The San Francisco call., 1905-06-07
J. T. Egan, Guest at Palace,
Known to Have Forwarded
Thirty-Two Boats to the
japanese Navy Department
ENTITLED TO SHARE
CREDIT FOR VICTORY
Constructive Material Sent
From This City Under His
Direction and Ingenuity
Plays an Important Part

IIasS al lHlloIbdIlG oI u
}. r. Egan Of New York. who is a
,uest nj fhe Palace Hotel, might justly
s-Iuf.n a biz Of the credit of Japan's sue
ceSS on Che seas in her struggle with
Russia. lie has been in tho city tor
several months. on and on, directing
the shipments of munitions of war TO
the MIkado's realm. IL has been
learned that be had charge OF the
secret shipment to Japan of a feet OF
submarine boats that performed such
valuable service in the great naval bal-
tie in the straits Of Korea.
EgaN is the confidential representa-
tive OF the japanese firm of Fakata &
Co Of 10 Wall street, New York, VINO
have been the medium through which
Japan has been purchasing her mate
rial FOR warfare. II was Egan's per-
sonal ingenuity that made successful
the repeated shipments OF ammunition
and other contraband Of war TO the
Orient 1t was he who attempted TO
ship to Japan on the liner Adato a car
go Of shells for the big guns of the
japanese navy. and failing in this ef-
fort had them sent to the Far East oy
another route. Previous to this move
ment he had sent thousands of tons OF
ma terial to the Mikados realm, and
il is generally understood that he is
still en- gagged in the same business.
Pledged 10 secrecy. Egan naturally
is avoiding interviews and when he
learned yesterday that his connection
with the firm Of Fakata & Co. and his
mission here had become known. he
hied himself to his apartments in the
Palace Hotel and not only refused TO
be seen by representatives Of the press,
but would not answer his telephone.
From other sources. however. it was
learned that the sole purpose of his
visit 10 San Francisco was to see that
certain shipments OF munitions of war
were safely placed aboard of the out
going Oriental steamers.
His most responsible undertaking
WAS the shipment of submarine boats.
Of which he is said to have shipped
thirty-tvo TO Japan. The majority of
these were made In this country and
some in Great Britain. They arrived
here in various shapes and were Ia
beled as different commodities, but in
all instances they were accepted as
freight and were safely landed in Jap
an. Some Of the boats were shipped
in paris, so that they could be put to-
sether in fOrty-eight hours and were
accompanied with tons Oe material
necessary TO place them Immediately
0D = --ar footing.
Fakata Co., who have agencies all
over the world. negotiated for the con-
struction Of these -oats through various
mediums in the East and in London and
as fast as the boats were ready for
shipment they were forwarded to San
Francisco. where Egan saw to IT that
they were placed aboard the steamers
bound for the orient On several oc-
casions. II is said, he had the tparts Of
these boats, that were marked as ma
chinery. shipped to Honolulu, and there
reshipped 10 Japan.
Every time that a Pacific Mail steamer
has departed from this port Egan has
been an anxious spectator at the dock
and when the vessel disappeared through
the Golden Gate he has hurried up town
and sent a cipher dispatch to New York
announcing another success of his mis-
sion
Fakata & Co. not only operated at this
pore but have shipped tons Of war ma
teriaI from Seattle and Victoria, and their
only failure was the refusal Of the local
customs authorities to clear the liner
Adstt, with her contra band cargo of
shells These were landed on the wharf
ard the Adafo about three weeks ago.
departed for Japan, and since then the
shipment Of shells has disappeared. Ac-
COZ ding to report they were shipped north
and are now on their way to the Orient.
Information from New York says that
by Japan arrived in San Francisco nine
months ago. and reached Yokohama a
month later. While they were en- route
half q dozen more Of the small submarine
craft had arrived here and were safely
shipped. The boats built in England were
among this lot.
A number of. American boats. much i'm
proved over the type Of the ones first
sent to Japan, We're later received here
and followed ffe others across the Pa
ciflc.
Egan had f5u charge Of all these ship
ments and. successfully concealed his
identity with them until a few days ago,
when the employees Of the Pacific Mail
dock became aware of the fact that he
was furnishing q large quantity OF
freight the nature OF which was found
10 be OF a contraband character. The
firm that Egsn represents IS said to have
handled millions Of dollars for the Toxic
Government and disbursed the greater
part Of this money in this country.
At the Palace Hotel Egan is known
as a commercial traveller, and during
his stay here he has avoided ali at
ternpts to draw him into conversation
regarding the way in the Far East, ever
though he had reason to believe tha
hfs. acquaiutances discussed IL as pop
ular subject. He is an Irishman b.
birth and has been connected with Fa
lata & Co. for a number Of years. H
was absent from the Palace the create
part Of yesterday and u search for hin
revealed the fact that he was at tn
Mail dock arranging for a shipment o
freight on the Mongolia, which leave
for japanese Forts to-day. When he re
turned to the hotel he went directly L
his room and refused TO see anybody.
STRANDED VESSEL PROVES