The San Francisco call., 1896-06-05
NEWS Of SAMOAN ISLANDS
American Merchant Gets Into
Trouble for Importing
Cartridges.
Mrs. R. L. Stevenson and Party Have
Arrived and Are Again Occu.
pying Vailima.

APIA, SAMOA, MAY 20. - President
Schmidt was between two fires the other
day. He had instituted criminal action
against an American merchant, III. J.
Moors, for illegally importing certain rifle
ammunition. The facts of the matter
we're briefly as follows: Moors in Febru-
ary last had obtained permit fl ON the
President TO import certain car tridges.
The same came duly to hand by the last
trip of the Alameda from San Francisco
packed in case of hardware. By some
means or other no specific declaration was
made at the customs by the importer, al
though he handed in his invoices in which
the item ammunition appeared. As it hap
pened, little later on the end of the
hardware case, while in bond, became
partly etached and the box of cartridges
fell out.
Immediately the worst possible con-
struction was put on this, and President
Schmidt Instituted the action alluded to
which resu lted in the case being dismissed
by the lower court, put is now on appeal
in the Supreme Court.
The tight fix to which have referred
occurred during the hearing in the muni-
cipal court. The magistrate, William
Cooper, in his Judgment made reference
to the fact that many permits granted by
President Schmidt and his predecessor in
office were contrary to the spirit of the
Berlin treaty and the municipal arms and
ammunition ordinance. and strange to
say, in the course of his argument, R. L.
| Skeen, counsel for the prosecution, claimed
that in granting Moors permit to import
rife cartridges the President exceeded his
authority.
The case is still exciting considerable
attention, as the law against importing
arms is very severe in Samoa, and justly
so. The natives are exceedingly unset
tied, although there are no overt acts of
rebellion being com mltted.
Meetings among the Tumua party are
frequent, especially during the past week,
and the Chief Tamasese is being made
very prominent. Not a cent of taxes IS
coming in from native sources. King
| Malietoa has granted what may be con-
sidered a general amnesty to all political
opponents, partly Induced thereto by
pressure brought on him by merchants in
Apia, who want to see the natives bringing
| into town their copra. In spite of this
amnesty the Tumua party stands aloof.
S. M. S. Fake escorted a surveyor to the
Atua district last week in order that a
threatened obstruction TO certain necessary
work should not eventuate. The surveyor,
under pressure of the nature referred to,
com pleted his work satisfactorily.
President Schmidt informed the Munich
pal Council in session on the 9th inst. that
he had solicited the three treaty powers to
make a small contribution toward the
Samoan general revenue. The Samoan
Times, in alluding to this matter, sug-
gests that the powers are not pawnshops,
nor are they expected to contribute toward
the Samoa Benevolent Association.
By this mail Chief Justice Ide will ap-
point a commission to take evidence for
the plant tiffs, -Wellman, Neylan and Hobbs
| of San Francisco, in the matter of their
claim to the lands in Samoa of the late
Polynesian Company. This step has been
taken in order that the tt tie to these lands
may be finally set at rest.
| II. M. S. Goldhnch arrived here on the
10th inst. She takes Deputy Commits
| sioner T. B. Cusack Smith for his annual
visit to the Tukulon group, after which
she will return here and remain until re-
| probably by III. M. S. Miidura.
The weather is magnificent and the east
| erly monsoon daily visitor.
Mrs. R. L. Stevenson, Mrs. Strong and
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Osbourne returned to
Samoa from Honolulu by the last boat,
and are now occupying Vailima.