Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-17
GERMAN ARROGANCE.
How They are Trying to Run Things on
the Samoan Islands.
An Interesting Statement by John c. Kline
Who was Alleged to Have Led the Ma
tives Against the Germans.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, Feb. l6.-Ihe
steamship Mariposa, from Australia and
the Samoan Islands, arrived here this
morning. Among her passengers is John
c.. Kline, an American newspaper cor
respondent, who has figured in the Ber-
lin dispatches as having led natives in
the recent battle with the Germans on
the island, but who claims to have wit
messed the fight as nom
combatant in his capacity as cor
respondent. When martial law was
declared on the islands by the Germans
an attempt was made by the latter to
seize Kline, but he was rescued by
Americans and took passage on the
ocean steamer Mariposa for this city.
When the MaTipOsa left the Samoan
islands they were still under martial law,
and German aggression had become very
marked and is claimed to have been di-
rected against Americans as well as
against the natives. The Mariposa left
the Samoan islands on February /. On
that date none of the American men-of-
war ordered to go to the islands
had arrived, and the Germans
under the operation of martial law
were in complete control of the islands,
and had commenced search of all vessels
in Samoan waters. But after Selling an
English tourist named Gillian, on the
steamer packet Richmond, from Auck-
land Capt. Head of the English warship
Royalist, ordered the man released and
prepared for action. The Germans re-
leased Gillian on this demand. Goods
which arrived on the Richmond for
he
Germans would not permit to be
landed unless they were taken to the
German storehouse and passed upon by
German officer. The Samoan Times was
suppressed on January 10 for stating that
but for German support all of the Samo-
ans would join Mataafa and that unless
Bismarck was deceived he would not at
tempt to enforce his unpopular rule on
the country. Prior to this MIR. CnSacll
the editor, was fined 500 for reprint
ing certain American newspaper
press comments on the Samoan sit
uation. Capt. Fritz, the German
naval commander, on January % issued
an order instructing all of the residents
of Apia TO turn over all guns or ammuni-
ton held by them, and proclaimed the
right of search. Capt. Mullane Of the
American man-of-War Nipsic protested.
against this action, stating that the
American government had never Feeog-
nized Tamasese and that no power
would allow them to seize arms,
unless used against q friendly ma
ton. The German troops, acting as
police in Apia attempted TO arrest Kline,
but by the advice of the United States
consul he went on board the Nipsie. On
January % Capt. Fritz made demand
on Capt. Mullane to surrender Kline that
he might be tried before a German mill
tary tribunal. Capt. Mullane replied
smiling that he proposed to protect all
American citizens in Samoa, and that
Kline would not he surrendered for trial
and on February he placed him on the
Mariposa.
The steamship Mariposa brings the first
mail advices from the Samoa island since
January 2, when the preceding steamship
of the Oceanic line left there. The Mar
iposa left the island of Tutuilla on Feb
ruary /, and brings the official re-
ports of the United States cen
sui and American naval officers
of the action Of the German naval force
III Samoa since the engagement of De-
cember Is between the natives and the
Germans, which were forwarded in to-
night 5 mail to Washington. At the time
Of departure of the Mariposa the necessi-
ty for the presence of American men-of-
war ordered to the scene was claimed to
have been urgent, as the operations of
the Germans were directed more against
American and English residents than
against Mataafa and his forces. AS in
case of the latter chieftains, whom Ger
mans affect to call rebels, German
consul visited his camp to induce him to
accept German rule, While in case of
Americans and Englishmen right of
search of vessels and private houses in
Apia was embodied in an official procla-
nation. Formal declaration of war
against King Mataafa was made by Ger
man authorities ON January 10, and
martial law established for the
entire islands on the same day.
English subjects were seized and
taken on board the German man of war.
Instead of war being prosecuted against
Mataafa and his followers the Germans
have neglected them almost entirely and
have confined their operations against
American and English subjects. Early
in the month of January numbers of
Tamasese 5 men began deserving, there
being a mutiny of his most prominent
chiefs, who decided that while it might
be legitimate enough to fight against their
own people, yet they were not willing to
join with the Germans in lighting against
natives Of Samoa. The German war ship
Eber sailed for Auckland on the 18th,
taking dispatches to be sent to the Ger
man government concerning the burning
of the consulate. A Mataafa native was
publicly whipped in the afternoon IN the
presence of many American, English,
natives and a few Germans for hay
ing told the German consul 3 clerk
in the street a few days before, that the
Mataafa men would soon have his head
IN the afternoon OF January 10 the boat
TO eX-United States Vice-Con |
sui l. Hamilton, manned by two natives,
was seized by an armed boat from the |
German ship Adler while in neutral water
of Apia harbor. The boat was afterward
released ana when an explanation was
demanded by Consul Blackjack Consul |
Knapp replied that it was, because the |
boat mad net displayed any national flag
Da1ovs q 70 said IN 10 daDoarolfs lint /