The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-25
HONOLULU
FOLKS TALK
Siemsen Discussed by
Acquaintance From
Hawai-.

| SAN JOSE, November 9.-Malcon
Brown, night clerk of the ST. James
Hotel of this city, states that John
| SIemsen. the self-confessed gaspipe
murderer under arrest at San Fran
cisco, is the son of j. F. Siemsen, de-
| ceased. who was formerly a wealthy
| sugar planter of Hawaii. Brown was
| sugar grower in the Hawaiian Islands,
| and states positively that the father
| of the young criminal owned plan
tation within a few miles of the place
| where he was employed. Il left the
! islands in the eighties" said Brown
| last night. Il was not aware that
| young Siemsen was the man guilty Of
the terrible murders in San Francisco
| until I saw his picture in the Exam
iner. 1 recognized him Immediately
because of the resemblance he bears
he was mere boy on the islands. His
mother was a half-blood Kanaka
woman, the daughter of a German
planter and a full-blood Kanaka
woman. She was unusually good look
ing. Siemsen, Sr.. was a man of fine
appearance and fair Intelligence. In
Hawaii he was a partner IN the plan
tation business with Joseph Marsden,
now wholesale merchant of San Fran
cisco. SiemSen committed suicide in
Honolulu about fifteen years ago. There
were several other children In the
family, three boys and two girls, I be-
lieve."
SAN FRANCISCO, November O.
Mrs. Henrietta Toogood, formerly of
Honolulu, now residing in tent No 2,
G street, Jefferson square, has known
Siemsen since his childhood. She called
at the police station yesterday and set
at rest all controversy concerning the
young thugs parentage and identity.
His. name is Siemsen. His fathers
name was Siemsen. The young man
spent his boyhood at Honolulu, where
his parents were fairly well off, and
where he was given a good common
school education. He was a good son
until he came to the United States.
Carrie Dreier. who according to one
story told by the prisoner, passed as
his sister, is, so Mrs Toogood affirms,
a cousin of the young thug. She lives
at Sacramento, and has been in CORE
spondence with him for some time. |
Mrs. Toogood declares that only the
mans inherent inability to tell the
truth and his intense desire to appear
mysterious, can explain the conflicting
statements he has made concerning
the Dreier woman.
Il called at the police station to see
Siemsen today said Mrs. Toogood
last night, because L knew his family
in Honolulu, and because his mother, !
when 1 left for the States, asked me to
look up the young man. His parents /
are highly respectable people L and !
oliver Johnson. who boards with me at I
Jefferson Square, knew the Siemsen /.
family well in the islands
Mrs. Siemsen gave me a photograph !
of her youngest son, born after John
left home, to show to the latter. 1 /
took it with me this afternoon, and he /
studied the picture for a long time.
Then he said: The boy looks like my
and broke down and cried.
1T was very sad. The last time 1
saw John Siemsen he was a clean
youth we'll thought of by his friends.
He was n good boy. 1 remember that
he always helped his mother about the
house, carrying water for her and VOL
his services to ease her work.
She will be broken hearted when she;
earns his end.
Yes, 1 knew of Carrie Dreier," con-
inued Mrs. Toogood. "She is cousin
If John Siemsen's, and lives at Sacra-
nento. l have no idea why he said
he was his sister, unless he felt to-
ward her like a sister. The boy has
llways been unreliable, so far as his ,
word is concerned. I do not think he
les Intentionally, but he has a way of
and telling stories until !
le believes them himself.
johnson also has seen Siemsen. He :
will corroborate what I say of the :
mans parentage and his early life.
here is no mystery about the boy. He ;
;, as I have said, of good parentage,
nd had a better chance to succeed in
he world than most young men,"
Mrs. Toogood recently acquired some :
ewspaper publicity, when her daugh-
er Adelina attempted to elope with ;
oseph Ott who also lives in a refugee :
ottage in Jefferson Square. The pair
yere stopped at the ferries by the !,
olice. :