Happy Birthday wishes to the man that sparked this wonderful journey, thru Author Earl Derr Biggers Detective Charlie Chan: Chang Ah Ping (鄭阿平), December 26, 1871, Waipio, Oahu, Hawaii.
(From the HPD website):
Detective Chang Apana
Served from 1898 to 1932
Chang Apana’s legendary career as a police officer in Honolulu began in 1898. Although he was small in stature, only 5 feet tall, he was bigger than life. He was the only officer allowed to carry a bullwhip instead of a gun. Chief William Gabrielson credited Detective Apana’s ability to solve many cases to his fluency in Hawaiian and Cantonese, his wide network of informants, and his shrewd and meticulous detective style. During his career, he was stabbed six times, thrown out a second-story window; and run over with a horse and buggy. Each time, Detective Apana managed to apprehend his suspect.
His exploits attracted the attention of novelist, Earl Derr Biggers, who is said to have created the character “Charlie Chan” after Detective Apana.
