The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-07-14
LODGE LENDER
. IS ACCUSED
OF THEFT
Reported that Grand Jury Has In
dicted w. F. Armstrong, Prom.
inent Honolulan Who Is Ac-
cused Of Having Embezzled
$4,000 in olaa Bonds Owned by
Local Order Of Moose.

w. !, Armstrong, for several years
a trustee Of the Moose Lodge, It Is
believed, WIS indicted yesterday by the
territorial grand jury for feloniously
embezzling three olaa bonds, which
have a face value Of $4,000. Extradi-
tien papers were prepared by Attorney
General Stainback yesterday. Sheriff
Rose stated last night that Deputy
sheriff Asch would leave on the Viii.
helmina on Wednesday 10 bring Arm
strong back to Honolulu TO stand trial.
i sheriff Rose cabled Chief Of Police
White Of San Francisco yesterday aft
crnoon at two o'clock to place Arm
strong under arrest and hold him until
the arrival of Deputy Sheriff Asch.
The indictment Of Armstrong, If it was
returned, was placed on the secret file.
III Armstrong Is well known in Homo.
i lulu. For three years he was a trusted
employe Of Henry May & Company.
He resigned his position with that firm
on February ] 20 take the management
Of the Goeas Grocery Company. With.
n a few months this firm went into
bankruptcy, and Armstrong decided 70
leave for the mainland.
Funds Claimed by Rival Lodges
With the dissolution Of the Moose
Lodge, two months ago, a new lodge
was formed independent Of this order
and is known as the Phoenix Lodge
The Phoenix Lodge took over the quar-
tiers Of the defuhet Moose Lodge, and
also laid claim to the money in the
tran - nN
} its various assets.
There has been considerable bicker
ing between the two organizations ovel
! the disposal Of these funds, and at pres
, emit there is a lawsuit pending over tn,
rights of the Phoenix Lodge appropri
! ating the funds Of tho Moose Lodge.
Armstrong, as trustee Of the Moos,
Lodge, was also the. custodian OF thre,
Olaa bonds which the Phoenix nov
claim MS their property.
In checking up the aecounts of III
: Phoenix Lodge these bonds were fou1i
! Ito be missing. An investigation fol
7 l7owed, and IL was discovered that Arm
: strong had left with his wife and chill
\ for San Francisco. G.. 8. Leithead
2 leader of the Phoenix Lodge, who i
+ visiting in San Francisco, was com
I, municated with and the facts mad
known to him. In the meantime tn
5 trustees of the Phoenix Lodge got bus
I and brought the matter to the attention
1 Of the territorial grand jury. Thi
: body was in session for half.hou
!. yesterday, and it is reported that a
7 indictment was returned shortly after
wards.
Z A quiet investigation made by tn
! police department revealed the fac
that Armstrong had taken the thre
bonds 20 the Trent Trust Company
who in turn disposed Of them to Ga
? ford & Roth for $500. Mr.. Tren
7 stated last night that he had not tn
least suspicion Of the deal being il
regular, as Armstrong was well know
, TO him and bore an excellent reputativ
in the community
Ryan Gets Busy.
Prior to this discovery Trustee Paid
Ryan, who is at the helm Of the Pho'
nix Lodge during Leader Leithoad
labsence, laid the facts before Bsithea
!, and told him the probability of Arm
D strong being arrested
L Yesterday afternoon at -four o cloc
!. Ryan received cable from Leitheai
> advising against the issuance of wa
lIdHI anu W ludfNt a IHoIVuSu btdItH Y
+. the clubrooms for tho missing bond
| Ryan is Of the opinion that I,eithoa
has been in communication with Arm
A. strong in San Francisco, and the latt'
Is has concocted the story that the bone
4. are safely put away in the Phoeni
n clubrooms.
The disposal of these bonds thronp
II the Trent Trust Company disproyes th
? story, however As Leithead has bee
y in Communication with Armstrong, Il
s San Francisco police authorities wi
n probably locate the wanted man throul
. him.
4 On Thursday night the Phoen
i Lodge appropriated 5000 TO defray q
= expenses covering the trip of Deput
e Sheriff Asch to San Francisco for u
a purpose Of taking Armstrong into Gu
~ y tody. The legislature will he asked I
~ reimburse the lodge for this expcnd
Z ture at the next session,