Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-10-20
CLAIM CHINESE
PAID! CRAWFORD
CASH FOR FINES
Man Now in China Rumored to
Have Collected in Advance
From Cheta Gamblers

Shadows are now being cast on the
reputation OF "Chefa" Willie Crawford
by some OF those Involved in the mix
up which grew out OF the use Of an
old form OF bondon-appeal by the
courts here, which resulted in the es-
cape of 122 men from paying fines i'm
posed for gambling
Crawford was connected with sew
erai of the cases, and in some in
stances he arranged for bond for the
defendants. Shortly after they were
disposed of he went TO China, and now
some of those interested are claiming
that q number Of the Chinese paid
their fines to Crawford with the under
standing that he would pay the money
into the court. In the hurry OF his
leaving, Willie, it is said forgot to
turn over the money
Though many of the charges are in
definite in one instance Judge Ash
ford allowed the defendant gambler
to go when he was brought into court
second time.
Eum Sing Dismissed.
In this instance. Lum Sing was
fined $50 and costs in the circuit court
ON appeal Sing was out on bond, but
as he did not appear and pay the fine
he was re-arrested and brought into
court, When he. appeared he brought
with him two Witnesses, and 1t was
so clearly shown that Sing had given
Crawford money to pay the fine that
Prosecuting Attorney Brown asked
the court to nolle PROSE- the case and
Sing was allowed to go.
1t is claimed that Crawford did the
same thing in 4 number of the other
cases, although it has not been proved.
Crawford is an ex-member of the reg.
islature and was licensed to practise
in the lower courts He Is now said
to be in China, and is i'll with tuber.
culosis
Another complication in connection
with the bond cases came up today
when the statement was made at po-
lice headquarters that fines were still
due in two appeal c3fSs besides those
which have already Jeen given public
ity. The two cases are those of Ma
Hkamufa and twelve others who were
fined Sc and costs OF $3.50 on May Fl,
1914. and appealed to the circuit
court, and Of Hang Chau and % others,
convicted of gambling and fined $1O.65
each in the police court on June 80,
1916. Attorney Rawlins ana later At.
torney Lorrin Andrews appeared in
the first case, and sawltns appeared
in the latter case.
Fined Again In Circuit chrt.
The first case II which fihes still ap
pear against the defendants on the pc,
lice court books, vas nolle pressed for
lack Of evidence "a the circuit court.
In the last case che defendants seem
to have been fined $1O.S5 again in the
circuit court.
Whether the Chinese paid the $1O.65
fines levied seems to be doubtful. No
positive information that the fines
had been paid could be obtained to.
day in the circuit court. and at the
police court the records show that the
fines are sim 6se.
W. J. Sheldon claims that ne did not
offer a bond similar to the bond under
which the Chinese gamblers escaped
to Judge Monsarrat.. He claims that
the bond in the Overbay case was for
Overbay's appearance in any court at
any time, and that Overbay was under
sentence of six months and could not
escape serving the sentence if bond
was up without forfeiture of the bond.