The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-10-24
CONCERTED
PLUNDER|NG
Willie Ayau Tells How
Ills Employer Was
SWindIed.

Willie Ayau told a plain story on the
witness stand, before Judge De Bolt
and the jury yesterday, about the sys-
tematic robbery practiced upon the Pa
cific Hardware Co., Ltd, by himself ana
others, over a year ago. The case on
trial is a civil suit of the corporation
named against the Chinese firm of Sing
Chan Co. to recover the value of goods
sold and delivered. AS previously re-
ported a tender of about $500 in court
was declined by plaintiffs attorney.
An Indictment is on the calendar now
Vim Chan for conspiracy in the first
degree for the robbery in question
Therefore j. Lightfoot, attorney for
defendants in the civil suit, requested
the court to direct Ayau that he was
not obliged to give evidence tending to
criminate himself. Judge De Bolt
granted the request.
/ Nevertheless Ayau chose to tell what
appeared to be a straight story with
out regard to the consequences to him
| self in the criminal case hanging over
his head. 1t was a story of most au-
idacious dishonesty on his own part as
! a trusted clerk of the Pacific Hardware
! Co, linked with boldest rascality on the
part of two others in the store of Sing
Chan Co., one succeeding the other, in
tempting Ayau to rob his employer.
| Ayau testified that he was met by
Wong Yune, who offered to give him
40 per cent, while turning 10 per cent.
| into the store of Sing Chan Co., of the
value of such goods might be deliv-
| cred to the latter firm without being
charged against it on the books of the
Pacific Hardware Co. Ayau, after ex-
planning the sales methods of the Pa
| cific Hardware Co. to his tempter.
agreed with Wong Yune to see if the
scheme could not be worked.
| The scheme Ayau devised was in
brief that, after an order from Sing
Chan Co. was filled, he was to stamp
the bill as paid with the Pacific Hard
ware Co.'S stamp for that purpose and
then abstract the sale tags correspond
ing with the items from the cashiers
desk and deliver. them to Wong Yune.
The latter part of the operation was
insisted on by Wong Yune at the out
set.
In the first bill of goods thus manipu-
lated the amount was $40 or $50, and
Ayau was paid $3.50 on delivery OF the
! tags. The next bill was a matter of
$50 or $50. on which Ayau was paid
$3.50. Each time the transaction was
completed in Sing Chan Co.'S store.
When Wong Yune was about to leave
for China he told Ayau that Vim Chan
would take his place in carrying on the
scheme of working the Pacific Hard
ware Co. YIN Chan came into the
'store about a week after Wong Yune
left and bought some goods.
''He told me he was in the same
place." the witness said IT told him
I could not do it so quick
Yet he did the trick again within two
days, when Vim Chan bought bill of
between SIS and $50, on which Ayau
got $50.
Sometimes Vim Chan came to buy
three times week. but increased the i,
frequency of his visits to five times !
week. He would buy from different |
statesmen. All of the purchases were |
not subjected to the scheme.
THE tags YIN Chan wanted me to
take out he told me. Some he said
were to be charged on the books" the
witness testified.
Sometimes Sing Chan Co.'S wagon /
took the goods away. Vim Chan al
ways paid Ayau his percentage on de-
livery of the goods and the vouchers.
He never paid me any money" Ayau
testified, except when I gave him a
receipted bill and tag 4
A. G. NJ. Robertson, attorney for
plaintiff, asked: /
What was the value of the tags
all that We're taken for goods which
were not entered on the books?''
Between $500 and $30O0," Willie
Ayau answered.