The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-01-24
FROM SAMOA.
Disastrous State of Affairs Involv-
ing Germans and Americans.
Action of War Ships.
A Fight IN Which a Number of
Germans Are Kllled-Other
Important News.

Ono NoiRan meu-ol-Wdr huler, Ol8a ana
Eber attacked Mataaf's soldiers under d.
rection of the German consul and Cap
tain Fritz A. Prenot, naval officer in port
AS result of the encounter twenty two
Germans were killed and thirty two
wounded. Since then the German war
ships have burned American houses and
flags, tore down the United States
flag, seized American citizens in neutral
waters, in Apia harbor, and taken them
prisoners on board the German men-of-
war and fired upon the American flag.
King Mataof's party, who had been firing
almost constantly since the battle at Ian
stanau, killing and wounding many of the
Tennessee mon, began to fail in ammuni-
tlon, but were able to obtain 10000 cart
ridges. Tamssese's men were reported
as becoming more dissatisfied daily, and
assertions from his ranks became
very freq uent. A detachment of Mataaf's
men succeeded in carrying the upper end
of Tamasese's big fort, Iantusndo, on De-
oember II. On the same day the German
man-of-war Olga arrived from Marshall
island. King Malietos, whom the Ger
mans had decided to bring back from
Africa, where he had been taken, had been
deposed and left at Marshall island, not
having been brought back to Samoa.
On the night of December 16 large
party of German sailors, numbering $50,
came ashore at Apia and entered saloons
and native houses In search of Americans,
Englishnen and half Castles. The,
searched the residence of George Seaman,
United States citizen in Apa He was
not in, but the sailors found
him and Morris Snyder, also an
American citizen, up the street, and
starting quarrel, stabbed both of the
Americans in the back. They escaped to
a native church where their wounds were
dressed and found not to be fatal. The
German sailors ran through the strsets at
tacklng all persons they met except Ger
mans aud amongst the number were ma
tive women and children.
Some of Mataafs soldiers came in
from the brush and were anxious to begin
shooting, but were urged by United States
Consul Blackjack not to fire.
At O'Clock, On the morning of Deem
Der 10, the German man-of-war Adler ar
rived at Apia, sending word to the com
mander of the United States war snip
Nepsic that the German consul was on
board and he was going to SaluAfata
60 stop the fighting. The notice came
only five minutes before the Adler sailed,
and the Nepsic was unable to follow for
,h, fko cIco
followed to Latoga, where the Adler and
Eber were found. Both ships cleared for
action. During the morning Consul
Blackjack received note from the Ger
Nah consul, saying the German men-of-
war were going up the coast to stop the
fighting in behalf of an effective protec-
ton of German interests, and also to dis
arm Mataaf and Tamasese.
Blackjack protested il the name of the
United States against the action of the
German consul, which would place the
lives aud property of Americans in the
greatest dang er, and that their acti IL was
in direct conflict with the powers con
ferred upon the representatives of three
treaty nations. Soon after the Nepsic ar
rived at Latoga, Captain Mullln, with
three of the ships officers, went on board
the Adler to demand Consul Knapp's ran
som for having d, clared his intention to
stop the war without Consulting the con-
suls.
The German consul replied discourte-
ously to Captain Mullin and said ne would
hold no com IN unicatIon with an American
naval captain and would be responsible for
his acts o his government. Soon after
this the captain of the Adler sent word to
Captain Muliin, who had returned to the
Nepsic, that he intended to lombard the
place before dark. A protest was sent the
captain of the Adler, and as the latter had
shown no inclination to notify Mataaf to
remove the women and children, Captain
Mulliu sent one of his officers on
shore for that purpose. The Adler
did not lombard the town that
night,but returned on the following morn
ing, intending to lombard the Oily, which
had been evacuated the night previous.
The shells we're fired by the Adler, and
then four boat loads of sailors We're landed
from the Olga and the Adler, woo burned
the village, including two small Roman
Catholic churches. The ships then re-
turned to Apia.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Ap1A, January 19.-On December lS
Consul Knapp had sent a letter to
Mataafa telling him the German ships
would shell his villages unless he came ON
board German IL an-of-wHr before noon
on December 20 and cause his people 10
give all their guns. Ma aafa did not re-
DIV to this letter but sent back word after
the battle he was sorry to kill German
sailors, but that the Samoans intended to
fight for their liberty and would fight
whoever attacked them. On the afternoon
of December 20 three coDsuls met to
arrive at some settlement of the trouble
Mataafa's presence was desired by the
United States aud British consuls, but the
German consul refused to meet him and
the meeting had no result.
On the following day the German COZ
sui issued proclamation ordering the
Samoans to bring their firearms on board
the Olga the following day and that II
that was not done the ship would lombard
the town as result. Consul Blackjack al
once returned protest and at the
same time informed him that Z
l.. Hamilton, an American citizen
and formerly United States vice-consul II
Apia owneI the houses in Mataafagetelle
over which the American flag had beer