Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-27
TREAsUREXIs FLIGHT
MIR. WRIGHT OF AonoLuLu rs
$4,000 SHORT.
Other officials Of the Same Name Also
Defaulter-Appofntses Forced on
Gov. Dole by Senate.
-
Special cerrespondence Of Ths Eveniug Star.

special Correspondents OF The Evening Star.
HONOLULU, T. H, October 10. 1902
In the midst Of political campaign, and
while United States senatorial commission
was on the ground to Investigate, Honolulu
was startled few days ago by sudden dis
coveries of dishonesty in the administration
Of several important territorial offices. The
most important, and the. zone which &C.
cas!oned the greatest surprise, was in con-
nection with William H. Wright. treasurer
of the territory, who has left the islands
and Is $4,000 short. At the same time the
auditor Of the territory Herbert G. Austin,
was suspended by the governor and charged
with a number Of grave Irregularities, and
Walter Wright Of the IslaYltl OF Kauai, dep
uty assessor and brother Of the defaulting
treasurer, was found to be nearly $1,000
short. Added to these the discoveries Of a
few weeks ago, when B.. H. Wright, who,
by the way, is not related to the other
Wrights, was found to be about s. 600 short
In his accounts with the government, and
two clerks in the Hono1tlu tax office were
found to be embezzling tax moneys under q
system that may have been in vogue for
several years and have yielded several
thousands in plumber, and the people of
Honolulu began to wonder what they were
to expect next.
AS political issue. the question Of re-
sponsib1lity was at once brought up. Treas
Dole, under pressure of the last home rule
legislature Doles appointee at first was T.
F. Lansing, a Honolulu business man, who
had already administered the office for
some months. The senate refused to con-
firm the appointment, and the governor
yielded to demands for Wright. Wr ght
was supposed to be a young man Of perfect
integrity, and It must be said that there
surprise than his. He lived a quiet life.
was high lodge man, had always borne
good reputation. and had for close friends
some of the best citizens Of the territory.
When some of these learned of the state OF
his accounts they were incredulous
The Treasurer's Escape.
The treasurer's escape from Honolulu Is
to be the subject Of a grand jury inquiry.
1t is known that on the day before he left
he confessed to Henry E. Cooper, secretary
of the territory, that he was short in his
cash to the extent Of nearly $4,000. lust
why this confession was made no one
knows, for exposure was not imminent.
Wright said he would make good the next
day, and made an appointment with Cooper
for 8 o'clock the next morning, at which
hour he failed to put in an appearances. En-
stead, he was making arrangements to
leave the country on the steamship Ala
media, which was to san at noon. The po-
lice were notified and searched the vessel.
but they did not find Wright. He was on
ports from San Fraseisee, he occupied. a
state room, in whicRffie remained through
out the voyage. The territory will spare
no efforts to bring him back under arrest
B. H Wright was an appointee Of James
who was another. choice pr the senate, con-
frmation of Dole's lehoice being refused.
His case does not present the strange
features of that of the, treasurer. for he
nso sok s and ana assa
trial. -.
Auditor Austin was, an d .appointee of the
governors He claims to be stin the audi
tor, though the goNsEnorJ suspended him.
could not be done, hAtepo1a took the, reins
in his hands and ordered -tae poiics to
Gust Austin from tina office and place Dap-
uty Meyers in charge, and this, was done.
Austin is now preparingsto begin action in
the courts for reinstatement claiming that
the law does not gigeI thea2governor power
to remove or suspend ahimjl The charges
against him are many, and include borrow
ing government money on L4O Us from
=. H. Wright, attempting to borrow from
others and passing worthless ciiocks on
other departments. s;i' "a s-ss ae-s.
AS the troubles came In the midst of
political campaign 1t was but natural that
they should be discussed as having political
significance Home rule orators attempted
to use them as good platform material
against the Dole administration, while
friends OF the administration pointed to
the fact that the departments where the
worst troubles occurred were headed by
men forced the administration by the
home rule senate, and both of them notori-
ously hostile to Dole. The absconding
treasurer and the superintendent of public
works are both well-known political enc
mics of Dole. =,
The Organic Act.
The situation has served to call atten-
ton to one feature Of Hawafi's organic act,
and this has references o appointments by
the governor. The act sets forth num-
Der of Offices which are to be filled by the
governor. "by and with the consent of the
Senate" and provides that he may issue
commissions between sessions. But he APP
pears to have no power of removal between
sessions. under any circumstances, except,
perhaps. In the case of the auditor He is,
therefore, surrounded by appontees for
whom he must necessarily be regarded as
responsible. but over whom he appears to
have no control. '> .,- 49,