The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-12-30
ACCUSES
", H, WRIGHT
Kauai Man Is Held
to Next Grand
Jury.

assessor on the Garden Isle.
/ All through the preliminary hearing
yesterday there was a disposition to
shift the crime to the shoulders of the
defaulting Treasurer, w. H. Wright,
who is a brother of the defendant, and
| while there was no direct charge to
that effect, ii was stated that the
| Treasurer had condoned the offense
and agreed to make the amount good.
What was glaringly apparent was the
fact that Treasurer Wright knew of
his brothers trouble several months
before his flight, and had intended to
conceal the fact and make good the
shortage.
l.. l.. Conant, the tax assessor for the
Island of Kauai, told the whole story
of the embeZzlement in court yester-
day morning. He was brought over
from Kauai for that purpose and occu-
pied the witness stand for several
hours. He testified that the shortage
lad been discovered by him about July
LIST, he having received an intimation
at that time from Wright's bondsmen
that there was something wrong. 1t
developed also that Treasurer Wright
was there at the time the discovery
was made and went over the books
with Conant.
Conant said that Mr.. Gay and Jas.
Cooke had told him that there was
something wrong with the deputy as
SCISSORS accounts and with that inti-
nation he had overhauled the books.
When had you overhauled the
books previous to that?" asked Attor-
ney L. c. Peters on cross-examina-
| ton.
Il
THAT was the first time"
who was with you at the time"
Wright was not present then; we
went to Waimea from Koloa; Treasur-
er Wright and myself; but neither w.
| A. Wright nor his books could be
/ found. We sent messengers out for
him and about o'clock he came in.
We discovered shortage in the ac-
counts of s2,S4s.6O and told Wright of
this. Treasurer Wright assisted in the
examination of the books.
your superior, isn't he?"
| Yes"
"You mean he was at that time" in
terrupted Assistant Attorney General
Douthitt, adding: Two Wrights don't
make a wrong"
Mr.. Conant then explained how the
shortage was discovered, saying he
had made up the amount collected
from the receipt books. and had
known how much cash had been
handed to him. Peters asked him how
he happened to have the receipt books
in his possession, as it was explained
that the subpoena had called upon
him for only such documents, and CO.
nant replied that he was looking over
the books preparatory to the hearing
Ii. H.. T.,s. ~l,tf ., l...V, l,
men to be held on January 9th be-
fore Judge Hardy.
Treasurer Wright went over the
books first" said Mr.. Conant, land
then l went over them. We both ar
rived at the same conclusion. Their
we saw w. A. Wright, and he said he
had I. o. us sufficient to make the
whole amount good. He gave me one
! for S1l5 which was collected, and one
for $3.50 which l still have. Thu
: notes amounted altogether to abou
$2S more than the shortage. Tit
, s115 note was collected by treasure
Wright, and he turned the money owe
! to me, and l returned it to him then
The Treasurer of the Territory salt
he would make the shortage good
!, No; l never did anything until afte
4
| Wright arrested upon the advice Of tn
| Acting Treasurer.
Conant admitted that the Treasure
| had agreed to make the shortage goo
| and said that he had received letter
from him to that effect, but unfortu
| nately they had been destroyed
Judge De Bolt refused to allow fur
tner questioning as to the Treasurer
part i'm the alleged embezzlement hold
ing that If "A crime had been commit
ted 1t could not be wiped out by max
| ing II good, or by any forgiveness
| Conant stated also that his deput
had collected $6i399 on the l, o. u.
| which had been sent to Treasure
| Wright, but for which he had receive
| no receipt, and consequently gave non
| to Walter Wright. This he said was
| pursuance OF an agreement with tf
| | Treasurer, that no Treasury receil
should be given until the who
amount had been made good, Conan
explained further that the note for 81
! $50 given him 10 make up the shor
age by walter Wright and signed !
sun kWong Sing, was found to be
! no value, and the alleged signeT d
MED ever having given Il, lie testln'
! further that Wright had anerWar'
admitted Il % be- no good ana he vi
u the opinion that tho note was
, forgery The l. o. q, was introduce
: in evidence being written on slip
paper torn from a memorandum boo
} and dated az ilanapepe, June ssl
lsla.
+, Peters was lRlng Ca show that q
2 fact ~ the acceptance ~ these NOT
! n Hon ~ cash by Treasurer WITS
nrgatlYed amy rmbrszlemrnt, bul q
= court would nnt ail0W this
) 6htun = ~ lnnry was then rall
J. ani rlatrd conversation hr h
y Wan ipr drlendAri m lho pTrsfppf
u Air nnIihNi ANA Mr r0uRnl IN
rWnfrAilan NAs related ahnpi
lNNHr
Nmi Hnnul lH snouar1 sak
M. rh.UH
.I ...I Ala. U... ana Ua.I 4