Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-17
In Command of the American Forces
at Honolulu.
COMMANDER SWINBURNE A WITNESS.
The Senate Committee Hears His
Story Of the Revolution.
AN PORTANT WITNESS.


1t is understood that the committee is de-
voting considerable time to inquiry into the
legal propositions Incorporated in Mr.
Hoar's resolution and referred to this COM
mittee. 1t involves the question of the legal
ity of Mr.. Blount's appointment as commits
sioner paramount, and, consequently there
fore the legality of his acts as such COM
missioner
Commander Swinburne gave testimony i'm
common with other naval officers concern
ing the Importance of the Hawaiian Islands
from commercial and strategic point of
view and then proceeded to detail the events
attending the revolution. AS the officer in
charge of the troops that landed on the 18th
of January and remained on shore during
those exciting days. Commander Swinburne's
testimony was important. All of the events
attending the establishment of the provis-
ional government and the participat ton
therein Of the United States troops were
given by him in detail. 1t was on the 18th
that Lieut.. Commander Swinburne received
an order from Capt. Wiltse directing him to
take command of the battalion. to land in
Honolulu, for the purpose of protecting the
American legation, consulate and the lives
and property of American citizens and TO
assist In preserving order. He was eau
TONED that great prudence must be exer-
clsed by both officers and men, and no ac-
tion taken that is not fully warranted by
the condition of affairs and by the conduct
OF tnose who may be inimical to the treaty
rights or American citizens''
He Saw Ii All.
BY virtue OF this order this naval officer
was put in a position where he could not
fail to see all that was going on and be-
come cognizant of much that was
done and said by the citizens of Honolulu.
10 fal
roborated much that had been told the
committee by previous witnesses who were
In Honolulu at the time
Commander Swinburne stated that the
total number of men under his command
was 1aS, not including IL officers They
were divided as follows: Company A, ar
uiiery, 4O men. Lieut.. Lucien Young. COM
manding; company b, infantry, 35 men,
Lieut.. Chas. Laird: company c, infantry.
"a men, Lieut.. ID. Cofferman; company D.
marines. 30 men, Lieut.. II. l.. Draper;
color color guard. hospital corps. &C, IA men.
rms battalion, fully equipped for active
work. was formed, and in accordance with
the verbal instructions of Capt Wiltse.
marched from the U. S. consulate, where
the lieutenant commander with his COM
pany was detached with orders to proceed
to the legation and leave half of his COM
mand. returning with the remainder to the
consulate himself, and remain there until
further orders -,--s.'s
The remainder of the battalion he said.
marched down King street, one Of the lead
ing thoroughfares of the city. In passing
the palace the battalion gave a marching
salute, the trumpeters sounding four ruff
hes' in honor of the royal standard which
was flying there The battalion, he went
on, was marched out to the residence of
Mr.. j. B. Atherton. an American. where.
after permission was obtained, the men
were marched on the grounds. arms stack
ed and ranks broken, to wait further ord
ers from Capt. Wiltse.
The Troops I'm Readiness.
1t appeared from Commander Swinburne's
story that night January 1G orders came
to march the battalion to Arion Hall and
camp there. which order was obeyed. Arion
Hall, Commander Swinburne says, is a
long one-story building, containing a long
room, and having verandas on the two long
sides. separated from the street by a mar
row yard and fence. but with a moderately
large yard In the rear. 1t fronts the side
of the government building. from which it is
separated only by a harrow street. During
that night, this officer says, the men were
kept ready for an instant's CALL but there
was no disturbance of any kind. The next
day was not however. devoid of incident.
1t appears from the evidence of this wit
ness that about $50 the next day, January
IL, civilian. armed, reported to him that
policeman had been shot while attempt
ing to stop d wagon load of ammunition
that was being conveyed to the armory
where the civilian forces enrolled by the
committee of safety were then assembling
and that a large crowd was collecting on
the street.
Upon hearing this Commander SWIM
burne said he assembled his battalion un-
der arms in the yard in the rear of the
building and very shortly after Captain
Wiltse arrived. During the time Captain
Wiltse was at camp-until almost 6 O'Clock
witness said. the men leading the citizens
movement has assumed charge of the gov
ernment Of
KIND. The civilian companies under arms
had, during this time marched in and es-
tablished guards about the government
buildings. While this was going on, Com
mander Swinburne stated that he kept his
battalion in the rear of their camp with
arms stacked.
The Government RecORnfxed.
When Capt. Wiltse left the camp, about
O'Clock. he notified Commander SWIM
burne that a provisional government. of
which S. B. Dole was at the head was in
complete possession. and showed the wit
ness letter from the United States minis
ter recognizing 1t as the defacto govern
ment OF the Hawaiian Islands. and directed
him to consider it as such. During that
nignt the troops We're again kept ready for
action. but the city was perfectly quiet.
The next day. January 49, this officer sa i'd.
the royal standard was hauled down from
over the palace, and the household troops
were uiSUdLucu. except a small guard of
hcEor who accompanied the ex-queen to her
residence.
After having been in the immediate vicin-
ity OF the government building since the
night of the 10th, new quarters were pro-
V1ded at an unoccupied house on King
street into which the troops moved early
In the afternoon. The battalion remained
here week or more. when the events hap
pened that led to the hoisting of the Ameri-
can flag. In accordance with orders from
Capt. Wfltse, Commander Swinburne put
his command in light marching order on
the morning of February l. when orders
were received by him from Capt Wiltse to
take possession of the government building
and the American flag will be hoisted at
O'Clock.
The Flag Raised.
In obedience to these orders, he said. the
battalion marched to the government build
Ing where they were received by the civil
ian troops in line. who presented arms as
they entered. Commander Swinburne de-
scribed this scene in detail. He said that
President Dole and cabinet and the ad-
visory council were present. The order
of Capt Wiltse was shown to the COM
mander Of the provisional troops, who, wit
ness said at once turned over to him the
custody of the building. Then by order OF
Capt Wiltse a proclamation from Minister
Stevens establishing a protectorate i'm the
| name of the United States pending nero-
tiations with the Hawaiian commissioners
at Washington, was read, and at / O'Clock
the United States ensign was hoisted over
the building. the troops Of the United