Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-17
And Came So Near Getting 1t as
to Mako Him Nervous.
AVED ONLY BY HIS couNTRYMEN
He Decides to Live Beneath q Kind
lier Sky.
lis STORY OF THE TROUBLES.
The Operations of Bismarck's Sailors
Directed More Against Amcri-
n Than Mataafa and
His Forces.
Latest Adviccs From Samoa.

Latest Adviccs From Samoa.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. l6.-The steamship
Mariposa, from Austria and the Samoan
Islands. arrived this morning. Among the
passengers is John G. Klein, the American
newspaper correspondent, who has figured
in the Berlin dispatches as having led the
natives in the recent battle with the Ger
mans on the island, but who claims to have
witnessed the fight as a non-combatant, i'll
his capacity rs II correspondent. When mar
tial law was declared on the islands by the
Germans an attempt was made by the latter
to seize Klein, but he was rescued by the
Americans, and took passage on the oceanic
steamer Mariposa for this port.
When the Mariposa left Samoa, the islands
were still under martial law, and German
aggression had become very marked. and is
claimed to have been directed against !Ameri-
cans as well as natives. The Mariposa left
the Samoan islands on February /. On that
date none of the American men f-war, or
dcred to go to the islands, had arrived, and
the Germans, under the operation of the
martial law, were in complete control of the
islands and commenced to search all vessels
In Samoan waters, but after Selling an Eng
lish tourist named Gillian, on the steamer
packet Richmond, Captain Hand, of the
English war ship Royalist, ordered the
man released and prepared for action.
The crna released Gellan on this de
mand. Goods which arrived on the Rich
mond for American merchants at Apica, the
Germans would not permit to be landed ur-
less taken to German storehouses and passed
upon by German officials.
The Samoan Times was suppressed on
January ~ for stating that but for German
,,,,,pr III thu n,,~, ,.n.ll s1.. y.r
and that unless Bismarck was deceived he
would not attempt to enforce an unpopular
rule on the. country. Prior to this Cusach
was fined 500 for reprinting certain Ameri-
can newspaper press m on the Sa-
moan situation.
Captain Fritz, the German naval COM
mander, on January % issued orders INSTRUCT
ing all residents of Apia to turn over all guns
or ammunition held by them and proclaimed
a right of search. Captain Mullan, of the
American man-of-war Nipsic, protested
against this action, stating that the Amer
lean government had never recognized
Tamassee, and that no power would allow
them to sieze arms unless used against q
friendly nation.
The German troops, acting as police in
Apia, attempted to arrest Klein, but on adj
vice Of the United States consul he went on
board the Nipsic. On January IS Captain
Fritz made "a demand on Captain Mullan to
release Klein that he might be tried before q
German military tribunal. Captain Mullan
replied that he proposed to protect all Amer
lean citizens in Samoa, and that Klein would
not be surrendered for trial, and on Febru-
AIRY |, placed him on the Mariposa.
The Mariposa brings the first mail advices
from the Samoan islands since January =.
The Mariposa left the Island of Tutuilla ON
February z. At the time of the departure
OF the Mariposa the necessity for the pres
ence of the American men-of-war ordered to
the scene is claimed to have been urgent, as
the operations of the Germans were directed
more against American and English resi-.
dents than against Mataafa and his
forces. A formal declaration Of war
against King Mataafa was made by the
German authorities on January 10, and mar
tial law established for the entire islands.
On the same day English subjects were
seized and taken on board the German mem
of-war American and English subjects also
were taken in charge by an armed boat from
Il German war ship. Instead of the war be-
ing prosecuted against Mataafa and his fol-
lowers, the Germans neglected them almost
entirely and confined themselves TO opera
tons against American and English subjects.
Early in the month of January "a number
OF Temassee's men began deserving, among
them being one of his most prominent chefs.
They were not willing to Join with the Ger
mans in fighting against the natives of
Samoa. On Janurry s a large boat load of
Tainassce's soldiers came from up the coast
and communicated with the German war
ship Adler. The same night several DESERT
ers from Tamassee's army went to the camp
of King Mataafa, at Masaigi, ana informed
him that the rebels intended TO make a raid
on Apia on the following night, and also as
sault Mataafa's party. TIL Germans were
TO assist the rebels as much as possible, and
American and English residents vera to be
attacked equally with Mataafa's men.
The king at once Informed the Amer
lean and English residents of this
fact, thus giving them an opportunity
to prepare for the attack. At 2 o'clock on
that night Lieutenant Fillettc, of the United
States marine corps, in charge of the marine
guard at the American consulate, was
aroused BY a sentry, who informed him that
a fire was in progress in Mataafalez. He,
with four marines, ran TO the scene OF the
fire, about one mile away, and was one of the
first TO arrive there. 1t was founl that the
residence Of tue German consul, DIR. knapps,
was in flames. In a few minutes the fire
had communicated TO tho German postofice
at the other end of the building, and reach
ing across the street, the hanes attacked
the German consulate. A large force O
sailors from the United States ship
Nipsic was sent ashore 10 fight
the fire. A few minutes later a detachment
from the English warship ROyalist arrived.
.-l lnIF go. Aa... 1900. --
sailors from the German warships Adler,
Olga and Eber arrived, each man carrying a
loaded rifle with fixed bayonets. The Amer
can and EnglisL. sailors brought pumps and
axes.