The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-21
They Disregard the Protest of an American
Officer and Train Their Guns on Houses
Flying the Ensign Of the United States.
Secretary Bayard Says Action by Our
Government Depends on the Senate.
Boulanger's Friends Confident that Their Fa-
yorite viii Be Successful in the Coming
Election-General News by Cable.
THE SAMOAN OUTRAGEs.
Confirmation Of tie Reported Insults to the
American Flag and American Citizens.

CISCO Examiner prints long letter from It's |
at Apia, which describes the |
assault made by the Germans and their re-
pulse, and describes in detail the firing on |
the American flag and American houses,
and the assaults made ON the American res |
idents. Speaking of the matter editorially,
the Examiner says: 'It is easy to see why
the German officials spread reports of
American interference. They had treated
American citizens and the American flag
with indignities that demand exemplary
and they thought it advisable
to put in counter-cOmplaint in time. In
the devastation of Samoan towns, they
seemed to take especial pains to pick out
the property of Americans for destruction,
and the riddled flag that was sent to Wash
ington would be evidence of unfriendliness
that needs no other support"
While the United States man-of-war
Adams was at Apia, early in December, it
appears that an Americans house was in
vaded and hiscountry's flag, found therein.
cut to pieces by Tamasese's men from their
stronghold at Mulinu point. Captain
Leary, of the Adams, sent categorical
question to the German consul as to wheth-
or Tamasese's headquarters were under
German protection or not. Failing to get a
reply within reasonable time the captain
of the Adams began making arrangements
for landing battalion and throwing up
Notifications facing Tamasese's fort. He
was determined, 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
captain becomin g known, great commotion
ensued in Tamasese's camp, and at 10
o'clock on the same night the evacuation
of Mulinu point was begun with vigor.
The Adams sailed from Apia prior to the
occurrence of Dee. Is, and is now at Hon.
olulu.
The details of the events at Samoa which
followed the attempts of the Germans to
land their forces and the defeat of their
troops, described at length in the Associated
Press sscorrespondence from Apia, ,telegraphed
last night, ale supplemented 0y other cor :
respondents whose accounts are published
here. The Samoan Times, published at
Apia, and which has been impartial in its
accounts of the events ON the islands, gave
the following version of the fight on Dec.
IS: At 2 o'clock on the morning of Tuesday
eighty sailors from the Olga were landed,
and forty more were sent in boats along
the coast, the eighty men marching on land
to meet Mataafa. At German farmers
plantation the shore party were reinforced
by all the imported laborers, said to be
New Britain men, so that Mataafa was be-
tween the 200 men who came down the day
before and the German sailors and foreign
laborers. Mataafa, knowing the danger
of interference with the German soldiers,
retired inland a few hundred yards.
The Germans followed and fired into Ma
taafa's people, killing young man, son of
the chief. The chief, getting terribly ex-
cited, was only prevented by his own peo-
pie from firing into the Germans, but while
struggling against the formers efforts he
himself was shot and fell dead beside his
son. Mataafas people could not stand this,
and by common impulse, without orders,
returned the fire. Their first volley killed
six Germans and wounded others. Several
of Tamasese's men fed and the laborers re-
fused to fight it ont. Knowing that this
meant certain death against vast odds, the
sailors beat hasty retreat to their boats,
Mataafa's warriors following them some
distance. Mataafa lost about ten killed
and wounded, while the German loss is
stated at twenty killed. Among the dead
is Lieutenant Siger.
The United States steamer Nipsic steamed
to Saluafata ON Tuesday, on hearing that
German war ships were going to shell
Mataafa's stronghold. Captain Mullan had
communications with the German COM
manders, and entered his protest against
their reported project. His protest was not
taken notice of, however. for the Olga
threw shells into the spot where Mataafa
was supposed to be, but which he had va
Gated.
The Chronicle says that current testimony
of the action of the Germans shows that
the Germans brought upon themselves the
fate that overlook them, as 1t was not until
two of Mataafa's chiefs were killed that he
The marines were only saved from
determination by the prompt arrival
of their gun-boats. After their de-
feat, the Germans bOmbarded the
by American Consul Blackjack that three
houses in the place belonged to an Amerl-
can citizen. Over these houses an American
flag fioated, yet the flag was torn down and
partially burned by the German sailors
the place. Correspondents also give ac-
counts of insults to Americans In the neutral
district of Apia. Mataafa has threatened
that if the Germans again attack his men
he will destroy all the German property on
At 4 o'clock this afternoon the United
States man-of-war Vandalia left Mare
Island navy-yard, bound for the Samoan
islands, the present seat of warlike dis
turbance.
The State Department Has Exhausted Its
Powers.
BALTIMORE, Jan. 20-The Suns Washing
ton special says: Secretary Bayard stated
tonight that the State Department had
gone to the extreme limit of its discretion
in trying to arrange the trouble over the
Samoan islands in adignifed and honorable
manner. The Senate had been furnished
with all the correspondence on the subject,
and it now remained for that body 10
define the policy of the government in
dealing with the subject further. Mr.. Bay
ard stated that the commission represent
ing the United States, the German and En-
glish governments, which convened in this
city last summer. with n view to adjusting
the differences at Samoa, entered into an
agreement to tie effect that the
protocol should be regarded as con-
fidential, which accounted for the ab-
sence of that document from the
correspondence and other papers on this
subject which have already been transmit
ted to the Senate. Tho conference was held
with view 20 establishing an independent
form of government at Samoa and having