The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-20

under arms and evidently prepared for
any emergency.
During all the deliberations Of the COM
mittee, and. in fact, through all the pro-
ceedings connected with the move up to
the final issue. the basis of action was
the general understanding that Minister
Stevens would keep his promise to support
the movement with men from the Boston
and the statement is now advisedly made.
with full knowledge of the lack of arms,
ammunition and men, also utter absence
of organization at all adequate to
the undertaking and with previous
assurance of support from the American
Minister and actual presence of United
States troops no movement would have
been attempted. and if attempted would
have been a miserable failure, ending in
the capture and death Of the participants
in very short time.
Having been present at several meetings
referred TO in the statement | hereby cert-
fy the same to be correct IN every essential
particular. T. WUNDENBURG.
Commissioner Blount sends to the State
Department long in terview had by him
with 5. a. Damon, who is president
of the Advisory Council of the
Provisional Government. Mr.. Damon's
Interview is reported stenographieally and
signed by him as being correct. He is one
of the men who went I'D to the Govern
ment-house Monday afternoon, January
II, and read the proclamation declaring
the Queen deposed and the new Govern
ment in control. Damon corroborated the
statement made by Wundenburg.
I'm response to Bount's questions Da-
mon said he aud another member Of the
Revolutionary Committee went to
the station-bouse and held con-
ference with the Queens representa-
tiyes. Blount. endeavorng to draw
from Damon an admission that the
argument used to induce the Queens Min
isters to surrender was that the United
States troops across the street from the
Government building were in full sympa-
thy with the revolution. Demon unwil-
lingly admitted that this was true,
saying: While l was in the station
house a man named Bowler said to me-:
Were all prepared 10 resist. but l will
never fight against the American flag"
Being again pressed for Information as to
whether the sympathy of the q nited States
Minister had been talked about, Damon
replied:
~ cannot remember any definite thing,
but from Bowler's remark they must
have thought the United States troops were
here for some purpose" while we were
in the Government building. aud during
the reading of the proclamation, and
while we were all extremely ner-
vous as to our personal safety, / asked
one of the men with me there, "Will not
the American troops support us?" Finally
l asked one of the men TO go over and ask
Lieutenant Swinburne if he was not going
to send some one over to protect US. The
man returned and said. Captain Wiltse's
orders are to remain passive"
| was perfectly nonplused at not re-
ceiving their support. l could not im-
agine why we were there without being
supported by American troops. We were
there fifteen or twenty minutes without
their supporting US in any way.
'Being asked what was accomplished by
the first visit to the station house, Damon
at length replied; The Queens Ministers
virtually gave it up. They said if they had
only the Provisional Government to con-
tend with and the forces of the Provisional
Government they would not surrender.
They felt that they could meet the emer-
gency as far as the Provisional Govern
ment was concerned, but as it was they
were willing to yield, and the Queen and |
went along with them to the palace where
we all met in the biueroom.
There we're present the Queen. the two
young Princes, four Ministers, Judge
Widdeman, Paul Neumanp. ]. o. Carter,
E. C. Macarane and myself We went
over between and 5 and remained till 6.
1--WE asked for surrender and the Minis
ter advised it. At first Judge Wddeman
opposed the idea, but yielded when Neu-
mann did. 1t was the Queens idea
that she could surrender pending settle
ment at Washington, and it was on that
condition that she gave,up. l told her she
could surrender or abdieate under pro-
test
"Was the Queen advised by the Minis
ters to surrender because OF the sympathy
of the United States with the revolution
istso"
81 know II was the Queens idea that
Stevens was In sympathy with the move
ment. The Queen was reluctant 10 sign
her abdicatioD, but did so on the ground
that it would all come up for review at
Washington.
tOju nCl oU uyocll' IL WdS lHc Dost
settlement we could get. ! took it to Presi-
dent Dole and he received and indorsed it,"
How long after that was it before the
Provisional Government was recognized ?"
stevens sent Cadet Pringle, his aid. and
Captain Wiltse sent one of bis officers per-
sonally to examine the building and report
il the Provisional Government was in
actual possession. That was done between
4 and in the afternoon. The interview
with the Queen took place between and
o'clock"
snow. when this interview was going
on between you. the Cabinet Ministers
and Queen, was it known then the Govern
ment bad been recognized? ?"
II do not think the Queen was told.
do not remember it having been spoken
of
"Did you know il ?"
81 think knew it,"
Nv hat L mean is this: Before you took
the message of the Queen back had this
protest of the Provisional Government
been recognzed?'
"Yes"
"Had that been done at the time you