River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-12-01
THE STOLEN HALLIARDS.
4 story of Samoan Envy and Methods
of Finding Petty Larceny
Criminal

OF Finding Petty Larceny
Criminal.
In Apia, where there is always a wild
rumor that some foreign power is about
to raise its flag, there is a generous
sized forest of flagpoles. Naturally
the Hottest OF the lot displays the Off
cial flag Inasmuch as that flagstaff is
the tallest on the beach, so it is pro-
vided with the longest signal halliards
The Samoan may not be veSg keen on
the subject of flags, whether OF his own
country or OF the guardian powers, bat
he has a great interest in signal hall
lizards. Braided line. such as is en-
ployed by the governmental officers for
hosting their bunting, makes the very
best kind Of line for catching sharks,
which are esteemed delicacy at
Samoan feasts. But the cost of braid
ed line is far too much for the penni-
less islander While he has to put up
with his own shark line. laboriously
plated of fiber of the cocoanut husk,
he thinks of the superiority of braided
line. He cannot pass one of the Off
cial fagpoles without envy of its am
pie supply of the coveted line
When the present American fagpole
was erected a Apia after the great
hurricane, of which its two timbers
coming from the Vandalia and the
Trenton respectively, are commemora-
tive, vigorous effort was made to inn
press on native neigbbors in Naiala
the sanctity of that and all other arti-
cles of the property of the American
government Despite all this it was
not long before the signal billiards
were stolen during the darkness. The
Vaiala chief was summoned and told
that he must find the offender who was
guilty of a crime far more heinous than
any mere theft. 1t is possible that the
consul made it rather strong; it is
natural to 2Naggerate when dealing
with people CT that Kind, and in most
cases is necessary. Denying that his
own town Earbored so despicable
thief, the chief of Vaiala agreed that it
was necessary to administer such con-
dign punishment as should act as a
warning But first it was necessary to
find the stolen signal halliards and TO
discover the thief
In Samoa, TO find the one is by no
means equivalent to finding the other.
1t was easy enough to find the signal
halliards; the chief had them in his
box under lock and key, where they
had been from almosSthe moment they
left the fagpole. If the theft had been
overlooked he would have been the
gamer by so much good shark line; on
the other hand. as it had been taken up
as matter of grave moment, he was in
position TO gather in the credit for
diligence in securing the restoration
of the stolen goods. But as to discov-
ering the thief, that was, under the cir
cumstances, e matter of another sort.
He could not with any sort of dignity
surrender himself TO answer to this
combination of petty larceny and high
treason. That would not look well for
chief of one of the largest districts
loyal to King Malietoa. As he had just
denied in the name of his village that
any Vaiala person had had a share in
the wrongdoing, it was out of the ques
ton to order one of the common people
to give himself up as the thief.
just how This difficulty was adjusted
is unknown 10 white people, who, after
all, seldom know much more than the
surface appearance Of Samoan affairs.
AS result Of purely native negotia-
tons, man from village a short way
up the coast was selected as the thief.
He was combined with the stolen prop
erty and delivered at the consulate for
judgment.
In this there was a certain striving
for theatrical effect, at which the sim
pie islander is an adept. The surren-
der of the criminal was deferred for
several days until the evening on which
there was to be an official reception
Meanwhile The criminal was an I'M
trammeled resident of house in close
proximity to the fiagpole, from which
he was selected as thief of the halliards.
On the night of the reception, when
there were the most distinguished
guests present, a party Of Samoans
made their way into the large recep-
ton room with the air of men who
were acting officially in a duty which
was pleasing as well. Slung on a stout
sapling the Samoans carried long
bundle plated in green cocoanut
leaves. Through the interstices of the
woven leaflets a man could be seen
wound from head to foot in the stolen
signal halliards thus dramatically re-
turned.
The bearers deposited their burden
In the center of the floor and stepped
aside to make place for the orator of
he E
the meaning of the ceremony-that
this was the thief, and with him was
restored the sacred property which he
had stolen Thus the relations be-
tween the village of Vaiala and the
United States of America were restored
to a state of cordiality.-N. Y. Sun.