The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-21
WAS PREPARED TO RESIST.
But Would Not Fight against the Ameri-
can Flag.

Commissioner Blount also sends to
the state department a long interview
had with S. A. Damon, who was pres
ident Of the advisory counsel Of the
provisional government. Damons in
terview was reported geographically
and signed by him as being correct
He was one Of the men who went up
to the government house on Monday
afternoon, January II, and read the
proclamation declaring the queen de-
posed and the new government in con-
troll Damon corroborates the state
ments made by Wundenburg. In re-
Spouse to Blount's questions, Damon
said he and another member of the
revolutionary committee went to the
station house to hold a, conference
with the queens representatives. Mr.
Blount endeavored to draw from Da-
mon the admission that the argument
used to induce the queens ministers
to surrender was the United States
troops across the street from the gov
eminent building and in full sympathy
with the revolution. Damon unwil-
lingly admitted this was true, saying:
While | was in the station hoBe,
man named Fowler said to me:
We're all prepared to resist, but 1
will never fight against the American
flag" Being again pressed for infor-
nation as 10 whether the sympathy
of the United States minister was talk
ed Of, Damon replied:
Il cannot remember any definite
thing, but from Fowler's remark they
must have thought the United States
troops were here for some purpose.
While we were in the government build
ing, and uring the reading of the proc
lamation, and while we were ali ex-
tremely nervous as to our personal
safety, 1 asked one of the men with
me there: Will not the American troops
support us?' Finally, 1 asked one of
the men to go over and ask Lieuten-
ant Sanburn if he was not going to
send some one over to protect US. The
man turned and said: Captain Wiltze's
orders are to remain passive 1 was
perfectly nonplussed at not receiving
their support l could not imagine
why we were there without being sup
ported by the American troops. We
We're 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:
1.-THE queens minister virtually gave
| it up. They said if they had only the
provisional government to contend
with, and the forces of the provisional
They felt they could meet the emer-
gency SO far as the provisional gov
eminent was concerned; but as it was
they were willing to yield, and the
queen and I went along with them to
! the palace. We all met in the blue
room. There were present the queen
two young princes, four ministers,
]. O. Carter, e. G. Mcfarland and my
self. We went over between and 5
p. m. and remained till 6. We We're
asked to surrender and the ministers
advised it. At first Judge Widdemann
opposed the idea. but yielded when
Neumann did. 1t was the queens idea
that she could surrender pending set
tlement at Washington. 1t was on that
condition she gave up. I told her she
could surrender or abdicate under pro-
| test"
was the queen advised by the min
listers to surrender because the SYM
patty of the United States was with
the revolutionists?'
| 4 know it was the queens idea that
Stevens was in sympathy with the
movement. The queen WAS reluctant
to sign the abdication, but did so on
the grounds it would all come up for
review at Washington. 1 told her so
myself. 1t was the best terms of set
Element we could get. 1 took it to
President Dole and he received and
endorsed it,
How long after that was it before
the provisional government was re-
cognized?"
stevens sent Cadet Pringle. his
aide, and Captain Wiltze sent one of
This officers personally to examine the
building and report if 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 g."
Nov, when this interview was go
ling on between you, the cabinet min
listers and the queen it was known
then the government had been recog-
nized %
81 do not think the queen was told.
l do not remember it having been
spoken Of"
did you know it?''
81 think / knew it."
What I mean is this: Before YOU
took the message of the queen back.
this protest, the provisional govern
ment had been recognized?"
Yes
had that been done at the timo
you left the government house to go
with the. cabinet minister and talk
with the queen2"
If my memory serves me right, it
lhad''
Commissioner Blount had long in
terview with Waterhouse, who was
isafety. and who corroborated Wunden-
burg and Damon in the most of their
statements
! Did you all understand stevens