The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-12-26
FROM BLOUNT'S REPORT.
ANOTHER CHAPTER OF GREAT
INTEREST.
An Attempt of Bowen, sewaI and
Neumanp to Get the sx-Queen
to Sell Out Her Claim.


to Sell Out Her Claim.
The following is chapter from Com
missioner Blount's report, supplement
ing that which was presented this morn
ing by the Advertiser. The series will
be continued, alternately, by both the
STAR and its morning contemporary
HONOLULU, II. l., April 26, 1893.
SIR; On the 18th inst. the Alameda
reached this place. Among its pas
sengers were DIR. William Shaw Bowen
and Mr.. Harold M. Sewall. The San
Francisco papers announced that they
had refused to say that they were not
joint commissioners with myself to
Honolulu. The former represented him
self to me rs a correspondent of the New
York World, and said he would be glad
to give me any information he could
gather here. Thinking it mere mat
ter of courtesy, l thanked him. On
Sunday, the 10Th inst, was out walk
ing and met him on the street, riding in
a buggy. He left his buggy in the
hands of his friend, Mr.. Sewall and
Joined me in a walk of some length.
Before it was concluded he said to me
that he and Paul Neumann were ar
ranging a meeting between President
Dole and the Queen, the object being to
pay her sum of money in considera-
ton of her formal abdication to the
throne and lending her influence to the
Provisional Government with a view to
annexation to the United States. He
repeated this statement frequ' ntly, at
intervals, to which made no reponse.
Finally he asked me If did not think
it would simplify the situation very
r. -
Suspecting that my answer was designed
yield to solicitations to abdicate, / re-
piled. II have nothing to say on this
SUBJECT" DIR. Bowen said: 81 did not
ask you officially, but simply in a private
way" responded: II am here as a
Commissioner of the United States and
must decline to converse with you on
this subject"
The next morning early l had an in
terview with President Dole. told him
that / had seen in the San Francisco
newspapers intimations that DIR. Bowen
and Mr.. Sewall were here as representa-
tives of the President of the United
States that the former told me that he
had arranged to bring him and the
Queen together on that morning that
desired to say to him that neither DIR.
Bowen nor Mr.. Sewall, nor any other
person, was authorized to act for the
Government in that or any other mat
ter relating to the present condition of
affairs in the Islands save myself that
/ did not know absolutely that these
two gentlemen had claimed to have
such authority He replied that he had
been informed that they were here
representing the Government. He did
not give his authority.
He said that there had been some ap-
proaches from the Queens side with
propositions of settlement that he had
responded : 81 will consider any rea-
sonable proposition"
l told him / would not permit the
Government of the United States to be
represented as having any wish in the
matter of any negotiations between the
Queen and the Provisional Government
He asked il l would be willing to
authorize the statement that l believed
it would simplify the situation. / re-
piled that l was not willing to do this,
that / was not here to interfere with the
inions of any class of persons.
nee this interview with President
1 heard that DR.. Bowen, when
ed by newspaper people if he repre-
sented the President of the United
States, declined to answer, saying that
all would be revealed hereafter.
He is representing himself in various
quarters as an intimate friend of the
President. 1 can but think that these
statements are made to create the i'm
preston that he is here authorized to
bring about negotiations for settle
ment between the Queen and the Pro-
visional Government
On the day before yesterday DR..
Bowen came over to my table to say
hot hot h<,
Dole had occurred and terms were
agreed upon. said did not care for
him to talk with me on that subject.
On the 2ist inst. Mr.. Claus Spreckels
called to see me. He said that he sus-
pected that there was an effort at nego-
tiation between the Queen and the Pro-
visional Government, and that he had
urged the Queen to withdraw her power
of attorney Enclosure No. ~ which Mr..
Spreckels says was derived through the
agency of MIR. Samuel Parker, the last
secretary of foreign affairs. He told me
that Paul Neumann would leave for
Washington by the next steamer, under
pretense that he was going to the
United States and from there to Japan.
How much or how little Mr.. Spreck els
knows about this matter am unable to
say, as do not know how to estim ate
him. never having met him before. He
promised to see me again before the
mail leaves for the United States or
next Wednesday and give me such in
formation as he could acquire in the
meantime.
believe that Dr. Bowen, Mr.. Sewall
and Mr.. Neumann have pretended that
the former knew the opinions of Mr.
Cleveland and assured the Queen tina
annexation would take place, and thai
H. Lnl k<.t, 49, ID
Mr. Neumann leaves here on the next
steamer, probably with a power to acl
for the Queen, with authority derived
from her out of these circumstances.
The question occurs to my mint
whether, if the United States desired
the adjustment as probably agreed on
it had better not be accomplished
through its representative here, eithel
through myself or the successor of Mr.
Stevens as Minister here, that assurance
might be had that the action of the Gov
eminent was free from any suspicion O.
indirsotion in the transaction.
Mr.. Paul Neumann is generally re
interruptions person. Permit me t,
suggest that II the Administration
should entertain any proposition from
Mr.. Neumann in connection with con
tract between the Queen and the Provi
sional Government in the matter of he
abdication, the contamination of it i
surrounded by SO many circumstance
indicating that the Government Of tn,
United States has been made to appea
to the Queen as favoring such action oil
her part that it would be far better t,
decline to entertain anything from Mr.
Neumann, but for the Government t.
I.-L H..
manner. If such an adjustment is desir
able, instructions to the American rep
resentative here to endeavor to brinl
about such an arrangement would be
much more honorable course on tn
part of the United States.