The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-02
WILLING TO SETTLE.


Klein Finds Things Too Warm for Hin
on tho Islands, and Return to Sar
Francisco to Escape the Revcngcfu
IS Germans, who Have, 1t Ia Said, Bccr
Carrying Matters with n High Hand.
BERLIN, Feb. 1S-It is said that the Gov.
ernment is willing to effect settlement OF
the Samoan question upon the basis of the
United States Governments proposal ut the
Washington conference namely The cstab.
1ishment of Joint American, German and
English control over the Samoan Govern.
ment through the Consuls of tho three coun.
tries ut Apia
LoNroN Feb. 1S.-The Standards Berlin
correspondent says he understands that the
German Government Is disposed to suspend
hostilities in Samoa during the Samoan con.
ference, but only on condition that estates
belonging to German subjects be evacuated
by Samoans and that boundary lines of the
belligorents' possessions he marked and re-
speCted This can not be done officially
however, because Germany regards Ma
taafa ms rebel leader, not as King
The Frankfort Gazette suggests that all
the three governments interested should re-
call their present Samoan agents on the
ground that they have interfored ovormuch
in the quarrels of the natives.
VICTORIA FAvoRs A CONFERENCE.
LONDON, Feb. 49, 1t is now admitted by
persons in Ministerial confidence that the
Queens speech which will be read in Par
Lament next thursday, will make especial
reference to the situation in Samoa, and
recommend conference between accred-
tied representatives of the interested gov
ernments for TIE purpose of settling the
disputed questions.
KLEIN ESCAPES.
SAN Francisco, Feb. 1S-.The steamer
Mariposa arrived Saturday from Australia.
She brought news from Samoa up to Feb
ruary No more fighting had taken place,
but the story of events show the arbi-
trary and illegal acts of the Ger
mans. Among the passengers on the
steamer was Klein, the American CORE
spondent, who left the islands for fear the
sierMans would kidnap him, as they
charged he led the attack of Mataafa's
forces that ended in the loss of twenty Ger
man marines and officers. Klein was
living in hired house near the
American consulate when on Janu-
ary 20 he learned from reliable
source that the Germans intended to
arrest and try him by court-martial He had
several marrow escapes from capture by the
German police, and on the night of January
81 sought safety on the American man-of-
war Nipsic On January 20 the captain of the
German gun-boat Adler sent letter to Cap
tain Mullan, of the Nipsic, demanding Kleins
delivery to the German military tribunal
on the gun-boat Adler. Mullen promptly
refused, declaring that no American citizen
could be tried by u military tribunal in
Samoa. Klein never left the Nipsic after
this until he was transferred to the steamer
Mariposa. He will start for Washington in
a few days to present his facts to the State
Department..
Klein says that he left the islands be-
cause he was aware that he would have to
remain on an American man-of-
war continually in order to avoid
being seized by Germans, who were
evidently under instructions from Ber-
lin to arrest him, although it was
well understood on the islands that
he took no part whatever in the attack on
the Germans He says that he left n sick
bed to go out to watch the attempt of the
Germans to make n landing for an attack on
Matanfa's forces, but that instead of firing
n shot or leading the natives he was pas
sive spectator beyond warning the Germans
not to land as requested to do by the ma
tves. The hatred OF the Germans toward
any one stating the facts respecting the
aggressions of the Germans was illus
trated in the case of Cusack of
the Samoan Times Mr.. Klein has
affidvjts of ViceConsul Blackjack and
Other residents MS to the proper character
OF his conduct on the night of the battle
with the Germans on December l8 Klein
declares that his published correspondence
has been verified by official correspondence
respecting affairs ON the islands. He contends
that the situation of all American residents,
and especially merchants, is intolerable ow-
ing to the insolence of German officials and
soldiery. feeling was entertained there
that American rights would not be respected
unless sufficient naval force was ordered to
those waters with adequate authority.
When the Mariposa left the islands every
thing was quiet but the preceding month
had been marked by lively incidents, of
which only meager details have come by
cable from Auckland. The fire at the
German consulate on January was ac-
cidental 1t was extinguished mainly
by the efforts of the American
and British marines, yet the next day
the German Consul swore that the Ameri-
cans and English were responsible for it,
attributing to those nationalities the double
motive of damaging German property and
destroying German archives. The day
after the fire it was found that Tamaseses
party had really intended to attack
Apia, but were prevented by that
occurrence. The German Consul, DR..
Knappe, on January 12 sent word to Mataafa
that he wanted to have talk with him, but
the King declined the invitation unless the
Consul put his desires in writing, as other
wise he feared he would compromise his
own position. Another rebel came in sew
eral days afterward and said Tamasese's
party had been notified by the German
Consul that unless they came down
and attacked Mataafa the Germans would
go and fire upon the forces of Tamasese. On
arrived. Mr.. Moors an American mer-
chant, started to take his goods off the Rich
mond, and his boat was seized by an armed
German boat 1t was s o'clock In the
8yecing when the Richmond arrived,
and German guard was put aboard
of her the next morning. 1t was an
nounced that war had been declared, and
that no goods would be allowed to land ex-
cept at a certain German store, where they
would be passed upou by a German store
keeper. The following day formal proc
Iamation was made by the German Consul
declaring the island In Estate OF war" and
that any assistance to the rebels would be
punished by martial law irrespective of ma
tionality. All vessels were declared liable
to be searched Captain Mullan protested
against the seizure of Moors boat and the
boat was released.
Consul Blackjack wrote to Consul Knappe
asking him what he meant by ''state of
war" The German Consul replied saying
martial law had been declared Meanwhile
.,.,t s,,pti Tod nf,,ut II