The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-08
ALL A MYSTERY.
Willis May he on the Corwtn, but No
News Can Be Obtained.


current here to-day TO the effect that Min
lister Willis had been given passports and
was aboard the Corwin. Up to a late hour
tonight nothing was developed TO corrob-
crate the rumor. Though considered quite
probable that the Minister has been ten
dered his passports. it is not believed he Is
on board the Corwin, nor that he was
passenged on her. The unprecedented ac-
ton of the Corwin's officers, however.
might indicate the truth of the story,
for il is certain they are
concealing some important fact from the
public, and it may be that the minister 10
Hawaii is hidden in her cabin. When the
Corwin steamed in through the Golden
Gate her commander refused TO receive
even officers OF the revenue patrol steamer
Hartley, telling them they were not want
ed. The cutter then steamed south, APP
preaching the southern shore, and at
point of Harboryiew a small boat was
lowered and one man sent ashore.
This individual was never seen by any
of the newspaper men, nor was he recog-
1t was supposed, however. that the man
put ashore was officer of the cutter In
trusted with dispatches for Washington
never returned to the Corwin.
AS soon as the cutters small boat re-
rectly across the channel to Sausaiito and
thence TO San Quentin, where she now lies
No one else has left her so far as known
careful search has failed to bring his where
abouts to light. 1t is almost a foregone
corelus;aIl, however. that Minister Willis wills
Mrs. Willis behind. That she has not
landed here is almost beyond doubt Nor
is it believed that any woman Is on board
the COrwin, else a glimpse of her would
have been had by many reporters who have
closely watched the cutter since her ap-
pearance in the harbor.
NO NEWS GIVEN OUT
The attitude of Captain Munger. of the
Corwln, toward the representatives of the
press and public in general is without
precedent in this port. From the moment
the Corwin arrived the men on board have
been as inaccessible as If they were in
midocean, save for the brief interview that
reporter had with CAPTAIN Munger yes
terday evening, when the Captain went
ashore in his gig 10 mail packet of let
ters. The Captain saw fit to go ahsore
with the letters himself rather than trust
a messenger, who might let some iota OF
news drop by accident or otherwise under
reportorial pressure. 1t was when on shore
this time for a very few minutes that the
Corwins captain talked with reporter
and verified the correctness of the Auck-
He also stated that the Corwin left Hon.
olulu Dec. q. The reporter quotes Captain
Il can tell you no more than came In
that Aukland dispatch. 1t is no pleasure
for me to hold news as information from
the people, but then you must remember
that | am powerleSs in the matter myself.
Even IL / knew the contents OF the secret
dispatches, as an officer and gentleman
could not reveal them without permission.
Here / am within twenty minutes of my
home and cannot get away. 1t is no pleas
ure, assure you. But will have TO stay
Week" Wsgi "0r 'nree Of iOuF uaS'' OF maybe
When asked directly. whether any revolu-
tion had occurred at Honolulu, and whether
power Captain Munger would only reiter-
ate his statement that he could say no more
than was contained in the Auckland dis
patch. The cutter is still about mile from
San Quentin penitentiary, and over ten
miles from this city. So far as getting any
Bering sea. No one is allowed on board
and not one of the crew has been allowed
Va the the Cutter or has been besseed 6y
porter5 in Whitehall boats, but the ap-
proach of small boat has been the signal
for one of the cutters officers TO appear
on deck, when sailors would be ordered
from the rail and cautioned to maintain ST.
lence. once officers were caught unawares.
and seaman started to talk. A reporter
asked him the latest news from Honolulu
MUST BE AN EARTHQUAKES.
"Helrs poppin down there" was the
decidedly expressive reply of the sailor,
but he allowed 10 say no more, for an
officer appeared and ordered him below.
Just what this strange silence means no one
here seems to understand. People gener-
ally believe that there have been stirring
times in Honolulu The unheard of secrecy
on board the Corwin, despite the eagernesS
of the sailors to talk, would seem to in
dicate that the sailors have an Interesting
story to tell, III the men were only allowed
a ghost of a chance TO ventilate their in
formation. San Francisco papers are brist-
ling with severe criticism of the author
tiles responsible for the suppression of the
news that the Corwin's men might make
public
"Why does President Cleveland insist on
yelling the Hawaiian situation in pro-
found mystery? Why should the com
cline to inform the press of the United
States of the facts as they existed when he
left Honolulu? SO long as the negotiations,
purely diplomatic, are pending, IL Is easy to
understand that matters of detail may be
properly held in reserve, but when 1t comes
to a statement of actually existing condi-
ton Of affairs, secrecy is very much out of
place. Where is there any need for all this
mystery and concealment? What interest
can Mr.. Cleveland have i'm Hawaii In which
the people of the United States do not
share?'
The Examiner Oem) says: 'If the Ha-
waiian republic were situated in cave, of
which Mr. Cleveland held the only key, we
could understand the curious performances
of the Corwin since her arrival at this port.
The news from the islands being unpleasant
and humiliating to the administration, IL
would naturally occur TO the President to
conceal it from the public but as Hawaii
lies in an open ocean. free from all comers,
we cannot refrain from asking what the
administration thinks 1t is going TO gain by
forbidding its officers and sailors 10 give
the American people hint Of the nature of
public events in Honolulu. 1t is not state
secrets that we are asking, but information
about happenings that are open and motor
ious in Hawaii now, and will be here as
soon as the next mail steamer arrives. All
the administration has succeeded in doing
by it's portentouS secrecy with the Corwin
has been to put the public 10 a little annoy
ance and delay. 1t has not gained much by
it's efforts in mystifying the public hitherto
that it should feel repaid for perslsting in
them"