Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-17
Further Charges Made of Undue
Action by German AuthOri-
ties at Apia.
Americans and English Seized and Abused
by German Marines Occurrences
Of January Is,
Consul Knappe's Proclamation Secretary
Bayard Again RidiculeS the Idea Of
Serious Trouble Over the Is
lands-General News

WASHINGTON. Feb. 16.-When shown
the advices received from Samoa by th'
steamer arriving at San Francisco today
Secretary Bayard tonight said tina
Captain Leary, of the Nepsic, had acted
sensibly in taking'care of Kline, the cor
respondent Regarding this man there
seemed to be a misunderstanding on the
part of the German officials. Quite
naturally exasperated by the killing OF
their countrymen they had fallen into the
error of supposing that Kline was the
header OF the native forces and had wished
10 punish him. Therefore, he was glad
Kline had gotten back safely to the United
btates
OF other events chronicled in the dis
paCch, the secretary pointed out that since
ITS date telegraphlc advices showed that
martial law had been abolished so far as it
applied to foreigners and that the German
officials had been rebuked He had MOTTO
I'd in newspapers although he had no Off
cial information on the subject that the
German consul. knappe, and Herr Bran
1eisse, the Tennessee adviser, who, accord
Ing to some accounts, had been responsible
for the fomenting strife, had been ordered
home by the German government. If this
was true the state OF affairs promised to
be much relieved Altogether Secretary
Bayard was hopeful that a speedy, peace
fui and satisfactory settlement of Samoan
affairs would be reached He had, he
said, received no news from Samoa later
than that sent to congress and already
published.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1G.-The steamship
Mariposa brings the first mail and advices
from the Samoa islands since January 2,
when the preceding steamship ofthe Ocean
ic line left here. The Mariposa left the
island of Tutatia on February |, and brings
official reports of the United States consul
and American naval officers of the action
of German naval forces in Samoa since the
engagements of December Is between
natives and Germans, which were for
warded in tonight's mail to Washington.
At the time of the departure of
The Mariposa the necessity for the
presence of American men of war
ordered to scene is claimed to have been
urgent, as operations of the Germans
were directed more against American and
English residents than against Mataafa
nnd his forces, as in the case of latter
rhieftain whom the Germans affect to call
rebel. The German consul visited his
camp to induce him to accept the German
tule while in the case of Americans and
Englishmen the right of search of vessels
and private houses in Apia was embodied
IN official proclamations A formal decla-
ration of war against King Mataafa was
made by the German authorities on Janu-
airy 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 the
war being prosecuted against MataaIa
and his followers the Germans have ne
elected them almost entirely and have con-
lined their operations against American
md English subjects. Early in the month
of January numbers of Tamesese's men
began deserving. the reason being the
mutlny by one of the most prominent
chiefs, who decided that while it might
he legitimate enough to fight
against their own people yet
they were not willing TO join with Germans
In hghtlng against natives of Samoa. Ger
man officers from war ships and the Ger
man consul made daily trips along the
Mataafa boats drawn up on the
beach. On the Sth of January
large boat containing Tennessee SOL
1lers came from up the coast and
communicated with the German war ship
Adler. The same night several deserters
from Tennessee went to the camp of King
Mataafa and informed him that the rebels
Intended to make raid on Apia the fol-
lowing night and also assault Mataafa's
party. The Germans were to assist
Inc rebels as much as posi-
Die and the American and English
residents were to be attacked equally with
Mataafa's men. The king ut once inform
ed the American and English residents in
Apia OF this fact, thus giving them an OPP
portunlty to prepare for an attack.
Lieutenant Fillett, of the United States
marine corps, in charge of the marine
guard at the American consulate. was
aroused by the sentry on that night.
who Informed him that a fire
was in progress in Matafolso. The lieu
tenant ran to the scene of the fire, about a
mile away, and was one of the first to ar
rive there. 1t was feared that the resi-
dence OF the German consul was in flames.
The fire communicated to the German
postoIlice at the other end of the building
ana reaching across the street, the flames
attacked the German consulate A large
1orce of sailors from the two warships
was sent to put the fire out Half an hour
afterwards large force of sailors from the
herman warshlps Adler, Olga and Eber
arrived with fixed bayonets American
aud English sailors brought pumps and
axes. The fire in the meantime had spread
TO the residence of Mr.. Schmidt. the Ger
man vice consul, and Stadthamburg hotel
The American and English residents
tamong the foremost being United States
Nlce Consul Blacklockl fought the fire
whlch was only destroying German
property, until they were nearly
exhausted. The American and English
sailors worked until overcome by heat,
carrying water, using axes and saving
property belonging TO the German Trading
and Planting company. The store of
1reveSmuhl X Co. and the large store and
residence OF A. II. Sue were destroyed, as
well as the court house. iail, three small
herman dwellings, several native houses
and native churches. While the fire was
IN progress Consul knappe declared he
thought the occurrence was entirely ACCT
dental, due to careleSsness of several black
laborers brought from other islands TO
work on German plantations and who were
hanging about his residence mt the time
Nlthln i've or six hours later. however.
Consul hnappe expressed himself that the
American and English residents of Apia
were implicated in the business
consul hnappe established his office in
the bulIdlng OF rhe Garman Planting and
Trading company. The German war shin
Eoer sailed Tor Auckland on December IL.
taking dispatches 10 be sent to the German
government concerning the burning of the
consulate
Mataafe native was publicly whipped
In the presence of many Americans. British
natives and Germans. for having told the
German consul's clerk in the streets that
Mataafe's men would soon have his head.
d., Cu ti.S AFTERNOON OF december - boat
belonging TO the United States vice consul
WAS seized by an armed boat from the Ger
man ship Adler while IN the neutral Wa
tiers or Apia harbor. The boat was
afterwards released, and when an explaua-
ton was demanded by Consul Blackjack
Consul knappe replied that it was because
the boat had not displayed any national
flag. The English merchant steamer
Richmond arrived in Apia harbor shortly
before Ozark on the 18th and the Americans
were left in the dark as to the intentions