The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-11-21
WAS TOO PREVIOUS
According to Mr.. Blount's Report
Minister Stevens Acted With I'm
due Haste.
He Recognized the Provisional Gov.
ernment Before the Queen Had
Surrendered.

New York Herald Publishes What
Purports to Be Copy of the Com
missiOner's Report.
NEW York, Nov. 21.-The Herald
prints under q Washington date what
purports to be large portion of the re-
port of Commissioner Blount. 1t sums
up as follows: Commissioner Blount's
report will show that Minister Stevens
landed the troops from the Boston long
before there was any valid excuse for
their presence ON Hawaiian soil that he
declined to remove them when requested
to do so by the government and informed
that the authorities were willing and
fully able to preserve order and to
protect American interests; that
these troops were stationed across
the street from the government
building in which Minister Stevens
knew the revolutionists were about to
read their proclamation and that the
revolutionists' committee relied upon the
American troops to protect them in this
act of rebellion; that Minister Stevens
recognized the provisional government
according to preconceived programme
before that government had obtained
possession of the departments and mill
tary power at Honolulu, and that the
military power was surrendered, as the
queen surrendered, only through awe of
the superior force of the United States.
MIR. wundenburg's Testimony.
In one of his reports to the state de-
partment Commissioner Blount said: 81
send You written statement from r.
Wundenburg, who says that his infor-
nation is derived from being personally
present at all the conferences of the COM
mittee of safety, and that his utterances
are based ON his personal knowledge.
He appears TO be an intelligent man. He
says he acted with the committee in
good faith till the American flag was
hoisted, and then he ceased communica-
ton with them He is at this time april
26) deputy clerk of the supreme court.
The statement of Mr.. Wundenburg is as
follows:
The committee of safety met at the office
of w. o. Smith i'm Fort street at about
o'clock in the afternoon of Monday, Jan.
is, ls93 for the purpose of discussing the
steps necessary to be taken in the forma
tion of a new government. Shortly after
the committee met they decided they were
not for the landing of American troops
and committee OF three, with Thurston
as chairman. was at once despatched tc
the American legation to prevail on Minis
ter Stevens to delay the landing of the
Boston's men. The committee returned
shortly and said Mr.. Stevens had said tt
them: Gentlemen, the troops of the
Boston land at 5 o'clock this afternoon
whether you are ready for them or not. "
The committee of safety adjourned tt
meet the same evening at the house of Mr.
Henry Waterhouse at 730 o'clock. TIL,
American troops landed at 5 O'Clock, a.
Mr.. Stevens told the committee the,
would, and marched up Fort street t.
Merchant, along Merchant street, haltin,
i'm King street between the palac
and government building. At the tim
the men landed the town was perfec.l
quiet, business hours were about over an,
the people were in the streets. Nothing
unusual was to be seen except the landin,
of formidable armed force with Gatlinl
guns, evidently prepared to remain o
shore an indefinite time, as the men wer
supplied with double cartridge belt file
with ammunition, also haversacks an,
canteens, and were attended by hospita
corps with stretchers and medical supplies
Curiosity Was Aroused.
The curiosity of the people on the street
was aroused, and the youngsters more pal
ticularly, followed the troops to see wha
it was all about. Nobody seemed to know
so when the troops found quarters th
people dispersed, most of them going
the band concert at the hotel, whic
was very fully attended, as it we
bright moonlight night, all who wer
not in the secret wondering ut the mi
itary demonstration. The committee me
at Mr.. Warehouses; residence that ever
ing at 7:3O The formation of some Sol
of q government was under discussion
and 1t was decided commander-in-chi,
of the forces supporting the proposed me-
government should be appointed. The p
sition was offered to John FL. Soper, VIII
demurred, not seeing any backing wha
l ever to support the movement. Mr.. Sopt
was answered by members of the commi
! tee that the American minister would SUI
port the move with the troops of the Bo
I ton. Mr. Soper still doubted, SO a coup
of the committee escorted him over to til
legation, which, by the way, was in Il
adjoining premises, and the three can
back after a time, reporting that M
Stevens had given them full assuran,
that any proclamation of the governme,
put forward ut the government building
or any other building in Honolulu, (.
that matter, would receive his immedia
recognition and the
support OF the Boston Forces.
This assurance seemed to satisfy M
Soper, and he accepted the position. {
Tuesday afternoon, Jan. IL, the commit
of 13, or committee of safety, proceed
from the office, of w. o. Smith (now .
torney general in the provisional Cover
ment) to the government building, al
there read the proclamation Of new &c
ernment as 800 o'clock there being prs