Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-21
DOES THIS MEAN WAR !? Germany Insults The Amer
 ican Flag. PEklh'S GREAT CONFEDERATION. The Omnibus Bill Finally
 Passes The House. THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION. Crowds Gather To Hear Dr..
 MeGlynn.
THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION.
MANY INSULTS AMERICA.


 She Burns Our Property, Tears Down cur Flag and Insults Our Consul Americans Wounded and Imprison. ed-Nativea Fight a Rattle With the Germans.
 AP1A, Samoa, Jan. 5, via SAN FRANCISCO Jan. 19.-The most serious state of affairs ex. ists in Samoa. On the night of December 1s the sailors from the German men-of-w wal Adler, Olga and Eber attacked Mstaafat soldiers, under the direction of the German consul and Captain Fritz, the senior maya officer in the port As the result of the eR counter twenty-two German sailors were killed and thirty two wounded. Since ther the German war ships have burned American houses and flags, torn down the United States flag, siezed American citizens in the neutra waters of Apia harbor and taken them pris. oners on board the German men-of-war, anC fired upon the American lag.
 King Mataafa's party, who had been fight ing almost constantly since the battle al Lautoanua, killing and wounding many ol Tamasese's men, began to fall short of am. munItion, but were able to obtain 20, ,00e Snider cartridges, mortgaging their lands to pay for ammunition. Tamasese's men were reported becoming more dissatisfied daily, and assertions from his ranks became very frequent, several villagers leaving his army in party and going to their homes. A de- tachment of Mataafa's men succeeded in car rying the upper end of Tamasese's big fort, Lantuando, December 12. On the same day the German man-of-war Olga arrived from Marshall Islands. The boat had on board the exiled King, Mslietor, whom the Ger- mans had decided to bring back from Africa, where he had been taken. Malietoa had been left at Marshall Islands, not having been brought back to Samoa.
 On the night of Dec. 16 party of 16O Ger man sailors came ashore at Apia.
 They entered the residence of George Scan- Ian, United States marshal in Apia. He was not in, but the sailors found him and his brother, Morris Snyder, also an American citizen, further up the street, and starting a quarrel stabbed both of the Americans in the back. The Scanlans escaped to a native church, where their wounds were dressed and found not to be fatal The German sailors ran through the streets attacking all persons they met, except the Germans, and injured the adherents of Tamaasese, and among the number were native women and children. Some of Mataafa's soldiers came in from the bush and were anxious to begin shooting, but were urged by United States Consul Blacklock not to fire.
 On December F the United States consul sent protest to the German consul asserting that the conduct of the Germans had been outrageous, and had placed the American lives and property in great jeopardy.
 On December IS, about 2 o'clock in the morning, three German men-of-war boats approached about half 8 mile above the British consulate ond were distinctly seen by the British consul. It was evidently their intention to land and proceed to Mataafaga tele on foot. After two warnings not to land two boats pulled out toward the sea and went to 8 village called Vailele, four miles from Apis. A third boat kept along the coast, being followed by Mataafs's soldiers when opposite the village of Fagelivailele the boat pulled rapidly for the shore. At the same moment three men on horseback, carry. ing lanterns, rode out of the bush and sig nailed the men in the boats Simultaneous ly 8 number of German soldiers rose from the bottom of the boat, and wading ashore began firing upon a small band of Mataafa's men, A pitched battle ensued in which the Germans killed Savay, chief, and his son.
 At Vailele the sailors who had fled from Fsgeh 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 shooting at Mataafa's men. Soon after two of the latter had been killed they returned the fire. The native soldiers began to increase in number, and shot from behind the trees and from the bushes. The sailors became panic-stricken,
 
 threw away their guns and ran under the German plantation houses in the vicinity and into the bush. They were followed by na- tives who shot them wherever they found them. Lieutenant Sieger of the Olga was shot and killed while trying to rally his men. Two other officers were wounded. A number of sailors managed to make their escape by jumping into the boats and pulling out to sea. They were picked up by the Eber.
 The bodies of the dead German sailors were the next day taken on board the German ships.
 the U. s. s. Nipsic, went to Saluafata. Dur ing the morning Consul Blacklock received @ note from the German consul saying that the German men of-war were going to the coast ''to stop the fighting in behalf of an effective protection of German interests and also to disarm the Mataafa and Tamasese's forces. '' MT. Blacklock protested in the name of the United States against the action of the Ger man consul, which would place the lives and property of Americans in greatest danger, and that their action was in direct conflict with powers conferred upon the representa- tives of the three treaty nations, Soon after the Nipsio arrived al of the ships officers went on board the Adler to demand Consul Knsppe's reason for having declared his intention to stop the war without consulting the consuls. The German consul replied discourteously to Captain Mullsn, and said he would hold nc communication with an American naval cap tain and would be responsible for his acts te his government. Soon after this the captain of the Adler sent word to Captain Mullan who had returned to the Nipsic, that he in tended to lombard Lady before dark. Although protest was sent to the captain of the Adler the town was bombarded ane ! afterwards burned. The ships then returned l to Apia.
 On December IS the German consul order | ed the Samoans to bring their firearms oI board the Olga during the day, and tha | if this was not done the ships would lombard the village of Matafaagatele. Consu | Blacklock at once returned @ protest, and Il the same time informed him that E. L. Ham | ilton, an American citizen and formerly tn United States Vice Consul in Apia, owned 1 three houses in Mataafagatele, over whicl the American flag had been placed, anC
 adding that if this property was damage' the German government would be held re ! sponsible. The German Consul made n reply. About seven o'clock on the morn1nI
 of the twenty-frst the Olga went to Mataafa gatele, anchoring one mile from shore. A
 nine o'clock she began throwing shells ol
 Samoans. After firing twenty-five shells
 the vessel sent three boatloads of men ashor
 and destroyed the village by fire Mr. Ham
 ilton went to the destroyed village Tn the at ! ternoon and found his three houses ln ruins
 large American flag, formerly used 10
 consular purposes, which had been placed o1
 one of the houses, had been burned by tn
 German men-of-war, and then torn down
 Fragments of the flag were taken to Apia an
 delivered to Consul Blackloek, who has foI
 warded them to Secretary Bayard Tn
 German consul afterward wrote to Consu
 Blacklock declaring that he had been ln
 formed that the Americans had led the Ma
 taafa forces on the night of the 18th an
 fired the first shot. Consul Blacklock re
 piled that he had investigated the rumor an
 found it to be untrue.
 On the 21st a boat from the German mar
 of-war Olga was chasing native boat
 neutral waters opposite the American consu
 late. Charles Brown, an American citizeE
 who was on shore, was requested by th
 English officers to ask the Germans to ceas
 shooting. The Germans seized Brown, cal
 ried him on board the warship Eber, an
 after handling him roughly released him.
 United States Consul BlacFlock has tell
 graphed all the facts respecting the situatio
 here, informing Secretary Bayard that il
 American flag had been shot at and tor
 down and burned by the Germans; th'
 American citizens have been taken prisone
 by the Germans and states that the lives an
 property of American citizens are in sre ' danger.