Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-06-18
1,MWANTED TO BE KING.
1AMAsEsE, THE TRAITOR. WHO
SOUGHT TO RULE IN SAMOA.

He Was = Coward and Never Reached
the Goal of His Ambition-He Had No
Claim to the Throne-His Insults to
the American Flag.
Cable advices from Auckland, New Zea-
land. brought news of the death of Tam
asese, the would be king and pretender to
the throne of Samoa.
1t was my privilege and good fortune to
be actively engaged with others in opera
tions against Tamasese and his rebel army
in Samoa in the fall of 1888 and spring of
1889, while acting in the capacity of special
correspondent in that far distant country.
1t will be remembered that Immediately
after the reinforcement of Malietoa Lau-
pepa, the king of Samoa, by German
naval force because of a mythical offense,
and his deportation to the CAMERON isl
ands, on the west coast of Africa, the Ger
man forces set up Tamasese as his successor.
He had not the shadow of a claim to the
throne, not being a member of the royal
family by blood connection or in any other
way. In fact his claim was as just and
reasonable as would be that of some small
bore political leader in the United States
who forclbly assumed to be the legal presi-
dent of he United States without an cleo
ton having been held.
HIS OPPONENT.
When Malietoa Laupepa was kidnapped,
virtually, from Samoa, Mataafa, who was
next in line of succession, and who has
been we'll termed by American residents
the George Washington of Samoa" was
chosen to succeed him. Mataafa received
the strongest moral and practical support
of American and English residents; but
his ascendancy to the throne, backed by
the popular will of two-thirds of the ma
tive population, was in direct opposition
to the plans made by the Germans.
The armies of Mataafa and of Tamasese
therefore went to war, the former having
about 5000 fighting men, armed with
breech loading rifles, but suffering from
scarcity of ammunition, while the rebel
forces, numbering 5000, also had repeating
rifles, some of the insurgents having two
guns each. OF ammunition they possessed
an almost ineNhaustible supply.
In November, 1855, Tamaseses army,
then encamped near Mulinuu Point, close
to Apia, after having committed outrages
on the property of American citizens liv-
ing in the vicinity, looting their houses
and loudly expressing contempt of the
American flag and the United States gov
eminent generally, was forced to retreat
from it's position, largely because of the
unmistakable note Of warning sent to
Tamasese by gallant Captain Richard P.
Leary, commanding the United States
man-of-war Adams, who notified him that
the rebel forces were partly occupying ter
ritory owned by an American citizen, and
that in view of the outrages committed on
Americans and their property it would be
healthier for the rebel forces to leave the
immediate vicinity forthwith.
WHERE THE FIGHTING TOOK PLACE.
Tamasese took the hint and moved with
his army to the village of Lautu-Anuu, six
miles up the coast from Apia. Here the
rebels established themselves on the sum-
NIT of steep hill 900 feet high, which oc-
cupied one end of a crescent forming the
small bay of Laulii. They built a fort on
the top of this hill which American naval
officers subsequently, declared to be almost
impregnable, the approaches also being for
titled in the strongest possible way. There
Tamasese had his headquarters, while his
army ranged for miles through the hills
and along the seashore to the east.
Mataafa's army followed the rebels close
ly, the king locating his headquarters on
the seashore near the middle of the crescent
formed by the bay. His army occupied
lines extending back in the mountains
about six miles and opposing the rebel lines.
Much of the hard fighting occurred in the
immediate vicinity of Mataafa's headquar-
tiers, and being an occupant of the kings
house for several months was an eyewit-
ness, if nothing more, of many hard fights
and skirmishes
60 l, {t,ph no nj off,,
ally directed his troops in several of the
important fights, but Tamasese, whose
courage was not particularly great, con-
tented himself with sitting in his house,
safe within his fortress, during the con-
flicts, deputing the immediate command of
the rebel troops to the chief suatele, who at
least had the saving quality of courage
This was particularly the case at the battle
of Lautu-Anuu, fought early in November,
when Mataafa's forces attacked the fort.
Over hundred men were killed in this
fight, the heads of sixty being cut off by the
opposing forces.
FIRING ON THE AMERICAN FEAG.
Frequently l was compelled to visit Apia
for purpose of obtaining provisions or on
other business. The trail along the noun
tain side and through the forest was so
rough as to be almost impossible, and
therefore usually made the trip by sea in
dugout canoe or a boat. | invariably
hoisted at the stern an American flag,
dashed to long pole, that the rebels might
at least not have the pleasure of attacking
us on the plea that they were not aware
that the boat was occupied BY al American.
This preclution was of little avail, how
ever, for they cared no more for the United
States flag, unless Immediately supported
by war ship, than they did for a dishrag.
In passing out of Laulii harbor to shape
our course for Apia it was necessary to pass
within easy shooting distance of Tamasese's
fort on the hill above owing to shallow
water on the opposite shore.
Numbers of times the rebels opened fire
on us as we padded out toward sea- their
long range Springfield and Winchester
rifles throwing bullets in close proximity
to the boat.
In conclusion, it may be said that in the
death of Tamasese Samoa experienced a
blessing. Many European and native resi-
dents will rest easier in the knowledge that