Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-08
SLAVERY IN SAMOA.
Newspaper Correspondents Tale OF Brutal
uy Exercised Under German Rule.

Newspaper Cores pondent's Tale OF Brutal
ty Exercised Under German Rule.
New York Word correspondent who has
arrived at San Francisco from Apia. Samoa.
says: The condition Of affairs in Samoa 10
most deplorable. War in all Of lite horrible
phases of savagery is imminent. A general
massacre OF the German population OF Apia
may be the iirst stroke by which Mataafa. the
revolutionary leader, will begin the strife. All
present indications point to this issue. but war,
fIightful as it always is among the sayaees in
The iaclhe, IL as trifie compared with the
other horrors 20 the pcrpetuation Of which the
United States aud England have unuittingly
Pledged themselves. Our diplomats who were
sent TO Berlin to frame a treaty that should
preserve the autonomy of the samoan Islands
were hoodwinked into pledging federal sup
port TO slavery in these lovely sea islands
his If the absolute truth. Slavery in a far
worse form than was known in our own
history Is curslng these islands as the old south
was never cursed There Is more horror. more
misery and more shame on the Upolu planta-
tons than any other part of the world has ever
known rs "a coincident effect OF slavery. The
war that Is now threatened NAV only lie due in
a small degree to the existence of slavery
although the emancipation Of the 1000 slaves
VIII be one OF ats aims The struggle will be
due to the Intense hatred OF the SAmoans for
the Germans.
ut should he understood that the slaves are
not Samoans. They are natives OF the Sol
ONION and fiji Islands who have been brought
here 10y the Germans 10 work their plantations.
IL l. a long story and one full Of misery"
On account OF their harsh treatment the cor
respondent says scores Of these slaves made
their escape into the bush and established
themselves IN huts in the forests. Nearly all OF
the FIRST few loads of blacks ran away INTO the
bush AMI harsh measures were found necessary
To keep the Others at work. Ovcrseers were
llaeei at various points around the plantations
with rifles. They were ordered to shoot any
native who should try to escape. Dozens OF
the blacks did attempt TO get away and many
we're shot down like dogs. Even tins did not
deter others IRON trying TO get away.
HORRIBLE BARBARTIY.
Then whipping post was established. For
the most trivial ofenses the blacks were brought
up to be dashed. The lash consisted Of fine wire
strands with little steel points liked 10 the ends
Scores OF the poor victims died under the lash.
Others We're tortured almost to death. The
lash laid the nezh open Ia stripes. and in every
case the victim was covered with blood No
matter how terribly victim of the horrible
torture was injured. he was at once sent back
TO his work still bleeding. Ia all tropical
countries an open sore ls slow to heal. owing to
the great heat.
There were many poor fellows at work on
those plantSnons whose backs were covered
with fostering sores. produced bv the sun beat
Ing upon them while they were at work after
open. 1t wac evidently the design OF the over
seers to break the spirit OF the blacks and they
have almost succeeded. Once in a great while
the blacks break away in large bodies and many
OF them succeed IN reaching the interior. where
the bush Is SO thick as to make pursuit hope
less.
Twice the natives have revolted and attacked
the oyerseers, but both times they have been
repulsed. They have no weapons and there
fore, the oyerseers armed with r,.peetiug
lf1.s
of individual resistance are frequent, but they
always end in the death of the black who thus
offcnds. But the oyerseers do not always es-
cape punishment.
Two years ago an overseer named ScLilling
who had been especially cruel with the lash.
was seized one night by a party Of blacks and
taken into the bush. He was bound to a tree
In standing position. With the sharp edges
Of split bamboo the blacks severed the cords in
both OF Schillmg's wrists. Grasping the sew
cred ends the blacks pulled the cords backward
until they tore through the flesh almost to the
elbow. The pain must have been frightful.
After this punishment haG been inflicted the
natives fed to the interior, leaving Schilling
tied to the tree. lie WAS missed from the plan
tation and was discovered two DAYS later by
searching party. Pinned TO Schilling's sleeve
was found a leaf on which was written words TO
the effect that SchillIng would never Use a lash
again. Schilling nearly died. but finally recoy-
cred. His hands all drawn out Of shape
and very nearly useless. He IL now under q
pension from the German firm.
Another overseer named Neesler was also
captured and taken to the bush. He was cut
| with dull knife in a hundred places on his
body and arms and stripped naked and then
turned loose in the bush. The sun made fes-
tered sores of the cuts. but Nessler found his
way back to Apia and he. too. finally recovered.
He is now completely covered with deep and
ugly looking scars.
1t is estimated that no less than 1000 of
the imported natives have fed TO the bush and
are now living in u savage condition on the
Island of Upolu. The solomon Island and
Fiji Island natives are nearly all cannibals.
The presence CT SO many of them in Samoa has
had a decidedly bad effect on the rest OF the
population, foreign well native. There is
no utilization between the Samoan natives and
the escaped blacks. The samoans have g
feeling OF contempt for the blacks because
they submit to slavery.
The condition of the slaves is worse today
| than ever. There is no longer any pretense of
employing the blacks at even the meagcr COM
pensation of 90 a month. The support OF the
| existing form OF government by England and
the CnIted States has made the German firm
holder than ever. Slaves are tortured 70 death
| merely as warning To Others and to keep them
in subsection. Ships are constantly plying be-
tween the Samoan Islands and the other south
Pacific groups, bringing whole cargoes of slaves
| They are wild men, small parties Of whom have
been surrounded by armed forces Of Germans
and driven board the ships. They are
chained in the foul hold, where they remain,
half starved, until the vessel can reach some
Then they are landed and driven to the plants-