The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-20
THE MONEY
PAID BACK
Restitution of $500 Is
Made by Wray
Taylor.

in the Circuit Court yesterday morn
ing:
I'm the Circuit Court of the First
judicial Circuit, Territory of Hawaii
May term, 1903.
1.-The Territory of Hawaii, as trustee
for 1912 Chinese laborers, by Lorrin
Andrews, Attorney General, plaintiff,
VS.. Wray Taylor. defendant.
Comes now Wray Taylor, defendant
In the above entitled action, by Smith
& Lewis, his attorneys, and hereby
confesses judgment therein, in favor of
the plaintiff in the said action, for the
sum of eight hundred 5000 dollars, and
authorizes judgment to be rendered
therefor against him; and does hereby
deposit with the clerk of this court to
cover the amount of said judgment the
said sum of $500.
Dated Honolulu, December IS, 1908.
'.WRAY TAYLOR.
"By Smith & Lewis, R. d. Mead, his
attorneys"
STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY.
Mr. Mead gives the Advertiser the
following statement of Mr.. Taylor's
case:
"Wray Taylor, as Commissioner of
Agriculture and Forestry, was author
lied and directed by the Government
to go to California on business con-
nected with the Department of Agrl-
culture and Forestry and for this pur-
pose was granted leave of absence.
for think about sixty days. which
may or may not have been extended.
There was no appropriation in Tay-
lor's Department to cover his expenses
in this matter, and my understanding
is that Taylor withdrew from the Chi
nese fund the sum of $500 to cover his
necessary travelling expenses to San
Francisco, through the State of Cali
fornia on his official business, and re-
turn to Honolulu. 1t was his intention
upon his return to make and present
voucher for these expenses and to re-
turn the amount to the Chinese fund.
Taylor had charge of the Chinese
fund but was receiving no compensa-
ton whatever for his services in con-
nection Herewith.
Unfortunately Taylor did not speak
to Governor Dole relative to the matter
of his expenses; if he had it is likely
that some arrangement could have
been made toward meeting his ex-
penses from some other appropriation.
what happened after Taylor arriv-
ed in San Francisco is not definitely
known after a certain time. We Go
know that he travelled around consid-
erabIy, gathering information relative
to agricultural matters, sent to Homo
lulu some trees and plants, and met in
San Francisco certain of our townspeo-
pie. His actions there negative any
suggestion that he contemplated de-
frauding the Government.
Gust previous to the time that Tay-
lor disappeared from San Francisco he
was seen there by one of our prominent
men, who afterward said he had MOTTO
ed that Taylor did not seem right, that
he appeared Tightly, and that Taylor
himself said he was suffering consid-
erably in his head.
From this time on very little is
known from outside sources as to what
Taylor did, but from Taylor's own
statements to others which have APP
peared in the local papers 1t would
seem that he lost his mind and next
up
''At all events there was no disputing
the fact that Taylor had taken the $500
from the Chinese fund and that he was
not here to explain his reasons for so
doing, and his wife, after selling all
that she owned in the world, including
all her furniture, has made the amount
good to the Government. The home
stead on Thurston street, which she
owned was sold at sacrifice and after
paying off a mortgage she has refund
ed the $500 to the Government. 1t was
a great sacrifice for her to do this;
she is absolutely without means except.
what is left from the sale, being less
than So, 900. and has the care of Taylor's
children by a former wife, and her own
two small children, one of them baby.
Of course Taylor, having gone on Gov
eminent business, was entitled to
travelling expenses and his salary while
away, but no voucher can be made out
for these at so late a day, and rather
than sacrifice Taylor's good name Mrs.
Taylor has paid the $500 in full.
"Taylor's expenses on his trip and
while in San Francisco would probably
have amounted to eight hundred dol
lars at least. These expenses were in
Cured during the last fiscal period and
it is probably too late even though
Taylor should be in such mental con-
iition to make a voucher, to have the
same accepted by the Government.
1T certainly seems to me that Tay-
or has done all that can be asked of
him, and the Government is no loser
IN this matter whatsoever has been its
loss in other matters.
Taylor was not Intentionally dis
honest, and do not believe that those
who knew him ever harbor that