part of his famous trip around
the world in the yacht Norma, Weaver
found himself in the vicinity of Apia
and anchored his craft in the magnifi-
cent harbor for several weeks. While
visiting the natives on shore it oc-
Cured to his ever-ready mind that
here was "A chance to lay the founda-
ton for future deals. and losing no
time he proceeded to put his newly-laid
schemes into operation. A few dollars
here. and a few valueless trinkets
there, soon gained the good will of the
trusting natives, and ii required very
little fnesse on the part of Weaver
to get their signatures, or more likely
their marks" to documents which
they did not understand but which
were virtually options on their lands.
Options of this kind were secured on
5000 acres of fine agricultural land
without the payment of cent in cash
as n partial payment, and for the ride
ulously low figure of 25 cents per acre
as a final purchase price But 1t is
here that the native shrewdness of
Weaver was exhibited. Many a man,
when he found that he could do with
the natives as he wished. would have
overstepped the mark and made the OPP
lions run for a term of years, or he
might have made the natives. in their
simplicity, sign away by absolute deed
their holdings but not 80 with Wea
ver--right well he knew that If he did
this he would be unable to get the
American Consul to pass upon the pa
pers, so he contented himself by max
ing out the options for one year only,
and it was through the really worthless
documents that he was enabled to
fleece London capitalists out of a neat
sum of money and securing the expen-
diture of thousands of dollars in ma
chinery and sailing vessels
Armed with the options Weaver
went from Australia to England in the
steerage of one of the ocean liners and
it was not long before he had all Lon
don agOg over his colossal schemes.
His plans were perfect, there was no
chance to lose the capital invested. and
the returns to be anticipated were
enormous. In the language of Colonel
Sellers-"There's millions in IT," At
least that is the representation made
To the Londoners.
But English capital is always looking
for new fields of investment, and with
visions of several thousand acres of
cacao fields under cultivation. extern
sve pine apple canneries, general mer-
chandise stores, lumber yards and
line of sailing vessels from Apia direct
TO England il was an easy matter for
the loQuacious Weaver TO secure almost
unlimited capital.
our wealthy EHslsnNltn were
lied and the money was placed in Weav-
ers hands. He was to proceed direct to
Apia and complete the payments on the
land and there await the ship which was
to bring him the machinery and store
supplies Thus far all looked smooth to
the men who put up the money. But
Weaver knew that he had yet to secure
the land, for his options had expired. He
trusted to his good star, and thought
that II would be an easy matter for him
to purchase few hundred acres of val
ueiess land when he arrived at Apia. But
he reckoned without his host.
The German Governor had heard OF the
man and his propensities and was walt
ing for him. His fame had preceded him
and when he attempted TO purchase the
much-wanted land he found that edict
had gone forth from governmental head
quarters that his money was not to be
received under heavy penalty by the ma
tiyes and he was summarry ordered To
leave the island. For once Weaver was
checkmated. His money had no purchas-