Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-21
SHARP FIGHTING IN SAMOA.
The Property Of Americans Destroyed
and the Flag Burned by Germans.

| night of December Is, some sailors from the
| German men-of-war Adler, 0lsa and Eber at
tackled Mataafa's soldiers under direction OF
the German consul and Capt. Fritz the senior
German naval officer in port As a result
| twenty-five German sailors were killed and
thirty-two wounded. Since then the German
war ships have burned the American houses
| and flags, torn down the United States flags
seized some American citizens in the neutral
water of Apia harbor and taken them prisoners
| on board the German men-of-war and fired
| upon the American flag. A boats crew from a
| German vessel in command of an officer have
shot at the captain and lieutenant of an English
| man-of-war.
Previously, ON the 18th of December, Ma
taafa's men succeeded in carrying the upper
end of Tamasese's big fort Lantuando. On the
| night of December Ii, German sailors, number
| ing $50, came ashore at Apia and entered the
| stores, saloons and native houses in search of
| Americans, Englishmen and half-castes. They
| entered the residence of Geo. Seaman, United
| States marshal at Apia. He was not in, but the
! sailors found him and his brother. Morris
| Seaman. also an American citizen, further up
| the street, and, starting quarrel stabbed both
Americans. The Scanlans escaped to native
| church, where their wounds were dressed.
! The German sailors ran through the streets
attacking all they met except the Germans.
Some of Mataafas soldiers were anxious to
Il =
| States consul (Blacklock) not to fire.
On December II, the United States consul
sent protest to the German consul, asserting
| that the conduct of the Germans had been out
| rageous, and had placed American lives and
property in great jeopardy.
GERMANS REFUSED BY MATAAFAs MEN.
On the night of December 18th the Germans
attacked a town called Mataafagatele, two
miles above Apia. Mataafas men heard of the
gathered in the bush and waited for the Ger
man boats. An American newspaper man
named John c. Klein accompanied the Aataafa
men to witness the proceedings About 2
O'Clock in the morning three German boats ap-
preached about half mile above
the British consulate, and were distinctly seen
by the British consul. 1t was evidently their
intention to land and proceed TO Mataafagatele
on foot. Soldiers of Mataafa gathered on shore
and asked Klein to ask the Germans not to
land, as it would be regarded as a hostile act,
and that they would be fired upon. This was
shouted to them when the boats were fifty
yards from the shore. The boats came on. and
when they received second warning two boats
tn en- pulled out toward the sea and went to the
village called yailele, four miles from Apia.
A third boat kept along the coast, being still
followed by Mataafas soldiers When oppo-
site Mataafagatele the boat pulled straight
&C ross the bay to point on the other ex-
tremity. A Mataafa chief. followed by eight
or nine men. ran around the edge of the bay
to intercept the boat. When opposite the viii
lage of Fagel the Vailele boat pulled rapidly
for the shore. At the same moment three men
on horseback. carrying lanterns, rode out of
the bush and signaled the men in the boats
simultaneously number of German soldiers
rose from the bottom Of the boat. where they
b ad been concealed, and began to wade ashore.
Some of Mataafas men had come up in the
me antime, and the Germans began shooting at
the m. The natives did not return the fire.
The Germans were soon landed and took shell
ter behind some rising ground
As soon as they gained this position they at
once opened fire on Mataafa's men, Within a
minute fully 200 shot had been fired by the
Germans and black laborers. natives of other
islands, who were employed on German plan
tatl ons. In the meantime. Mataafa's reinforce
ments began to arrive, and as they came up a
heavy volley-fre could be heard from the direc-
ton OF Van Nele, and In a few minutes a chief
arrived and said the Germans were firing on
Mataafas men there. who were afraid to return
the fire, although the Germans had already
killed Savoy chief and his son. The chief who
came as messenger asked Klein if they would
be justified in returning the fire on the Ger
mans. but he declined to advise them. The
United States consul at Apia also refused to
advise them. Shortly afterward the natives
came into Apia from Fageli and Yailele. saying
that Mataafa's men had driven the German
sailors from the breastworks.
At Vailele sailors who had fled from Fageli
joined their comrades who had left in the two
other boats and also the sailors from the Eber
They formed a hollow square and began shoot
ing at Mataafa's men. Soon after two of the
latter had been killed. they began to return
the fire. The native soldiers began to increase
in number, attracted by the firing and shot
from behind the trees and from the bushes
The sailors became panic-stricken. and des-
pite the efforts of their three officers threw
away their guns and ran under the German
rat hDr x-1Drf
bush. They were followed by natives. who
shot them wherever they found them. Lieut.
Sieger. of the Olga. was shot and killed while
trying to rally his men. Two other officers
were wounded. Mataafa's soldiers retired
without burning or causing damage to prop
erty.
VILLAGE sHELLED AND BURNED.
AT o'clock on the morning of December 1
the German man-of-war Adler left Apia. send
ing word to the commander of the United
States war ship Nipsic that the German consul
was on board, and that he was going to Salua-
fata 10 stop the fighting. Notice came only
i've minutes before the Adler sailed, and the
Nipsic was unable to follow for some time.
When she did the Olga also followed to Latogia,
where the Alder and Eber were found. Both
ships cleared for action. During the morning
Consul Blackjack received a note from, the
German consul saying that the German men
of-war were going to the coast Ito stop the
hghtng IN behalf of an effective protection of
German interests, and also to disarm the
Mataafa and Tamasese forces"
Blackjack protested in the name of the
United States against the action of the German
consul. which would place the Americans in
great danger, and that their action was in di-
rect conflict with powers conferred upon the
representatives of the three treaty nations.
Soon after the Nipsic arrived at Latongo Capt.
Mullan. with three of the ship officers went on
board the Adler to demand Consul Knappe's
reason for having declared his intention to
stop the war without consulting the consuls.
The German consul replied discourteously to
Capt. Mulan and said he would hold no COM
munlcatIon with an American naval captain,
and would be responsible for his acts to his
government. Soon after this the captain of
the Adler sent word to Capt Mullan, who had
returned to the Nipsic, that he intended to
lombard Lady before dark. protest was
sent to the captain of the Adler and as the
latter had shown no inclination to notify
Mataafa to remove the women and children.
Capt. Mullan sent one of his officers ashore for
that purpose. The Adler did not lombard the
town that night. but returned on the following
morning and began to lombard Lady, which
had been evacuated the night previous
ThIrty-four shells were fired by the Adler and
then four boat loads of sailors were landed,
who burned the village, including two small
Roman Catholic churches. The ships then re-
turned to Apia.
BURNING THE AMERICAN FLAG.
On December IS Consul Knappe had sent a
letter to Mataafa, telling him the German ships
would shell his village unless he came on board
the German man-of-war before noon of Decem-
Der 2oand cause his people to give up all their