Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-08-01
new Light SHED
ON JAH-BREAk
OF R. ]. Richie
Seattle Police Officer Writes
to Star-BuIIetin in De-
tense of MCDuffie

Declaring that he was misrepresent
ed in order that the Advertiser might
hit at Captain of Detectives McDuffie
Detective Sergeant NJ J. McNamee oil
Seattle has written to the Star.Bullc
tin asking this paper to give publicity
to his statement.
MeNamee came here to take X. J
Richie and A. Deputer, wanted in
Seattle for alleged gross cheat, back
to the northwest city. Richie es.
capped from the county Jail The
morning paper published an article
the morning after McNamee left for
home, in which McNamee was involv.
ed In an attack upon McDufiie's cor
duct OF the detective department.
AS matter OF fact, McNamee de.
clares, he was more than pleased
with the assistance he received from.
McDuffie and Sheriff Rose.
His letter sheds some light on the
inside of the Richie escape and
shows also that the local police au.
thorities knew that Richie had gotten
away on the transport Logan.
The statement which Sergeant Nc
Nance asks this paper to give pub
licity is as follows:
The City OF Seattle, Washington,
Department of Police, ......
Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 49,.
Dear, Sir:--I have just received
copy Of the morning Advertiser of
July 2 and see where it unjustly criti-
cized one Capt. A. McDufie and note
that the article was published the
morning after sailed from your city
for home. A newspaper reporter call
ed on me at my hotel a week before
] left the island and wanted a state
ment from me as to what / thought
about the authorities for letting r. J.
Richie escape from the county Jail.
] saw that the man was prejudiced
against A. McDuffie and told him
that l. was not in Honolulu to criti-
CHE anybody and that 4 was more
than pleased at the assistance / got
from. Capt. McDuffie and Sheriff Rose
in trying to find r. ]. Richie and that
i was there to get Richie and not to
criticize anybody. / gave him a pic
ture of Richie which he had repro
duced in the morning Advertiser with
a short story.
The facts of Mrs Ritchie's inter-
view Is that was the only one who
had anything to do with Mrs. Richie,
as being an old ACQUAINTANCE of hers
case and ! think she did We called
on her with that understanding. in
teryiewed Mrs. r. ]. Richie in the
hallway of Oakland rooming house
the morning that her husband escap-
ed from Jail and done all the talking. |
With me was Sheriff Rose, A. McDuf- |
fie, and Johnny NATIVE chauffeur for
the detective Department.. While
was talking to her Jailer Asch join |
ed the crowd. Mrs. r. j. Ritchie was |
used by me and the party as a lady |
as know Mrs. Ritchie for some time
and know her to be a hard working |
woman and have the misfortune to be
married to a scoundrel The jewelry |
was given to Mrs Richie by me and |
dit Ii as an act of friendship to her.
She was short of money and you will |
find the jewelry sold by Mrs. r. j.
Richie in your city. Mrs. Richie told
me in the presence of Sheriff Rose
and party that she did give her hus-
band the rope to use in making his
escape and also that she was at the
transport dock inquiring when trans
ports would be In, We thought after
searching the ship s. S. Logan that
he did not get on hoard, but in the
Office you will find that at a !,
later date we did send message 70
the captain of the s. s. Logan stat
ing positively that Richie was on
board and at this time Ritchie is in
jail in Manila having been arrested
on board the transport Logan, and
turned over to the Manila police and
will be brought back to Honolulu by
the u. s. government and this state
will try and have him returned to
Seattle Mrs r. j. Richie was not
even Swallowed or watched by me or
the Honolulu police. You will find
from the clerk at Royal Hawaiian Ho-
tel that Mrs. Richie called on me
often and that herself and boys were
at the dock on sailing date to bid me
goodbye.
''It is against my schooling as !
police officer to give statements to a !.
but in justice to the Homo
McDuffle | have TO brand the article
Of July in the morning Advertiser,
rs a lie ! also wish to state that
reporter had no statement from me OF
my kind to be made public or private.
rs / refused to talk local affairs with !
him.
81 did not take, brass bed from
Honolulu or any other kind of ,furni-
lure.
or. j. ,Ritchie is wanted in Seattle
lor passing worthless check for SIS
On one William Middleton, merchant