New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-20
WAR rs NOT PLAY IN SAMOA
GERMANS FINDING THE NATIVES GOOD
FIGHTERS.
MATAAFA DECLARES THAT HE IS BATTLING
FOR THE LIBERTY OF HIS PEoPLE-NARRA.
TIVE OF REcENT STRUGGLES IN WHICH
GERMAN BRUTALITY COST MORE
THAN 1T PRoFITED.

/
GERMAN BRUTALITY COST MORE
| THAN 1T PRoFTTED.
| Apia Samoa jan 5.--The most serious state ol
affairs exists in Samoa. King Mataafa's party, who
had been fghting almost constantly since the battle
at Lsutoanua, killing and wounding many Of Tam
assess men, began TO fail Of ammunition, but were
able to obtain twenty-thousand snider cartridges,
mortgaging their lands 10 pay for ammunition Tam
esese's men wero reported becoming moro dissatisfied
daily and desertons from his ranks became frequent
tho inhabitants Of several villages going TO their
homes detachment Of Mataafas men succeeded
| In carrying tho upper end Of Tamasese's big fort
| Lantuando on December 12. On the same day the
| German manof.war Olga arrived from tho Marshall
| Islands The boat had board the deposed King,
| MalIetoa whom the Germans had decided TO bring
| back from Africa, where no had been taken. Mae-
| toa had been left at the Marshall Islands,
not having been brought back 10 Samoa. On tho night
Of December 49, large party Of German sailors, num-
berng 1eO came ashore ut Apa and entered the stores
and native houses In sear5h of Americans Englshmen
and halfcastss. They entered the house Of George
Scanlan United States MaITha In Apia. He was not
In but the sailors found him and his BROTHER Morris
Snyder also an American cEen further up the street,
and starting a quarrel, ybbed both the Americans In
tho back The injured men escaped to native church,
wheu their wounds dressed and found not to be
fatal The German ssion through the streets at
Among the number hurt were native women and chill
| dren Some of Mataafas soldiers in from the
bush and were anxious TO begin shooting, but were
urged by tho United states Consol, Blackjack not to
| hre.
Tho United States Consul sent . protest TO the
German Consul. asserting that the conduct Of tho
Germans had been outrageous and had placed the
American lives and property IA great jeopardy. At
7 O'Clock on tho morning OF December II the Olga
aft AMI mn coaef and ret1Irned that
evening with Tamasese's secretary board That
night the secretary wrote a letter 10 his wife In
Apia stating that tho would attack MataafaS
men while they wore sleeping In their camp. two
miles above Apla. The woman told the news to ono
OF her relatives In Apis. who In turn sent word
TO Mataaias soldiers. Before midnight 200 armed
men hid assembled on shore. short distance above
tho English Consulate. and concealng themselves In
the bush. waifei for the appearance Of the German
boats which, II was sstd. would contain number of
Tamasese's men. as well German sailors. who had
been brought nom sahiaiata by the Olga. An Ameri-
can newspaper man, John C. Klein. accompanied the
MataAfa men 10 witness the fight
About in the morning three German menof-war
boats appeared about half a mile above the British
Consulate and were distinctly seen By the British
Consul. It was evidently their intention to
land and proceed 10 Afataafas camp foot.
soldiers OF Maaafa gathered shore and asked Klein
10 ask the Germans TO land, II would be regarded
as hostile act, aud that they would be fired upon
This was shouted 10 them when the boats were fty
yards from the shore Tho boats came on toward the
shore. but when they resolved a second warning two
boats pulled out 10 and went to village called
vallele four miles from Apa. third boat kept
along the coast followed BY Mataafs soldiers. When
opposite Mataafa's camp tho boat pulled straight
across the bay to a point on tho other extremity.
sfataafa chief, followed by eight or nine men, ran
around the cdge Of the bay intercept the boat When
uful n 1
vailele, tho boat pulled rapidly for the
shore. AZ the same moment threc men
on horseback carrying lanterns. rode out Of the bush
and slgnalled the men in the boats. simultaneously
a number Of German soldiers rose from the bottom OF
tire boat where they hid been concealed, and began
20 wade ashore Soma Of Mataafas men had como
up IN the meantime and tho Germans began shoehng
at them. The natives dId not return the fire. The
Germans were soon landed and took shelter behind
some rising ground.
As soon as they gained This position they opened
fro on Mataafa's men. within a minute fully 200
shots had been fired by the Germans and black
laborers natives of other Islands, who were employed
on German plantations. In the meantime MataafSs
endorsements began 20 arrive, and as they came up
heavy voey fred could bo heard from the direction
Of vancie. In few minutes chief arrived and said
the Germans were firing Mataafa's men there. who
were afraid TO return the fire although the Germans had
already killed the chief savay and his son.
The chief, who came messenger, asked Klein II
they would be justified in returning the fire on the
Germans He declined 10 advise thom, but Al the re-
quest OF high chief accompanied tho latter 10 Apia
TO obtain the opinion Of tho United States viceeonsu
The consul also refused to give any advice. Shortly
afterwaTd tho natives tame into Apia from Vaiele
saying that the Mataafa men had driven the German
sailors from tho brsasworks. Tho black laborers
had run into tbs hush and refused 10 fight longer
The Germans had run along the beach to vailee, at
sIoh a rapid rate chat the native soldiers could
not overtarr them. AZ Vailele there were
about $50 sailors, one boat load having been landed
thero during the night by the German man-of-war
Eber At VaIele sailors who had fed from Fageli
Joined their comrades, who had left in tho two other
boats, and also tho saers from Eber. They formed
hollow square and began shooting at Mataaa's men,
Soon after two OF the latter had been killed they be-
gan TO return the fire. The native soldiers increased
In number, attracted by tho firing, and fired nom
behind the trocs and from the bushes.
The sailors became panic stricken, and despite tho
efforts Of their three officers. throw away their
and ran under tho German plantation houses and
into tho bush. They wero followed by natives who
shot them wherever they found them. Lieutenant
sieger, o; the Olga, was shot and killed while trying
TO rally his men Two other officers were wounded.
number of sailors managed to make their escape By
jumping into the boats and pulling out to sea. They
were picked up by tho Eber. which had come up on
hearing tho firing The bodies Of the dead German
sailors we're left lying the ground. wheo they
were found and we're taken away under cover OF tho
German ships on the following day. Mataafas
soldiers retired without burning or causing damage to
property.
At o'clock on tho morning OF December 10, the
German man-ofwar Adler left Apia, sending word to
the commander of the United states warshp Nlpsic
that the German Consul was on board, and that no
was going 10 saiuafata TO stop tho fighting. Notice
came only five minutes before the Adler sailed and
tho NIpsic was unable to follow for some time When
she did the Olga also followed to Latongo, where
tho Adler and Eber found, both ships cleared
for action. In the morning Consul Blackock re-
ceived a note from the German Consul saying that
the German men-of-war were going to the coast to
stop tho fighting in behalf OF an ehecu'e proIocuoh
OF German interests and also 10 disarm the Maaafa
and Tamasese forces"
Mr.. BlachlOck protested in the name OF tho United
States against the action OF the German ronsui Whcn
would place tho lives and property OF the Americans
In the greatest danger He declared that Their acton
was In direct conflict with powers conferred upon |
the representatives Of the three treaty naaohS' coon
- NJt~.sc LatOngO, captain Mullan,