Wilson (4 July 1850 – 12 September 1926) was a British and Tahitian superintendent of the water works, fire chief under King Kalākaua, and Marshal of the Kingdom under Queen Liliʻuokalani.

An investigation by the Legislature found that a sum of approximately $16,000 were missing from the Water Works, and Wilson was blamed, although there is a possibility his predecessor was actually responsible.

Wilson had a strong secular view of running the police forces and loosely regulated Christian-based laws on alcohol, gambling, and opium.

On the other side of the political spectrum the Liberals began to criticize Liliʻuokalani for not replacing the hated Bayonet Constitution and Wilson exposed a plot by members of the Liberal Party, calling themselves the Hawaiian Patriotic League, to overthrow the queen and replace the constitution themselves which became known as the Burlesque Conspiracy.

After a period of prolonged machinations on the part of non-native businessman with American support, Liliʻuokalani began to draft a new constitution.

On 16 January 1893, Wilson was tipped off by detectives to another coup d'état to overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy this time by the Committee of Safety, the 13 leaders of the Hawaiian League a group within the Reform Party who had forced the Bayonet Constitution on King David Kalākaua, and were willing to overthrow the monarchy to maintain it.

Wilson requested warrants to arrest the 13 member council, of the Committee of Safety, and put the Kingdom under martial law.

Because the members had strong political ties with United States Government Minister John L. Stevens, the requests were repeatedly denied by Attorney General Arthur P. Peterson and the Queen's cabinet, fearing if approved, the arrests would escalate the situation.

Wilson and Captain of the Royal Household Guard, Samuel Nowlein, had rallied a force of 496 men who were kept at hand to protect the Queen.

In his battle plan he would have made use of the several artillery pieces and two Gatling machine guns of the royal guard, to compensate for their shortage in numbers.