New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-26


ballots were soon deposited in the box. The sa-
looms were running wide OPEN and doing rush
ing business for one of the Independent candidates
was setting 'em up wholesale, and beer flowed
in streams. One eXcitable individual rushed up
and down the street between the liquOr-Store ana
the polling place with several bottles and glass
in his hands, shouting like mailman, and lnvlt-
ing every body 10 drink. The only democrat /
wagon in Apia was put into requisitlon, ana rat
tied to and from the polls, carrying the weak
and decrepIt, or whoever could he induced 10
ride The ballot resulted in the election III
the West District Of three GennanS-NeSSrS'
Weber. IIeidlin and Observation-Disclosures
ing the superior strength Of the American
and English voters. In the East District MesSrS'
Dunnctl. Meredith and MoOrs was elected MI.
Moors being one Of neutrality-suspicious. candidates.
SO we have as members Of the most important
executive body in Samoa three Germans, TWO
Engli>lmen and one American, not counting
Baron Piasch, the president of the Council TN
February the newly elected members or the
Council were sworn in, repeating the oath OF ONCE
as read 10 them by the clerk of the Supreme
Court The ceremony took place he Puolc
Hall the Consus being present, ana members
Of the Land Commission who are here.
Early in February the news of what was sup
%
tie west end of this island About month
before young Samoan chief was blown away
from the coast while out fishing, and was sup
posed to be lost at sea Now in February,
native. digging in his "taro" patch, found the
bones and skull Of a man near the place where
the young chief was supposed to have been lost.
In the meantime one Of the black boys laborlng
on the plantation told some of the SamoanS that
the Young chief had come ashore and gone WIN
him 70 their village in the bush, and that his
comrades had killed and eaten the chief against
his protest, threatening him with the same tate
if he made fuss. So satisfied were the SamoanS
that the bones were those of the cher thai they
brought them up to the relatives at Apla ana
made arrangements TO attack the black boys OH
all the plantations. An examination or the oohes
las. the resident doctor and by doctor from the
Iro0uois proved beyond question that they could
not have belonged to the Samoan chief, for they
were much too small, being of the size OF the
black boys There is question that several
cases of canuibasm have occurred among lhe
black bo"s who have run away from the planla-
tions and made their home in the bush. Several
bodies have been found mutlated IN Such d
manner as to leave 10 doubt that they had Deeh
killed and eaten. During the war ana lhe
troublcs Of the last few years hundreds have gone
into the bush, living on roots and berries oc'
casionallv making forays on the taro and banana
patches of the SamOans Numbers OIL 'Hc l"U-
fer have been spearcd and injured while going
and coming through the waste lands. OF late a
number of the black boys have been caught, or
have Voluntarily come into town IN horrible
condition of starvation At tie time OF uHe
runorcd outrage the white foreign residents mere
were alarmed, for travelling about the lslahu
alone might become dangerous. Several people
have been threatened, while out in the puSh Iau''
by these wild men, who s9rane uP on al SiuoS'
shaking spears in an ugiy manner.
Sneakin., of the lands Of Samoa brings TO mnd
some of the questions and difficulties the Lana
commissioners Will have to contend with, also
tho custo,ns and rules followed by the natives
in DEALING in lands and titles. The soil OF samoa
i divided among the different lfmAleS, eAcIl
family having a Wcl-Ieiiued property III us auCS'
Generally speaking, this II TIE c'Se, tuouSh III
some instances families who own no lahd i've Oh
the lands of the chief OF another I'milN' lheNe
family lands are occupied IN common uS al the
members Of the family; that Is, the ulIeTehO
.loro. mr. nortious are not ndINdua,Ied. over
family lands in Samoa there cAis's """' - c"i'u
. puIntclc"-rule all This right empowers e1cl
nJiyilual member of a family To use such I'!.da
and the native products growing thereon Tor ms
nv,n .nnciol comfort and convenience, IN common
with an the other members oil tle I3uIlIJ' 4h'>
sonn,S to hc not always the case. however, on
ali fine islands one authority says IIetf II
Snly conferred by the dying hc'I OF G9e fanny
when he prefers giving the Whoc FANNY tqu"l
;'r,ts nvnr their land instead OF naming sue
cesar as head The tribal cmet IN virtue oil
his position cannot deal with family ilEcS. INC
tnycr lands in certain districts ar" divided ana
owned by the different families, with the eNceir
lion of the back or mountain lama, "hItI
is held in common and The undT ,r lne cD I'm.
obtains in the island of Savaii. In the emergency
of all the males OF family dying Out TIE tiIo@
chief takes POSSESSION. omen nave no Iet'A
n7ed propretorships in land, except IN cases wAet'
lands have been especially appor!oned 10 then
! Individually. However. IN the event oil All t-t
male members OF family dying, woman may
hocnua the sole representative of the family rights
! to land The head Of a family, either by brth Oh
cIerton has the right to ALLEVIATE, ana 10 transfer
| any of the family lands occupied III common WIN
! ont the assent OF any OF the Hcuuere OIL VIZ
| family This is seldom done, beng CpNs!uet'O
! an act of too arbitrary n character ana workin-
| wrong and harm to the family. tndiSeulsed di'
! opproval would be the result lie cannon inter
! fore with the lands already poruoned OUT 10 IIl
! Iividuols The head of a family has The rl2n' u
! snrraoatr and apportOn 10 individuals me l'hu'
| ~ families Such appOrtiOnment constitutes u
/ tho nerson SO distinguished Zee slmp.e tue. Inc
J,.inr words of the head OF family IN reference
! emily lands are held sacred To the posllloi
! mr. name of head Of family tnefr are ,l',
onposrg claimants. Claims t. the rIIhl 3I non
no the family name for their head men VIII our
! h made hy branches Of the same family III
! district or town. The name of Leataua az on
ms was claimed by five different persons II
i l1lSor was In certain districts, and on liiIcren
Stands are many other instances ;n Of b im 6n,
Character each person claiming the rl&htS ah'
chaI 3ir' ~ the name There is i'm Samoa
pprliton or title similar to that of the Vase
|" VII held by M mS Ta1cc Of r5 hS s ia@!
unt'I 'u T,,ne rs the case may he. He is TN
iS,r '. son and as such there is asoluel,
re limit 10 his power over the family property
nfo,. n,, custom establishes closely drawn ln
W. n,rnosc Of checking any arbitrary use o
his exceptional right. The term Legitimacy
] unSerstood by the white foreign residents. Is no