The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-08-02
THE KING WAS ABSENT

from the Palace at the time, and ht
slept at the Punchbowl street residence
of his consort; but an alarm was sent t.
him by telephone, and he telephoneC
for his Chamberlain Mr.. Jas. w. Rob
ertson. The royal party then hasteneC
to the Kings boat-house, where they
remained during the day undsturbeC
and guarded by about a dozen House
hold troops.
Meanwhile the rebels summoned
Lieut. R. Parker to surrender the Pa
lace; but that officer heroically refused
to surrender, although repeated demands
were made by Wilcox, the leader of the
rebels, to do so. Seeing this stubborn
resistance, many of the rebels deserted,
and Wilcox found that he had scarcely
! $50 men lett. With this number, how
ever, he determined to maintain the
position which he had gained, and set
about placing his men in position.
THE GENERAL ALARM
was spread throughout the city by means
of the telephone from the central offices,
about a. m, and the Honolulu Rifles
were Immediately ordered to report at
their armories. When the alarm was
first given there was a great deal of ex-
element, especially among the Portu-
guese and Chinese. Numbers of fami-
lies fed to the top of Punchbowl Hill,
and few ladies took refuge at the Am
erican legation, where a corps Of marines
from the o. S. S. Adams was stationed.
Lieut.. Parker manfully held the Palace
with about dozen soldiers of the Kings
Guard fully armed; and Wilcox was
gayly arrayed in an Italian uniform, al
though during the fusilade he hid in a
gasoline tank from which position he
issued his orders.
A Cabinet council was held early in
the forenoon; and, with the three Min
listers present, were convened the Am
erican, British, French and Portuguese
Commissioners, also Captain Woodward
ID me u. % D. hudLuSs AIlS SdOlACG
decided to demand the surrender of
Wilcox and His Excellency S. M.Damon
was appointed to carry out the demand,
although his mission proved to be un-
successful.
The Cabinet appointed Colonel V. V.
Ashford to command the Government
forces, and to report to it all arrange
ments made to preserve the authority of
the Government. At 10 a. m.
MR.. DAMON's MISSION
was undertaken, and he proceeded to
the King street entrance of the Palace
grounds, but not before several shots
had been exchanged between the Homo
lulu Rifles and the rioters within. Mr..
Damon was subsequently refused admis-
sion, and at this time the rioters had
turned the field pieces upon the sharp
shooters who had found a Judgement in
| the Opera House opposite to and COM
handing a range of the grounds. Mr..
Damon, who was attended by Lieutenant
Kamana, had to escape between the two
fires which had now become heavy. The
field pieces of the rioters were soon
silenced by the fire of the sharpshooters
who kept up a steady fusilade upon the
men at these guns as long as any of the
rebel gunners appeared in sight.
At first only about 100 men o.
the Rifles reported for duty, but
soon their numbers greatly increased
| By II a. M. the rioters hac
all taken shelterin the bungalow situated
in the Palace grounds, and the fire o
the rifles slackened to only an occasional
shot as rioters came within their range
From this time there was little or no fire
ing done by the rioters, still there wa
no appearance of surrender. A squad o
the Honolulu Rifles had also occupied
vantage position in Kawaiahao church
and others in private houses where
} range of the grounds could be had. Th
arrangements of the volunteers through
out the day were perfect, and 1t wa
known by noon that the surrender OF tn
rioters was only question of fe'
hours. Yet, it was apparent that stror
ger measures had to be taken to driv
> them from the bungalow where the
were safe from the rife shots, and n
heavy ordinance was available to tn
: troops outside. These measures WEI
# finally taken, however, as will appes
}. later on.
E Both telephone lines were in charG
of the government from an early bo'
in the forenoon; and this, although
wise move, added greatly to the unce
e tainty of the proceedings told amor
J. the people.
d About noon four deserters from II
rioters climbed up and leaped over ii
q Palace walls, one of whom had het
1t seriously wounded IN the hand by Ri
y, ball. These men were immediate
- arrested, and the Generalization tn
e had set in among the rioters was til
te learned from them.
ar THE POLICE STATION
Is was the center of Information durl
re the day, and the Police Court adJolnl
xe was made Government headquarters
~ l:u Two GaftIinU or m