The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-07-31

'0AA 4 L AOlE ~ W
position which he had gained, and SCI
about placing his men in position.
THE GENERAL ALARM
was spread throughout the city by means
OF the telephone from the central offices
about a. M, and the Honolulu Rifles
were Immediately ordered to report al
| their armories. When the alarm was
hrst given there was great deal of ex.
cltement, especially among the Portu-
guese and Chinese. Numbers of fami,
lies fled to the top of Punchbowl Hill,
ana a few ladies took refuge at the Am
erlcan legation, where a corps of marines
from the Q. S. S. Adams was stationed.
Lieut.. Parker manfully held the Palace
with about dozen soldiers of the Kings
Guard fully armed; and Wilcox was
gayly arrayed in an Italian uniform, al
though during the fusilade he hid in a
gasoline tank from which position he
issued his orders.
A Cabinet council was held early in
the forenoon; and, with the three Min
listers present, were convened the Am
erlcan, British, French and Portuguese
Commissioners, also Captain Woodward
OF the U. S. S. Adams. This Council
decided to demand the surrender of
Wilcox; and His Excellency SIN Damon
was appointed to carry out the demand.
although his mission proved to be un-
successful.
The Cabinet appointed Colonel V. V.
Ashford to command the Government
forces, and to report to it all arrange
ments made to preserve the authority of
the Government. At 10 a. m.
MR.. DAMoN's MISSION
was undertaken, and he proceeded to
the King street entrance of the Palace
grounds, but not before several shots
had been exchanged between the Homo
lulu Rifles and the rioters within. Mr.
Damon was subsequently refused admis-
sion, and at this time the rioters had
turned the field pieces upon the sharp
shooters who had found Judgement in
the Opera House opposite to and COM
handing range of the grounds. Mr..
Damon, who was attended by Lieutenant
Kamana, had to escape between the two
fires which had now become heavy. The
field pieces of the rioters were soon
silenced by the fire of the sharpshooters
who kept up steady fusilade upon the
men at these guns as long as any of the
rebel gunners appeared in sight.
AT first only about 100 men of
the Rifles reported for duty, but
soon their numbers greatly increased.
By II a. m. the rioters had
all taken shelterin the bungalow situated
in the Palace grounds, and the fire of
the rifles slackened to only an occasional
shot as rioters came within their range.
From this time there was little or no fire
ing done by the rioters, still there was
no appearance of surrender. A squad of
the Honolulu Rifles had also occupied a
vantage position in KaWaiahao church,
and others in private houses where a
range of the grounds could be had. The
arran gements of the volunteers through
out the day were perfect, and it was
known by noon that the surrender of the
rioters was only question of few
hours. Yet, it was apparent that stron-
ger measures had to be taken to drive
them from the bungalow where they
were safe from the rifle shots, and no
heavy ordinance was available to the
troops outside. These measures were
finally taken, however, as will appear
later on.
Both telephone lines were in charge
of the government from an early hour
in the forenoon; and this, although
wise move, added greatly to the uncer-
tainty of the proceedings told among
the people.
About noon four deserters from the
rioters climbed up and leaped over the
Palace walls, one of whom had been
seriously wounded IN the hand by a rife
ball. These men were Immediately
arrested, and the decentralization that
had set in among the rioters was first
learned from them.
THE POLICE STATION
was the center of information during
the day, and the Police Court adjoining
was made Government headquarters for
the time being. Two Gattling or ma
chine guns were stationed in front of
these buildings, and here the volunteers
improvised their headquarters also.
About thirty rioters surrendered to
Lieut.. Parker at l p. m. and were dis
armed and kept in confinement in the
basement of the Palace, until removed to
the Station House at later hour, under
a corporal's guard of eight volunteers.
For some hours the Government Build
ings had been held by detachment of
the rioters, but about II m. these were
disloged by the volunteers who forthwith
took possession, although not before
rioter of mixed negro blood had been
killed in front of that building.
The saloons were closed during the
dow. and crowds conprapated aft the