The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-02-09
What Dame Rulnor and the Officials
Have to Say.
MINISTER WILLIS TALKS FREELY.
Attorney-GenerAI and Consul Mills Tell
What They KnOw-Flat Denial on All
sIdes-How the Story Ran and How
the Wholesale DePOrting" Came Out.

A more contagious lever Vi ruInol
news never struck this community
than that which swept over the town
previous to the departure OF the
Mariposa. To all appearances they
were founded on fact and more
than one man was ready to stake
his slittle alp on naming the po-
litical prisoners whom the Govern
ment was intending to send out of
the country.
Plenty of men and women at
the wharf expected to have an OPP
portunity to bid farewell to Greig,
Widemann and Marshall, and
Dame Rumor only knows who
else, and when they were disap-
pointed, everybody with straight
tip" wondered what it all meant.
Not few were 30 certain of what
was to happen that they said they
were prepared to enter a protest,
should events confirm the predic-
tions.
The crowd waited-no prisoners
appeared. The crowd continues to
wait, and the prisoners, with one
exception, are behind the walls of
Oahu Prison. Then the crowd
began to look about for reasons.
The story, as it passed from
mouth to mouth, was rather feasi-
BILE, and ran something like the
following: The Government had
decided to deport some ten prison
ers, among them being Widemann,
Greig and Marshall. The presence
of Judge Widemann on the wharf
with a hand satchel and guitar
added credence to the Widemann
part of the story. The Government
was prepared to carry out its plans,
when Minister Willis protested
against men convicted of political
crimes being put on board vessel
flying the American flag. Further
more, the recent immigration laws
of the United States would not
allow any such men to enter
the country. In pursuance
with this idea Consul Mills had
held the clearance papers of the
vessel until assurance was received
that no attempt would be made to
put these men on board. Presi-
dent Dole and Ministers King and
Smith were on the steamer and got
together in the captains cabin.
UVi-o.o 49, ~rara y,,no0rad m houa
come to decision that they had
better let the matter lay over to
some more suspicious season. Con-
sui Mills went on board with the
clearance papers and the steamer
sailed, little after 5 o'clock with
but one political passenger and he
a most willing member Of the
ships company. This is the story
and to prove its truth or falsity
representative of the ADVERTISER
called upon members Of the Gov
eminent, Minister Willis and Con-
sui Mills.
Attorney-General Smith said, 81
can't see how such thing got
started. We have not thought
of such a thing as de-
porting any men who have been
before the Court. I think we have
more use for Greig and Widemann
here than in the United States.
There is no foundation whatever
for the rumor."
Consul Mills was seen at the
American Legation last evening.
He said: 81 had no official notice
of any deportation. I heard the
rumor on the street, and went to
the steamer to see what truth there
was in it. Marshall is the only
man of the three that our Govern
ment has an interest in. / didn't
refuse the clearance papers or
think Of it. We usually have con-
siderable correspondence which we
take to 4 he steamer after the mail
has closed, and I usually have the
clearance papers filled out so as to
take them down with the late let
tiers. I had no communications
from the Government or Mr..
Willis"
When Minister Willis was asked
whether he had received any notice
of an intended deportation of pris-
oners. he replied, "No, was in
formed quite to the contrary, 1
did not enter any protest or make
any request to hold the steamer.
In fact, 1 have not yet filed the
protest consequent to the deporting
affair last Saturday. 1t is farthest
from my purpose or desire to take
any action which would tend to
embarrass this Government. I
have the most friendly feelings
toward the officials. 1 know they
oro TNrooco1 ILL 1.0o -