The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1895-02-16
RUDOLPH sPREoKELs DENIES.
Says He Put Up No Money for Arms
and Was Neutral.


ed in San Francisco on his return
from his ra"ch at Santa Rosa, in
connection with the report from
Honolulu that he had contributed
to the purchase Of arms for the re-
bells. He said that while he always
had friendly sympathy for the ex-
Queen, it bad never caused him to
violate strict neutrality, and add
ed:
Then, too. when my father aud
myself were down at the islands two
years ago, before the establishment
of the Provisional Government, he
was unreservedly outspoken on the
question OF maintaining the Queen
on her throne. Even had | believed
there was a possibility that the re-
cent revolt would prove successful,
my affairs are not in such shape as
to permit rue to advance such a sum
as must have been necessary TO buy
the Wahlburg aud furnish her with
the arms she is alleged to have car.
ried.
"Since my brother and myself
purchased plantation interests at
the islands, year ago, we have
given the native leaders to under
stand that they could expect no sup
port from us in any undertaking of
political character.
"The ex Queen understood this as
well as Others. In fact during a
conversation with her in January,
1894, shortly after the purchase OF
our plant atoms, l told her plainly
that whatever my sympathy for her
previous to that time might have
led me to do in her behalf our pro-
perty interests were too important
to, allow us to jeopardize them by
taking any part in politics.
Relative to the letter which Maj
or Seward is reported to have been
given by the ex Queen to deliver to
me, l can only say if such letter
was written, it never reached me.
Major Seward called on me a few
days before l went down to the ISL
ands in October. Our conversation
on political affairs there was only
casual. No mention was made OF
any letter. From what he said l
understood that his visit to San
Francisco was for the purpose OF
finding a purchaser for Cummins'
stock in a plantation which he was
DESTROYS OF selling.
"Two or three days after reaching
Honolulu in October | visited the
OK. Queen. She did not ask me to
assist her in the trouble which fol-
lowed, probably knowing it would
be useless. My reason for going
down at that time was to look after
starting up the mills, which was
done little earlier than usual.
was at the islands when the snug.
gler, which am alleged to have
purchased, was bought"
When asked il he had entertained
any confidence in the ability of the
natives and Royalist sympathizers
to accomplish the re-est ablishing OF
the monarchy, he replied that he
thought they might have done so
being in the majority, had they been
organized and equipped by eompe.
tent leaders. But no intelligent
white man, he was convinced, be,
lieved for moment that, even with
plenty OF arms, the natives, undrill.
ed as they were, could accomplish
anything.
He believed that the planters
generally were well enough satisfied
with the Government as it now ex-
lists, so long as il does not come out
too strongly for annexation.
Charles +. Wilder, the Hawaiian
Consul General, still refuses to dis.
cuss the latest phases of the snug.
Cling OF arms by the Wahlburg
When seen by Chronicle reporter
he said: al will simply say at pre-
sent that | think have discovered
the people who put up the money
for the purchase of the schooner
Wahlburg. In a few days | will be
in possession OF all desired informa.
ton, and will then openly make my
accusations"
The question OF whether the seal.
ing schooner j. Eppinger, that ap.
preached Honolulu and then made
of for Kauai, was in the arms deal
or not was being discussed in San
Francisco.
At the Hawaiian consulate it was
stated by Vice Consul Soper that nc
information had been received there
from Honolulu regarding any other
vessel than the Wahlburg attempt.
ing to land arms. He added that il
information had been received he
doubted the propriety of making it