Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-09
NATAAFA IS NOT IN FAVOR
Malietoa Gains Strength and Draws Adher
ents from 0thgr Side
DtPORTED CHIEFS ARE HAVING A PICNIC
Chief Justice Chambers Authority
Recognized. but iS SIN Thwarted
by Germnns-Stcvcnson'
Home Sold.

APIA, Samoa, Feb. 22.-(via san Fran.
cisco, March s)-Four weeks have elapsed
since the last mail dispatches left here for
San Francisco concerning the outbreak Of
ciyil war between the adherents of Tanus
Malietoa and those of Mataafa During this
time Samoa has been free from any active
warfare.
The provincial government under Mataafa
has not been a success; it has estranged
the feelings of many Of its own supporters
by the deportation of the Malietoa chiefs
and the banishng from Apia of all male
Samoan adults who we're on Malietoa's S
side. All Malietoa's adherents who we're not
deported have been fined and nofrensiye ma
tives-the servants OF whites who had been
In no way connected with the hghting-
have been arrested. A sharp remOnstrance
from British Consul Maxse who now has
two men-of-war supporting him, has pre-
vented a recurrence of this annoyance.
The natives of Tutuila have declared in
favor of Tanus and the deported chiefs are
having pleasant picnic among friends.
Maletoa seems to be gaining strength every
day and several of Mataafas chief adher-
ents have gone over to his side.
There are not much more than one-half
'ut pt'plt tll Nlbbddli . olht anu ~ 10 u'bbb-
ful if more than one-third of the popula-
tion are his active supporters. Among the
British and Americans here it is not seen
how the powers can act in any other way
than to stand by Tanus as king. 1t is
argued that If they do not they deliberately
break the Berlin treaty and cast a slight
upon their nominee, the chief justice, and
In the case of Great Britain and the United
States they go back on their consular rep
resentative here, who have acknowledged
Tanus as king.
Mataafa and the chiefs know all this and
are most anxious to keep their followers
conciliated and prevent them from doing
anything at present whereby Mataafa' s
chances of being king may be endangered.
Mataafa himself is perplexed and uneasy.
German Consul Must Back Down.
The German consul has received a cable
gram from Germany directing him to recog-
nze the authority of Chief Justice Chambers
and to withdraw from the stand he and
DR.. Raffel had taken in regard to the su-
preme court.
This news has discouraged Mataafa and
in addition the United States consul has
written to the effect, Notwithstanding rumors
around Apa that the United States has not
recognized Mataafa as king and that the con-
ernment and is awaiting dispatches
In addition to these dsquieting facts
Mataafa has had little trouble with the
British war ship Porpoise.
The PorpOise, after matters had settled
down in Apia, went for a cruise around the
group. When it returned Captain Sturdee
found that no natives came near his ship
and that a taboo had been declared against
the vessel. He at once sent note to the
provincial government demanding an apology
and a withdrawal Of the boycott. DR..
Raffel as executive head, replied that the
boycott was not against the men-of-war, but
against the chief justice, who was guest
on board Still another note was sent by
Captain Sturdee to the effect that he would
take decisive action at once and the boy
colt was removed. Her majesty's ship, Roy.
alist, Is now here also.
The chief justice, although now recognized
by the German consul under instructions
from Germany, is still being thwarted in
every possible way by the Germans. Dr.
Rafe was cited by the chief justice for
contempt, but declined TO come to court, and
placed himself under the protection of the
German consul. He was arrested by the
marshal Of the court, but on his refusal to
GO no attempt was made to force him The
chief justice rested content with having
brought the matter to this issue. Herr Won
Bulow was also cited for contempt and dis
puted the jurisdiction of the court on the
same ground as DR.. Raffel. The German
consul interposed his protest but Bulow has
nevertheless been summoned to appear in
two weeks.
II. Moors, an American, apologized to the
court for writing a threatening letter and
was purged of contempt Herr Grossmuhl
still remains in the German consulate and
will not venture out for fear of arrest by
the court officers Everybody is anxously
awaiting the decision of the powers and in
the meantime it is not thought there will
be any further disturbance.
stevcnson's Home is Sold.
"Vailiamo," world famed through having
been the island home of r. l.. Stevenson, has
lust been purchased by Herr Kunst of Ham
burg He intends to make his winter home
in Samoa, spending the summer in
Germany.
The Associated Press correspondent
shortly after the seizure OF the Samoan
government by Mataafa, had an interview
with the noted chief. Mataafa, when asked
why he had been proclaimed king, said
that Malietoa Taputek being dead, the Sa'
moans had a right to elect a new king and
he was chosen
According to Mataata view, IhlS was hu'
in violation of the Berlin treaty, and III the
version of the treaty printed in Samoa, there
is no stipulation made by Count BismarcR
that Mataafa should never be king Mataafa
admitted. however that he had been warned
that there was a stipulation against his
being king and said he had approached the
German consul about the matter who said
the German government had forgotten the
past and now had no objection to his be-
coming king The protocol, which contains
the stipulation against Mataafa was not at
tached to the treaty printed for the Samoans
Mataafa declared that he sought to be king
so as to bring peace to Samoa.
,TrDNp,T TO Explode ARSENAL
nynnmitc CARTRIDGES Found Behind