The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-02-19

FEBRUARY 10, 1901. .. -SEMfsv
said. and there IL no stock FOR sale, moi
viii there be. inside OF nve years ~
will Increase our capital Aeveralfolu
CNeaver failed 10 specify whether this
stock was afsessable or notl and we vii
have at least 1900 acros under cuitlya.
ton. when you consider that the largest
caCao plantation In the world compfisos
only 300 acres. you will realize the maEni.
tude OF our enterprise.
| when I purchased this land ~ was M
a time when the country was Just about
10 20 under the German flag, and ! TOOK
the precautlon to have the papers au-
thorlzcd by the American, English and
German Consuls. When I reached Apia
this time the German Governor. fearing
that English enterprise and capital would
Interfere seriously with German interests
already established. he tired to make me
all the trouble IN his power and refused
to sanction my occupation OF the land
and declared the deeds invalid.
Notwithstanding this interference, ]
succeeded in landing considerable of our
stores and machinery and have now
nearly 600 acres OF cacao land planted.
We have also n large pineapple cannery
In operation. and when I return in about
two months we will begin shipping. !
was not ordered from the island, but
thought that by the expenditure OF n few
dollars ] could straighten matters out
quicker by going direct to Berlin.
MY ster IL living in Apia and will
remain there until I get back, though I
would have preferred to have her accom-
pany me. 1t Is the newspapers that have
caused all Of the trouble, for the German
Governor had read the lies published
concerning me, and expected to see an .s-
capped convict. But / will fool them all
yet, and you will live to see Nicholas
Weaver at the top of the heap yet and
laughing even as i do now at the at,
tempts made to ruin me-"
ANOTHER VERSION OF IT.
Bert Peterson of this City has had his
own experience with the willy Weaver
and an interesting one 1t was. Bert had
cruise to the Antipodes in the yacht
Norma in 1899 in company with Weaver
and the woman who was his companion
at that time. one Hattie b. Wallace, Of
Oakland, California. Bert proved to be
good thing" and when he finally
reached Honolulu, he had Weaver in his
debt for several hundred dollars.
al was with Weaver in December of
1893" said Peterson, when we landed at
Apia, and Weaver attempted to secure
possession of the land. He did succeed
in obtaining options on about 1000 acres
of valley land from the natives withou,
lions only ran for one year and expired
before Weaver attempted to do anything
with them. At the time he organized his
London syndicate he did not own one
foot of land in or around Apia and the
options had long since expired.
''In regard to the draft for 10000
pounds sterling which Weaver is exhibit
ing, l do not believe that 1t is worth the
paper 1t is written on, as l have known
Weaver to have drafts and checks in his
possession before that were absolutely
worthless but with which he mad "a good
front. He owes me considerable money
and l do not believe that / will ever be
able to get it,"
A CHECKERED CAREER
In 1897 Nicholas j. Weaver, "Commo-
dore Weaver he styled himself, started
out from New York City in the schooner
yacht Norma for a cruise around the
world. The cruise was planned upon nov
el lines, for the yacht was obtained
through the Manning Agency and a COM
pany was organized to send her around
the world. Out of the way and little known
places were to be visited and syndicate
letters were to be supplied to as many
Sunday newspapers as could be induced
to take them. and monthly magazine
of travel, called the Norma Magazine"
was to be published.
Six months after the yacht left New
York City the company grew weary of
meeting Viewers drafts and disbanded.
Weaver kept on his way and for three
years managed to keep not only himself
atioat, but also his yacht and good
sized crew. He had nothing left to draw
on but his wits. but they proved ample
Poker and floating worthless drafts were
the methods employed by this adventur-
err to raise the necessary cash. He COM
his operations at Newport News
where local doctor was swindled out Of
81. 900.
Weaver then went to Bermuda, from
which place he soon returned with
young lady whom he introduced as his
sister. The sister accompanied him on
his subsequent trips, while his wife re-
manned behind in New orK, and finally
died in absolute want in a room she had
taken on Thirty-tlfth street. AT Punta
Del Gada, Weaver succeeded In getting
the United States consular agent to cash
n draft which he never honored. Gibral-
tar was visited and banker cashed
draft for $500, which, like the others,
proved worthless.
England was reached In time for the
Queens Jubilee and here the yacht was
reftted and reprinted. He posed as
millionaire in London and stopped at the
most exclusive hotels. Society entertain
ed him and he entertained society. But
fate over took him at last and the Norma
was seized for debt. He managed to free
her from her creditors and sailed away
from Portsmouth with suddenness that
all OF his movements. Yo-
kohama was his next field and many
were the merchants who had reason TO
the smooth american. Austria
liza had a chance to make his acquain-
lance, and later Honolulu was visited.
His experiences here when the libel suit
was commenced against the Norma, and
the exciting times the police had In keep
ng watch over Weaver and his yacht are
still fresh in the memories of residents
Of this City.
Australia was again visited and some
" there in the waters of Auckland hnrhnr