The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-12-07
OF
h. {. B|RBE

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it is necessary to see one II. C. Birbe
He has u pull with the high official.
of the department and has the power
to get out of custody those arrested
for little affairs like drunkenness and
others concerning which the public at
large takes little notice. Naturally
Mr.. Birbe does not work his pull unless
there is something in it for Mr.. Birbe
a police pull which could not be made
to yield the necessary gold would be
of no use to Birbe. He is not philan.
thropist.
In one case. at least, which has
! happened within the past week. Birbe
has extorted money from prisoner
J of the police, securing his release from
custody and arranging matters so that
f, he was not entered upon the trial
calendar. This affairs occurred ON
Thanksgiving day, the particulars of
which show the glaring misuse of power
exercised ut the police station and the
graft worked by this man Birbe. How
many others there may be in the same
game or who else besides the one who
makes the extortion shares in the money
thus illegally obtained is not known.
On the afternoon of November 30
Alfred Tregaras, a driver employed by
Levers d Cooke, was arrested at the
tishmarket and lodged in the police sta
tion. A charge of drunkenness was
registered against him. Regarding the
merits of the arrest it is not necessary
to say, but at the station companion
of Tregaras was told that no bail
would be accepted. This companion,
George Domingo, offered to put up $25
to secure the release of Tregaras, but
his offer was turned down.
Domingo stood outside the police sta
tation for some time, talking over the
case with Special officer Leal. in the
course of his conversation again offer
ing to put up $25 bail. At this point
of the game Birbe appeared, accompa
MED by an older companion, whose
name is known.
AT the mention Of money Birbe prick
ed up his ears and edged near, finally
taking Domingo to one side, telling
him he had something to say to him
What he had to say was that if
there was any money in it, he, Birbe,
knew a way to get Tregaras out of Jail
and shut off any further trouble IN
his case. Domingo asked him what his
price was.
"Well,' said Birbe, "'to get him
out and keep him from coming up for
trial in the morning ought to be worth
$15 to him.
Now, while Domingo was quite will
ing to put up good sum for bail,
he was not prepared to put up $l5
knowing that there was no possibility
of getting any of it back. He want
ed to consult Tregaras before he did |
so, but he was denied admittance to
the station house by j. kanae, the |
police officer VINO had made the arrest
at the fishmarket.
Under the circumstances Birbe came |
down in his price, offering to take $40
and finally So. On this basis the deal ,
was made, Birbe was to be paid his
graft and the prisoner was to be re-
leased and his charge cancelled. Birbe IS
then took charge of Do
ningo, keeping him away from the sta
ton while Birbe went inside "to tele-
phone to Henry Vida and fix it up,'
as he explained.
Within IA short time Brbe returned,
with him being Tregaras. He had made
good regarding what he had told about
ais power to fix things with the police
Turning his charge over to Domingo,
Birbe and his companion made a bee
inc for Scotty's saloon.
From there he drifted up to Me
righe 5 saloon. He had been ceIebrat-
ng the holiday and by this time had
become drunk enough to be laxative
IN Advertiser reporter overheard
nough of his talk to learn that there
vas something doing.
Rirlp "a rpmnrlS wara Mt |
They dealt with the glorious graft he
lad and from this wandered on to the
ecent election and the recount His
,raft and the political affairs of the
police department were evidently con
"The majority shall prevail" said
'irbe, striking an attitude, then with
N air of drunken archness adding.
: but not always. When you can work
he machine after the election some
lines the minority will prevail
"Iaukea might be the next sheriff. '
&c continued, "but he have to wait
or two years before he is. Brown has {
aimed some on him already in the re. {
cunt but before they get through all a
he ballots you see if he doesn t have X
n
Since that time the affair has been =
arefully looked into and has been 9
ound to be as stated. On the police +
,gister of arrest for Thanksgiving day !,
ppears the name of Alfred Tregaras.
he time of his arrest by Officer Ka-
ae is put down at 4.55 p. m. He had
cen released about 7 o'clock, al. a
rough the police record does not show v
lis. In the ruled column of the blot [
n usually used to show the amount v
bail put up for released prisoners Il
: to note the disposition of them, APP
ears the word ''out' written in in n
ad pencil, This is the only penciled
mark on the blotter for several days.
On Thanksgiving day there were
rec arrests for drunkenness, Tregar- v
!, Thomas Grain and another, who had
;identIy been too drunk to give his
lme to the clerk, the name space be.
G blank, although the charge, the
mount of money taken from him at
C station and the other usual par. :,
.ulars were carefully noted. OF these "
rec only Grain came up for trial the NJ
'xt day. di
The Advertiser has before this call a,
attention to the great disparity be- !,
'een the number of men arrested for "