The Scandal of 1922

This month’s article is drawn from the contents of “A Brief History of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club compiled from Official and Other Records of the Club.”written by Ray Jerome Baker in 1960

Ray Jerome Baker, a photographer, filmmaker, lecturer and book publisher, was born in Illinois in 1880.  In 1910, he moved with his wife and son to Oahu. His home and photography studio was located at 1911 Kalakaua Avenue. Mr. Baker, an active member of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, served as President at least five times, including in 1923, 1925, 1926, 1929, and 1933. 

The “brief” history of the club that he penned is 134 pages long, plus appendices. It covers the activities of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club by year from 1910 through 1959. Regarding 1911, Mr. Baker writes:

“Minutes and records of the early meetings are unavailable, but quite early, probably in May 1911, what appears to have been the first outer island trip was an outing to the island of Maui…A hundred and fifty vacationers took the trip, the Inter-Island steamer, Likelike, being chartered for the purpose.” 

During these early years many outer island trips were taken. I mention these outer island trips because one of them leads to the scandal of 1922, when Mr. Tom Cadle, a young attorney, was president of the club.

On Jan 12, 1922  the annual Board of Directors meeting was held and Mr. Tom Cadle was elected president. Miss Evelyn Breckons, who had since become Mrs. Slewing, was once again elected Executive Secretary. Unfortunately, Mrs. Slewing became ill during the spring of 1922 and so, from February 5th on, there are no club records. Following is the account of Ray J. Baker on the scandal of 1922:

“The office of the club was at this time in the same office as Mr. Cadle’s law office, The books were kept there and he had access to them. An outside island trip was planned to the island of Maui, and up the crater of Haleakala, all expenses paid. Some 20 people signed up for this trip, making their checks out to Mr. Cadle, who in turn arranged for credit with the Inter Island Steam Navigation Company, and the Grand Hotel, Wailuku, for lodging and horses up the mountain. Mr. Cadle paid none of these bills.”

The club hired an attorney to represent the club in “the manner of the Cadle deficit.” A statement was drawn up showing that Mr. Cadle had used club monies in the amount of $663.50. According to the inflation calculator of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, $663 would be worth over twelve thousand dollars today! What follows is a study in mediation and equanimity. At a September 1 meeting that same year, two club members agreed to give $100 each towards Mr. Cadle’s debts with the club, and it was decided that Mr. Cadle would not be prosecuted. According to Mr. Baker:

“It was further agreed that should Mr. Cadle be able to repay what he owed the Club within a few weeks, the two gentlemen would have their hundred dollars each returned. Cadle never made good more than a part of what he had agreed he owed the club, and was some months in doing that.” 

On September 22, another meeting was held, this time a large meeting, where many club members were present. Following is Mr. Baker’s account of the meeting:

“On September 22, the Cadle Affair was taken up at a mass meeting held at Cooke Hall, Central YMCA. There was a heated discussion regarding what should be done regarding the Cadle deficit; whether or not he should be prosecuted. The crux of the matter came when the standing vote was taken; 21 were for prosecution, 28 against. Those hot for prosecution could not let the matter rest without some further discussion, but once they had been relieved, the meeting adjourned.“

Tom Cadle’s name was removed from the “club rolls” on September 29, he left the island and an interim president was named. On August 2, 1922 Miss Zarel Jones was appointed as the Club’s new executive secretary. The balance of the club’s bank account was $0.88 and the bills against the club totalled $999.17!

Fortunately, members of the club were industrious and undaunted and set right to work with fundraising efforts. By May of 1923 all debts had been paid. 

I will conclude with a few words written by Ray Jerome Baker about Tom Cadle:

“He was a young lawyer, probably not over 30, who was attempting to build up a practice in Honolulu. His personality was not one to invite confidence, though he seemed to be fairly well liked. Few who knew him believe that he deliberately planned to defraud the club. He purchased furniture, apparently on credit, to fit up his office. It is doubtful if he had sufficient income from his practice to live on. When the executive secretary became ill – and usually she was alert and active – it became easy for Cadle to use money entrusted to him for club use for his personal use. He could always pay it back.” 

Something like this is unlikely to happen again as Laura Owens, HTMC’s Accountant facilitates an annual audit of the club’s financial transactions and reports back to the Board of Directors and Membership at the Annual Meeting.

Please find the letter from Tom Cadle to the directors of the Club, dated March 1, 1923 below.