The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-04-24
Special to the RECORD UNION.

Under Investigation.
special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN Francisco, April 23.-The bark
entine Irmgard arrived from Honolulu
tonight, bringing advices up to April
IZth. The leading event since the last
letter to the Associated Press was the
supposed wholesale attempt to poison the
soldiers and members of the National
Guard. On the night of April 18th thirty
soldiers at the barracks were taken with
violent vomiting spells. Surgeon
Rodgers was hastily summoned and
found that the men showed symptoms of
lrrltant poisoning. The men were so dis
tressed as to be obliged to take to their
cots. In the meantime a report came
from the Government building, where
company A of the National Guard is
stationed to the effect that number of
men there were suffering with the same
hts of vomiting. DR.. Day was summoned
and relieved the men as speedily and
etfectually as possible.
captain Good at the barracks said the
men had dinner at 6 o'clock. The bill of
1are was roast beet, boiled tongue, canned
peas and fresh vegetables, with tea and
coffee. He could not account for the
trouble. He had eaten dinner at the bar
racks, but he had escaped Illness. The
men lad the blame to the boiled tongue,
and did not hesitate to accuse someone
In the employ of the Royalists of an at
tempt at poisoning, but when questioned
further they admitted having eaten green
peas, which might have been diseased.
Others thought poison had been placed
IN the tea or coffee, but several men who
had partaken of the liquids mentioned
and who had not eaten anything but cake
or bread said they were all right.
1t was pretty generally agreed by the
investigators that the canned peas were
the cause of the trouble, but afterward it
was found that no canned peas, but
dried, were served at the meal, leaving
the matter still unexplained. Five Chi
namen are employed in the kitchen of
the Government building, but no suspi-
cion attaches to them.
In all, about sixty men-thirty at the
barracks and thirty in Company A of the
National Guard-were rendered unfit for
duty, but most of them soon recovered
and none are likely to suffer permanently
or fatally.
Much mystery surrounds the affair and
1t has caused great sensation. The
Royalists very Indignantly deny the ex-
istence of plot to destroy the Govern
ment forces in this murderous manner,
and there is so far no general desire or
intention to hold them accountable. The
most charitable and very natural theory
is that the poisonous liquids were acct
dentally administered with canned or
other goods, and until the mystery is
thoroughly solved, the public, for the
most part, is quite willing to take this
view.
AT the time the barkentine left, an in
vestigatlon was in progress, but no con-
clusion had been reached. The regulars
and members of the National Guard ate
last night at the same table, and symp-
toms of illness appeared in the same
manner and about the same time among
the members of two bodies of troops.
The fiutter of excitement caused by the
return of Paul Neumann and Prince
'
ington, has passed away, and has left
nothing apparent as a substantial result
of their mission.
Three times in as many days a report
has been circulated that the day and
hour had been fixed for the restoration of
the Queen, but up to the present writing
the throne lacks as much an occupant as
it has any day since the eventful 18th of
January. The Queens party do not APP
pear more hopeful with the continued
delay, but still insist that the only thing
which the United States can do is to re-
store the stGtu quo ante.
Mr.. Thurston, it is now expected, will
remain in Washington as Hawaiian Min
lister to succeed Mott Smith, whom the
Provisional Government has asked to re-
sign. Chief Clerk Hastings of the Foreign
Office is prominently mentioned for the
Consult eneralship at San Francisco.
The published statement that United
States Minister Stevens would relinquish
his position and return home on May
oath, is a further source of qualification to
the anti-annexationists. The name of his
successor is awaited with anxiety.
Inc ASSOCldLeu 1IeSS correspondent
called on Commissioner Blount again this
morning, and asked if there was any
truth in the report that he intended leav-
ing for home on the steamship Australia,
which leaves here April Goth. Mr.. Blount
replied that there was no truth in it what
ever. "My length of stay here is in
definite. 1t may be two months and it
NAV ha three mOnthSD
Among other things, he said: IF [
were in the States frankly say to you 1
would talk more freely, but here l do
not wish to assist in propagating ru-
mors."
When asked if his position were more
clearly defined it would not assist to pre-
vent many rumors, he said he was not
giving himself any trouble about that.
81 suppose" he said, with some irony,
az should have made a speech at the
lowering of the flag, but am not making
any speeches or issuing any pyrotechnic
proclamations."
The Commissioner would not intimate
the character of the report he would
formulate, and said he had made no state
ment for publication and would make
none.
Troublesome Boys
Complaint was made at the police sta
ton last night that boys have been break
iuo windows in n dvalIiuo Of Eirbfh apd