Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-01-25
MOVED THE GERMANS D1,ga.
DETAILS OF THE BLOODY CON-
FLICT IN SAMOA.
The Germans Brought Their Fate
Upon Themselves by Firing Upon
Mataafa's Forces-The Outrages
Against Americans.

The Samoan Times, published at Apia, and
which has been impartial in its account Of
the events ON the islands, gives the following
version of the fight of Dec 1S with the Ger
mans: At o'clock on the morning of Tues
day so sailors from the Olga were landed
near Mataafa's camp and 40 more were sent
in boats along the coast, the 50 men march
ing on land to meet Mataafa. At German
farmers plantation the shore party were re-
inforced by all the imported laborers, said TO
be New Britain men, 50 that Mataafa was
between the 200 men who came
down the day before, and the
German sailors and foreign laborers
Mataafa, knowing the danger Of intefer-
ence with the German soldiers retired in
land few hundred yards. The Germans
followed up, and fired into Mataafa's people,
killing young son of a chief. The chief,
becoming terribly excited, was only pre-
vented by his own people from firing into the
efforts, he himself was shot, aud fell dead be-
side his son.
Mataafa's people could not stand this, and
by common impulse without orders, re-
turned the fire. Their first volley killed six
Germans and wounded others. Several
Of Tamasese's men fled, and the
l9borers refused to fight it out.
death against vast odds, the sailors beat a
hasty retreat to their boats Mataafas war
riors following them some distance. Mataa-
IA lost about 10 killed and wounded,
while the German loss is stated at 20 killed
Among the dead is Lieut. Sieger. The Uni
ted States steamer Nipsic steamed to Salua-
pata on Tuesday ON hearing that the Ger
mo Trar SbiTc 10 CHI oil MofaoPoIe
| stronghold, Capt Mullan communicated
with the German commanders and protested
! against their reported project. His
| protest was not taken notice of, how
ever, for the Olga threw shells into the
| spot where Mataafa was supposed to be, but
which he had vacated the Chronicle says
| that concurrent testimony of the action of
the Germans shows that the Germans brought
upon themselves the fate that overlook them,
as it was not until two of Mataafa's chiefs
were killed that he ordered his men to fire on
| the Germans. The marines were only saved
from determination by the prompt arrival of
their gunboats. After their defeat the Gep-
mans bombarded the village of Maafa-
gatele, although warned by American
in the place belonged to an Ameri-
can citizen. Over these houses an American
| flag floated yet the flag was torn down and
partly burned by the German sailors, who
| landed to complete the destruction Of the
place. Correspondents also give accounts Of
insults to an American in the neutral dis
trict Of Apia. Mataafa has threatened that
| II the Germans again attack his men he will
destroy all the German property on the
islands: The San Francisco Examiner prints
a long letter from its correspondence Apia,
which describes the assault made
| by the Germans and their repulse,
and gives in detail the firing on
the American flag and American houses
and the assault made on the American resi-
dents. While the United States man-or-war
Adams was at Apia early in December an
Americans house was invaded and his coun-
try's flag found there cut to pieces by Tama-
sese's men from the stronghold at Mulinun
Point Capt. Leary Of the Adams sent
categorical que ,tion to the German consul as
to whether Tamasese's headquarters were
under German protection or not. Failing to
get reply within reasonable time, the captain
of the Adams began making ar
rangements for landing a bat
TALON and throwing up q fortifca-
tion facing Tamasese's fort. He was deter
| mined, If no satisfaction were given for the
outrage, to march his men upon TamaSese's
stronghold and take that chieftain prisoner.
The intention of the capture becoming
| known, great commotion ensued in Tamase-
se's camp, and at 10 o'clock on the same
night the evacuation of MuIinun Point was
begun with vigor. The Adams sailed from
Apia prior to the occurrences of Dec. 1S, and
| is now at Honolulu.