The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-24
Attempt at Poisoning Of the
National Guard.
Blount's Ironical Reference to Flae
Lowering Incident.
4issssss sssvsasP Leaving Plsssss the
xationists-Royalists SSH
Awaiting the Rsstorasien Of Ex.
Queen LiliuokAlAAi.

HoNoLuLU, April 12-rAssociated Press
Correspondence. 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 II, thirty
soldiers at the barracks were taken with
violent vomiting spells. Surgeon Rodgers
was hastily summoned and found that the
men showed symptoms of irritant poison
ing. The men were 90 distressed a. to be
obliged to take to their cots. In the mean
time report came from the government
Guards, 10 stationed, that q number of
men there were suffering with severe fits
of vomiting. DR.. Day was sum-
moned and relieved the men as
speedily and effectually as possible.
Capt. Good, at tho barracks. said the
men had dinner at 6 o'clock. The bill Of
fare was roast beef. boiled tongue, canned
peas and fresh vegetables. with tea and
coffee. He could not account for the
trouble. He had eaten dinner at tho bar
racks, but he had escaped ilIness. The
men iaid the blame to the boiled tongue
and did not hesitate to accuse some one in
the employ of the royalists of an attempt
at poisoning, but when questioned further
they admitted having eaten green peas,
which might have been diseased. Others
thought the poison had been placed in the
tea or coffee, but several men who had par
taken of the liquids mentioned, and who
had not eaten anything but cake or bread,
said they felt all right. It was pretty gen.
orally agreed by investigation that the
canned peas were tho cause of the tronble,
but afterwards it was found that no
canned peas, but dried. had been
served at the meal, leaving tho mat
ter still unexplained. Five Cinnamon
are employed in the kitchen at the govern
ment building. but no suspicion attaches
to them. In all about sixty mon, thirty
at tho barracks and thirty In Company A,
National Guard, were rendered unfit for
duty. but most of them soon recovered.
and none are likely to suffer permanently
or fatally. Much mystsry surrounds the
affair and it caused great sensation. The
royalists Indignantly deny the existence
OF plot to destroy the government forces
in this murderous manner, and there il so
far no general desire or intention to hold
them accountable. A not uncharitable
and natural theory is that poisonous
liquors were accidentally administered
with the canned or other foods, and until
the mystery 10 thoroughly solved the pub
lie for the most part is quite willing 70
take this view.
The Associated Press correspondent
called on Commissioner Blount again this
morning and asked if there was any truth
in the report that he intended leaving for
home on the steamship Australia, which
leaves here April 26. Mr.. Blount replied
there was no truth in it whatever. He
continued:
Ny length Of stay here il indefinite. Il may
be two months or tt may be three montha II
were in the states frankly say to you would
talk more freely, but here / do not wish to
assist in propagating rumora
When asked if his position were more
clearly defined it would not assist to pre-
vent many rumors, he said he was not
going to give himself any trouble about
that, and further said, with some irony:
Isuppose ! should have made speech at the
lowering of the nag, but am not making any
speeches or issuing any pyrotech mic proclama-
tions
The commissioner would not intimate
the character of the report he would FORM
ulate. and said he had no statement for
publication and would make none.
The tiutter of excitement that was
caused by the return of Paul Neumann
and Prince David, ENJOYS of Liliuokalani
to Washington City. 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 a day and hour had been Fl ixed for the
restoration of the ex-queen, but up to the
present writing the throne has lacked an
occupant. as it has every day since the
eventful 18th of January. The ex-aueen's
party do not appear more hopeful with
the continued delay, but still insist that
the only thing which the United States
cares to do is to restore the statu quo ante.
Mr.. Thurston, it is now expected, will
remain in Washington City as the Ha.
waiian minister, to succeed Mott Smith.
whom the provisional government has
asked to resign. Chief Clerk Hastings. OF
the foreign affairs Office. is prominently
mentioned for the consul generalship at
San Francisco.
The published statement that United
States Minister Stevens would relinouish
his position and return home on Nav % is
a further source Of qualification to the
anti-annexationists. The name of his sue.
cessor is awaited with anxiety.