The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-01-11
CURSED america,
DEF|EDDRAFFttW,
OFFICIALS CHARGE
EmpIoye Of Local Steamship
Company Is Taken Into Gus
= tody BY Federal Authorities
FAILED TO DECLARE .,....,
SELF ALIEN ENEMY
intelligence Department OFFICERS
Say "0leson Openly Express
ed Hatred Of This Country"

One more disioyal resident Of Homo.
lulu, who openly and vociferously ex
pressed his hatred Of the Nation, ne.
cording to evidence which the intelli.
gence department Of the army and
navy says it has obtained; has been
dug out Of his hole and placed where
the federal authorities place men Of
hat ilk.
John Oleson, who travels also under
sev eral other names, employed in the
sail loft Of the Inter.Island ship
chandlery, was arrested yesterday by
federal officials representing the Unit
ed States department, of justice and
the United states attorneys Office, and
his case reported to Washington by
cable. - s..-t."
Oleson, as he calls himself, at pres
ent, is accused of having loudly cursed
America, of declaring that he would
not register under the draft act, and
of failing to declare himself as an
alien enemy, although he is said to be
a native of Germany. r.
According to the intelligence depart.
ment, OlesOn has Travelled under many
names and several Municipalities. Born
in Germany of German parents, he has
at various times passed as Swede and
at Others as Russian Finn.
Oleson lenrned before his arrest that
he was under surveillance and, almost
at the moment the officers were ready
TO take him into custody, he is said 10
have destroyed all papers on his person
and in his room. These, the officers
| say, were vital to his prosecution as q
| dangerous enemy, but they say they
have plenty of other evidence TO sub,
stantiate their charges. ..rot,.'
Oleson, the officials say, made hasty
preparations to destroy all traces Of
his lineage, and attempted to draw his
pay in advance from the Inter-Island
company with the intention of leaving
| the country. -. r.,
The man has appeared in Honolulu
on two different occasions, at least
\ under different names, IL is charged
! the last time as 0leson, and before rs
John Hansen, but managed so, to GOV
err his identity that he passed without
being discovered, and by being en-
ployed in o. sail-loft was out Of the
public eye sufficiently to keep trouble
some officials OF his truck.
The intelligence department 81 the
army and navy here found the alien
working in the sail.loft Of the Inter
Island company, but did mot, disclose
their Intentions. Every possible clue
concerning him was followed up, and
he was left at. his work and for time
without any knowledge Of the close
surveillance of the authorities reach
ing him. ..... d a..
| IN. ILL., .
His real name is believed TO be Rob
ert John, and II has been established
that he was born in Hamburg, Ger
many, in 1882, and is therefore about
thirty-seven years Of age. After his
arrest and on being confronted with
evidence of the attempts to disguiss
his identity, he said he first arrived
in the. United States in 1901 on the
Danish ship "Gupiter," landing a,
Tacoma, Washington, and that he ha,
followed the sea ever since.
He went to San Francisco and be
came a member of the Seaman 3 Union
being enrolled under the name of Jobr
Wharman, and was issued his card
numbered 1899.
At the outbreak Of the war, believ
ing that he would be interned by the
American authorities, he decided {,
change his name and TO do this he say,
he robbed fellow seaman named Johi
Hansen, q Swedish mariner then sery
ing on the steamship Shasta. This YES
sci touched at Honolulu, and the mar
now under arrest came ashore with tn,
stolen effects Of Hansen and called
himself John Hansen, producing tn,
stolen records to prove II. These In
cluded seamen's papers and his unioi
card, number l452.
1. He remained here for a while am
went away but returned in September
1917, in the ship Kitsap under th,
name of oleson, and said he was
Russian Finn.
He did not register as an alien en-
envy under the. Presidents proclama
ton, and recording to information ii
the hands Of United states Attorne,
Huber and United States Marsha
Smiddy, he gave free utteranees, b
his feelings against the United State
by cursing it in the presence of !,
friend, who promptly reported his dis
loyal statements to the authorities.
LONDON, January l-(Associate,
Press -ThA latast fond raafFic tinn mr.