The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-02-16
Report Of
Citizen On
Jap Spies
]. A. COMBS GIVES INFORMATION
KAHAUIKI AND WAIALAE.

Il think it is only right that 1 should
make known, from a patriotic impulse
if for no other reason, certain facts of
which 1 have knowledge concerning
the attitude of the japanese here" said
Joseph Augustine Combs to rep
resentative of The Star this morning.
Continuing he said:
There has been considerable said OF
late in regard to the peculiar actions
Of Japanese seeking employment with
citizens on this island A few weeks
ago 1 returned to Honolulu after a year
and a half on Kauai and resumed house
keeping here, securing a cottage on
Meyer street, out in Kalihi not more
than a block by the short cut from the
Kahauih military post. From my
place the entire Kahauiki barracks and
works can be observed.
Il went to q Japanese employment
agency on Nuuanu street, makai of
Beretania avenue, to get house boy
and observed that al who were pre-
sented to me for approval were parti-
cularly anxious to know where I lived.
When 1 explained that my place of
residence was near the Kahauik bav-
racks they fell over each other to get
a job 1 finally chose one Okla. My
family is small and the work very light
and the wages paid are good.
Il wanted Okla to go out home with
me that afternoon, at 3 o'clock but he
excused himself, saying that he could
not be out there until o'clock When
I got out home about 2:3O o'clock how
ever 1 was told that he had been there
an hour ahead of me and had been
going over the place and sizing it up.
The lot in which my house stands, the
house formerly occupied by the Niblitts
is very large and from the rear of the
lot is a path leading to the barracks.
"Oka worked well for two or three
weeks, hurrying through his work and
spending all his spare time hanging
around the Kahauiki military post. He
spoke Hawaiian huently and could
speak English intelligently. Frequent
Iy saw him looking up words in the
encyclopedia and reading AleXander's
history Of the Hawaiian Islands.
"Once he informed a member of the
family when some news concerning the
San Francisco Japanese situation was
being discussed at table, that Japan
did not intend to fight the United States
now because of the present controversy
but that war was inevitable and that
within three years at least Japan
would show the United States what
she could do.
HE told me the other day that he
would have to leave. He had business
out at Waialae for a few days and
after he was through that he would
get ready to go to Japan where he
would spend some six months and then
return to the islands.
"Latterly when l inquired why he
had not done certain jobs he would tell
me that he was too busy with his own
work to work as house boy and that
he would soon have to quit.
when he went to Waialae he sent
me a substitute, Tanaka, an older man
and one even more intelligent, who
likewise spent a large part of his time
around the Kahauiki works. He SEEM
ed to me that he was relieving Okla
on that detail while Okla looked up
fertilization surveys at Diamond Head.
Last night Okla came back to the
house and he and Tanaka went away
together, not to return. 1 asked that
one of them should stay over night at
least to prepare breakfast this morn
ing, but 1 could not induce one of
them to prolong his stay. They said
had treated them very well and that
they would not forget it, but they had
business of Importance that called them
away. Perhaps they were anxious to
get down town to wait for the coming
~ Ia
'I don't pretend to explain all this,