The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-21
STEVENS A DEEP coNsPlRAroR
Queen Lii q Chaste Woman and
Wrenged by President Harrison.
The Overthrow OF the Monarchy Ef-
feeted by United states Troops
Bioant's Firss Act In Honoiulu Was
TO Insult stevens.

tHau iS.bo NoT1S, anu secretary
Gresham's letter to the president summar-
| izes the report excellentiy.
| Blount saws that on the day Of the revo-
luton the American troops were landed at
| o'clock. as Stevens told the committee
they would be, aud marched M Fort street
| 10 Merchant and along Merchant street,
hating in King street. between the palace
and the government building. AT the
time the men landed the town was per.
fectly quiet. Business hours were about
over, and to people in the streets nothing
unusual was to be seen except the landing
of formidable armed force with Gasling
| guns. evidently fully prepared to remain
on shore an indefinite length OF time from
the equipment and supplies carried.
In one Of his reports to the state depart
ment Commissioner Blount said: II send
you written statement from F. wanden-
burg, who says his information is derived
from being personally present at sd the
conferences of the committee of safety,
! and his utterances are based on his per-
sonal knowledge. He appears to be an
Intelligent man. He says he acted with
the committee in good faith till the Ameri-
can flag was hoistsd. and then he ceased
| communication with them. He was at
this time (Aprii 2s) deputy clerk of the su-
preme court" The statement OF Wanden-
burg is as follows:
STEVENS ENCOURAGED THE REVOLT.
"The committee Of safety met at the Of
flee of w. o. Smith. on Fort street, at 4
o'clock on the afternoon OF Monday. yann-
ary l6, 1883 for the purpose Of discussing
the steps necessary to be taken in the for
nation of a new government. Shortly
after the committee met they decided they
would not favor the landing of American
troops, and q Committee of three. with
| Thurston as chairman, were at once dis
| patched TO the American legation to pre-
vail on Minister Stevens TO delay the land
| ing Of tbs Boston's men. The committee
returned shortly and said Stevens said to
them: Gentlemen. the troops Of the Bos-
| ton will land al O'clock this afternoon,
| whether you are ready for them or not
| The committee Of safety adjourned to meet
| the same evening ct the house Of Henry
| Waterhouse to- discusa-the formation of
| some sort of government. 1t was de-
| oided that comrnander-in-chief of the
| forces supporting the proposed new gov
| ernment should be appointed. The
| position was offered to John III. Soper.
| who demurred, not seeing any backing
| whatever in support Of the movement.
| Soper was assured By the members Of the
| COMMITTEES that the American minister
/ would support the move with troops from
l the boston. SDpeI stllt GOUoteu, 30 u
I compile of the committee escorted him over
To the legation. which. by the way, was in
| adjoining premises, and the three came
/ back after time, reporting that Stevens
| had given them full assurance that any
! proclamation tae government might put
| forward at the government building, or
| any other building in Honolulu, for that
| matter, would receive his immediate recog-
| milton and support of the forces of the
| Boston. The assurance seemed to satisfy
| Soper, and he accepted the position. On
/ Tuesday afternoon, January ~. the conf
mittee of thirteen. or committee of safety,
| proceeded from the Office of w. q. Smith,
/ now attorney general OF the provisional
/ government. TO the government building
and there read the proclamation OF
| the new government at twenty min
| utes Of o'clock. there being
| practically no audience whatevers
| As the reading proceeded dozen or 50
ioungers gathered. and near the close OF
the ceremony about thirty supporters.
| variously armed. came running into the
| side and back entrances to the yard and
| gathered about the committee. At this
| moment the United States troops. in tenn
porary quarters less than loo yards away,
appeared under arms and evidently pre-
! pared for any emergency. During all the
deliberations of the committee, aud in
| fact through all the proceedings con-
nected with the move mp to the final issue,
| the basis of action was general under
standing that Minister Stevens would
keep the promise to support the move
| ment with men from the Boston, and the
| statement is now advisedly made, with
full knowledge of the lack OF arms, ammu-
milton and men. also the utter ae-
sence of organization at all adequate
| TO the undertaking, that without pre-
vious assurance of support from the
American minister and the actual pres
- fF-tk
ment would have been attempted. and, If
attempted, would have been 3 miserable
! failure, resulting in the capture or death
! OF the participants In o very short time.
Having been present at the several meet
| ing, referred TO IN this statement, hereby
certify the same 10 be correct In every
essential particular. +. WAspgyBrRa."
Why THE orESs SURRENDERED.
Commissioner B.ount sends 10 the stats
| department . long interview had by him
with ). NJ. Damon. who was president OF
the advisory council OF the provisional
| government Damon's interview vas re-
| ported stenographicaliy and signed by him
| as being correct. He vas one Of the men
who went up TO the government house
| Monday afternoon. January 10 and read
the proclamation declaring the queen de-
posed and the new government in control.
1 b8s8iNB tbS sAARfat"Ak7 taaaN
| by Wandenburg. In response 10 Biount'
| question. Damon said be aud another
member of tbe revolutionary committee
vent TO the station house TO hold q confer
enes with the qaeen's representative.
Blount endeavorcd 20 draw from Damon
an admission that the argamen nt
used 10 induce the queens minister
to surrender was that United States
troops we're across tho street from the
| govern nment buildlng and IN full sy mpsth y
with the revolution. Damon nnviilingiy
admitted this 10 be true. saying; While
Ixas So the station house Manager Bowler
said 20 me: We are ali prepared TO resist,
bat wlli never fight against toe Aneri-
can aag.'" Being again pressed sor infar.
nation az 20 whether the sympathy o. the
/ United States minister Vas talked S5out
| Damon replied: II cannot rsgnsrus~t aay
definite thing. bat from Bo~ler's rcinars
! they must have thought the Uait-d State.
! troops wsre here for some purpose
While xs we're IN the government hasid.
ing and darTng the reading Of the proeia-
nation, aud - hale xe HsTe all extremely
| nervous ~ 10 Our personal safety, / asked
one uf tie men 10 20 over and asa Lieut.
ssinbarFas Il be were rot going 20 send
sonse ons ever 10 pr0sses Us. The mas
| returned aad ssss: Capt.. wilise say,
y f~r4fazn yzaz