Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-11-16
'S(ANDAlOUS lies
Told BY S|fMSEN
San Francisco Murderer
Tells Story OF
His Life


John Siemsen had confessed that he
was son of August Drcicr is made
exceedingly clear by the late Coast
files, which show that Siemsen easily
had Ananias skinned when II came 10
relating fairy tales, which would only
he believed in a place where everyone
was unfamiliar with the circumstances.
Il was Siemsen's own extravagant
ialsehoods which prompted the follow.
ing article in the Call, Nov. o:
Information that reached police
headquarters yesterday afternoon dis.
missed all doubt as to the identity of
John Siemsen. leader OF the gaspipe
murderers. and added another amaz.
Ing chapter to the story Of this brown.
skinned criminal.
Siemsen's right name Is August
Dreier and he is son of August Drci.
or. a wealthy retired sugar planter of
the island OF Kauai, who Is now ia.
miliar figure In the political circles OF
Honolulu.
In the same issue Siemsen tells the
STORY Of his life" In part AZ follows:
ITO begin with. was born In la.
wall and had q private tutor until I
was past ~. My father. as have al.
ready said, was big planter. and he
tried to give me the best possible cdu.
cation. Later I went to a military
academy. ! had gift for drawing
and was considered one Of the most
promising pupils In the institution. I
excelled especially In mechanical
craughtsmanship. and my folks
thought I would become an architect
or n civil engineer.
when I was Is had a difference
with my people and left home. I went
to New York. which was the first big
city had ever seen. worked at dif.
ferent things, got TO know the mean.
ing OF life and finally shipped around
the Horn and came to San Francisco.
Then I shipped In a grain boat for
New Zealand and returned home via
the Suez.
After ] returned TO New York I
Proceeded to San Francisco. and then
shipped to Manila. where I served In
different Filipino campaigns. . After
l eing discharged from the army I en-.
tered the transport service. I was
studying up on electrical work all the
tine. and was soon able to advance
rapidly. II was I who installed the
electrical plant IN the first Govern.
mcnt cold storage warehouse built In
Manila. ] would have become electri.
cal superintendent of the plant only
for my age.
From Manila ! went to Shanghai
end served In different parts Of China
as soldier during the Boxer uprising.
Most OF my service there was with
pack trains. and had several months
az fast and exciting life.
Starts In Crime
Later ! returned to San Francisco
again. Up to this time, you must re.
member ] had never turned a wrong
trick or done single person harm.
What started me into crime was this:
Shortly after I landed In San Francis
co from my experience In China I had
n purse containing money and a ring
that ! attached great value to. for per.
ronal reasons, stolen. The loss of the
ring especially hurt me, and ! then
and there decided that might Just as
well take other persons stun II they
hurt me by taking mine. Right upon
this decision fell In with an all.round
crook, and the allurements of the life
10 pictured to me were irresistible. I
decided straightaway to become a sol.
der Of fortune and adventurer, not
caring where or how got my money,
80 long as ! was plentifully supplied
with II. That resolution was the he.
ginning of the end with me. Finally
/. landed In Folsom. When I got out
went from crime to crime and lost
al sense of risk. don't wish to say
much more, only to repeat that | was
just on the point of trying to reform
when ! was landed in jail on charges
that will undoubtedly hang me-"
Searching for Woman
Siemsen-or Dreier--according to
the information In possession of the
police, had constant quarrels with his
father before leaving home because OF
his fast living and prodigality. lie
finally married a half.white girl. who
Worked In a department store In Ilo.
/ clulu. This girls name was Carry,
the police are told, and she was among
the most attractive salesgirls in the
Hawaiian capital, After marrying her
Dreier came to the United States, and
tho girl was last heard OF In Sacra'
riento.
Letters signed Garry Dryer" were
received by girl friends OF slemsen In
san Francisco on different subjects
Nlemsen used 10 represent this woman
10 a wealthy married sister and the
loliee are now trying TO run down tho
real writer of the letters aud learn II
The Mumuu Nna really pnupapual Ina