Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-05
BUSH FIGHTING IN SAMOA
Lieutenant Gaunts Brigade Forces tie
Natives Back from the City.
MANY Of THEM KILLED BY THE SHELLS
Mntnnfn Sends n Defiant Reply, but
Thinks Better of II when Cannon
Are Lnnded-HostiIitics
Have Ceased.

h"Nt NNuStus
AUCKLAND, n. H., May 4.-Advices re-
ceiyed here from Apia, Samoa, to April %,
state that the rebel loss by the shelling of
the Mataafan stronghold at Vailima by the
war ships of Great Britain and the United
States was quite heavy Many of the rebels
were wounded. The house in which the
late Robert Louis Stevenson lived was
riddled with shot
On April % there was a sharp skirmish
between rebels and Lieutenant X. A.
Gaunt's brigade near the town OF Vailima
In this engagement one Mataafan was
killed. The lines of the friendles were at
tackled in the darkness at two points, but
none of them were killed.
On April % there was some bush fight
ing. Lieutenant Gaunt's brigade, number
ing 900 men, advanced under hot fire
The enemy lost several men, the bodies of
the dead being dragged away. OF the
friendlies one was killed and three were
wounded. The British lieutenants Innes,
Hickman, shuler and Heathcote, under Lieu
tenant Gaunt, led the loyaists
The New Zealand government steamer
Tutanekai has arrived at Apia with dis
patches announcing the request of the in
ternatlonal peace commissioners that the in
ptdGSlully await lueil from
San Francisco. A meeting of the three
consuls, in view of this message, was held
but without result, the German consul dis
senting from the propositions of the other
two consuls.
BrinRs Mntnafn to Time.
Admiral Kautz, U. S. N, and Captain
Stuart of the British cruiser Tauranga
wrote and dispatched through French
priest to Mataafa a communication order
ing him to withdraw his forces outside of a
line ten miles long and six miles broad
Mataafa replied defantly, refusing to with
draw unless the German consul and the
captain of the German cruiser Fake agreed
Admiral Kautz and Captain Stuart there
upon sent an ultimatum to Mataafa, threat
ening to compel the withdrawal of his
forces In support of this ultimatum plan
of action was decided upon. Lieutenant
Gaunt's brigade was strengthened and
heavy gun was landed at Mulinuu and war
rockets were gotten in readiness. Being
informed of these preparations Mataafa made
prompt reply, agreeing to withdraw i'm
mediately.
On April 25 an important meeting of the
king and his chiefs was held. They were
informed of the action that had been taken
by the British and American naval COM
manders and gave 1t general approval
Lieutenant Gaunts brigade Is now patrol
ing the prescribed area. King Tanu visited
Admiral Kautz and Captain Stuart on board
the American and English ships and was
received with the customary salutes on his
arrival and departure.
Hufnagel the manager of the plantation
upon which an attack was made on British
and American sailors, resulting in the death
of Lieutenant Freeman of the British navy,
7 io,,tn dole Et,oi ION, Tnhn
Monaghan of the United States cruiser Phila-
delphia and two others, is still detained on
board the German cruif er Fake. \
THE gun carriage fl ON the Philadelphia
which was lost at the time of the engage
ment has been recovered, but the gun is
still in the hands of the rebels officials
and leading residents of Samoa who have
been interviewed unite in saying that the
charges of inhumanity on the part of the
British which were made by a man named
Laroch are untrue.
Natives Must De Punished.
majority of the inhabitants are highly
dissatisfied with the cessation of hostlities.
They say that Mataafa is beaten now and
that the trouble will all be ended in week
or ten days were the advantage pushed. The
rebels are delighted at the delay, which will
give them time to refill cartridge shells and
Duliu ulOTe lOTtS II Is l0e general OPINION
that the islands will be uninhabitabe ex-
cept for, Germans and Frenchmen unless
Mataafa and the rebel chiefs are severely
punished 1t is doubtful If British or
American subjects will give much evidence
before the international commission, owing
to the fear that to express themselves can
didly would interfere with trade relations.
For this reason the evidence before the COM
mission is likely to be one-sided.
The statement by the German minister for
foreign affairs, Baron Won Buelow. that
Mataafa was unanimously elected king is
denounced in Samoa.
The rebels admit that the result of the
battle at Valima was the greatest reverse
they have ever experienced. They were as
tonished by the manner in which Gaunt's
brigade sustained its position in the face of
continuous fire. They were also aston,
ished at the final shelling of vailima, by
which many of the rebels were badly
wounded,
Report from Kautz.
WASHINGTON, May 4.-The following
cablegram has Just been received at the
Navy department from Admiral Kautz:
AUCKLAND, May 4-(Sub-date Apia,
April 2I)-Secretary Navy, Washington:
All quiet at Apia Mataafa and his chiefs
agreed to keep outside lines
ny senior OmceT present
and and to and to
until commission There will
be no more fighting. KAUTZ.
The cablegram was mutilated in trans
mission over the cables and in the process
of resolving the cipher. Its meaning is
plain to the naval officials as confirming the
press report that a truce has been agreed
upon in Samoa and there will be no more
hostilities pending the reaching of eonclu-
sion by the commission now on the way to
the islands and due there in about two
weeks.
BERLIN, May 4.-The National Zeitung
publishes today a dispatch from Apia, Samoa.
dated April %, which says: The orders from
London and Washington to suspend
hostlites have brought back tranquility and
peace. In compliance with the demand of
the German consul Mataafa has gone back
long distance westward into the interior
SO that there will be no danger of any col
lision with his troops. We Germans are
naturally satisfied as our patience and i'm
partiality have finally triumphed.
Causes Surprise In Washington.
WASHINGTON, May Am official state
ment is made at the German embassy that