The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-12-14
ARRIVAL OF THE C0RWIN.
SEALED DISPATCHES ron MINIsTH n
WILLIS.
All sorts OF Sensational Rumors Anoat
IN the city The Governments
tltimatum.

il was to hear that the revenue cutter
Corwin had arrived from the Coast,
having left there on Monday evening,
Dec. 4th, with important dispatches to
United States Minister Willis. At once
buzz of curiosity went over the tele-
phone wires and the long-sutfering
Central was kept busy answering
the Corwin had dropped anchor at @
o'clock and that her commander had
landed at once and carried bulky
packet to the American Legation. The
great question: "What did the packet
contain of course remained I'M
answered. The correspondents and re-
porters flocked to Mr., Willis with their
inquiries but he was as much "Min-
lister Reticent" as Blount ever was.
Almost the first man to board the
Corwin when she moored was the
lively marine reporter of the STAR the
man who never sleeps when news from
the Coast is ON the taps. He asked the
officers of the cutter what was going OH
but they were automatically if not
clammily dumb. He then inquired for
newspapers but they had none. Then
he searched the forecastle and picked up
several copies of the Chronicle
and Examiner and best of all
a stray issue of the EUening Report of
December 4th, containing the text of
the Presidents message to Congress,
particularly the Hawaiian chapter.
These papers were rushed to the STAR
office and their contents rapidly dis
sected and as far as practicable, put into
type. A rumor got about that this
paper had the only copy of the message
in town, and at once the Office was over
run with callers. To meet the demands
of public curiosity, we decided to issue
half-sheet extra containing the Ha-
waiian matter. This was done at 10
o'clock, under some difficulties, as, for
want of electric power. the STARS large
press had to be turned by hand. 1t was
discouraging, in the presence of clam
orous crowd at the counter, to have the
machinery run so slow, but the throng
was patient and in due time everyone
was served The moment an extra
came off the press it was snapped up.
In this way an edition of several hun
dred was disposed of ON the spot not to
speak of the copies sent to the news
agencies.
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
The Government went into session at
an early hour, but had no news. To
accommodate it the STAR sent the proof
sheet of the message to the Executive
building, where the text was eagerly
read by the President and Cabinet. The
conclusion wa that Cleveland meant to
restore the ex-Queen by peaceable ne
gotiation if he could; if not he would
refer the question to Congress for its
action. Thereupon the executive framed
an ultimatum in which it declined to
negotiate for a restoration of the crown,
and declared that it would resist with
military force any and every attempt to
overthrow the Provisional Government.
This utmatum was held ready to be
sent to Minister Willis should he enter
upon the fulfillment of his instructions.
LOCAL EXCITEMENT.
Meantime there was great but sup
pressed excitement all over the city.
Some thought the text of the message
! favorable to their own side; others
thought differently. A sensation was
caused during the forenoon by
a visit paid to the flagship
by little Mills and his return to the
legation after having seen the Admiral.
Another series of rumors started when
it was announced that the Mariposa
would not sail until o'clock. She had
been billed to leave at 10 A. NJ. and
somebody said the change in time had
been made at the instance of Minister
Willis. However, this yarn was
quickly disposed of by w. G. Irwin &
] ~ hnt lata ~
the steamer on their own account so
that the Oceanic Company at San Fran
cisco could be made aware of anything
that might happen during the after
noon.
A third rumor said that Minister
Willis called upon Mills to assist him in
reading the cipher text of the Corwin
dispatches and that when the work was
done Mills went to the telephone and
notified Sam Parker that all was we'll
THE MILITARY ALERT.
Military preparations were active all
the morning and besides the regulars
and National Guard the Citizens
Reserve and the Sharpshooters were
put On the alert. Had there been any
sign of unusual activity on board the
American ships the streets would have
swarmed with armed men and the city
: no doubt, would have been placed
, under martial law.
During the afternoon the officers anC
men of the Philadelphia and Adam
, were called ON board.
At 2:30 the Executive and Advisory
Councils were still in session.
At 3 p. IN. rumOrs were flying abou
among the Royalists of immediate res
tjration.
1915 p. Mt is learned that at tn
executive session of the Council thi
, afternoon the only matter discussed wa
the present political ST uation. At 81
p. M. the Government had received n
word from Minister Willis.