The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-22

advancing TO the center OF the bridge de
claring that life was safe only for those
who surrendered to their rightful King,
the great chief, Mataafa, the pride of their
race who would forgive their detection
and receive them again as erring children.
Captured with "A Rush.
Suddenly with a rush the Tanu works
were carried and several hundred Mataafa-
ties marched up the street, after disarming
their prisoners and sending them Mu
limni Several whose believed perjuries
during the trial gave great offense came
very near losing their heads during this
eventful journey. Behind the Mataafa
forces and in the shelter of the houses
number of whites had congregated to see
such of the operations as they could with
safety. Amongst these was the German
consul general, whose veranda was very
favorably located for this purpose When
the first rush was made and the first line
of intrenchments taken without shot,
number of these whites followed up the
advancing warriors. Mr.. Rose, the Ger
man consul general, seeing this, mounted
his horse and rode up among the crowd TO
see what was going on. He inquired what
it all meant and was told that it looked
very much like surrender. Chief JUS
tice Chambers was at this time in the
Tivoli Hotel, but whether the natives knew
this or not none of them made an attack
upon the building or even went upon it's
Veranda. A few passed 1t and commence
ed to get ready for launching some Of tile
boats of the Tanu party which lay in IA
bunch a few yards beyond the hotel The
story that the German consul general at
tackled the Tivoli Hotel at the head CT
1900 armed atives is absolutely false and
without the smallest atom of truth. lie
was merely an on-looker like many others,
and was not seen or heard to address a
single word to any natives. Neither was
the hotel at any time threatened.
At the Tiovli road the Mataafaites turn
ed inland to meet their friends advancing
from the south, and here the Samantha
fas house they captured TUT Samoa,
chief of some note belonging to
Falealih. 1t appeared for the moment as
if the Tanu people were to give up without
firing a shot. when suddenly the roar of
musketry close at hand told a different
tale. The Mataafa people, who were much
scattered at this time, were taken by sur
prise. With a rush the main body of the
Tanu army emerged from the trees and
native houses, and sent the Mataafa men
back on the run. Though the Tanu peo-
pie at this point were inferior in numbers,
they boldly commenced the battle driving
the Mataafaites before them as far as the
Tanu fort, which had first been captured.
There stand was made. The Tanuites
advanced as far as the Supreme Court
building. Several were wounded in this
encounter, and Immediately the battle be-
came general, volley firing being heard
across the Vaisgano and in the neighbor-
hood of Mootua and also at other points
number of whites, who thought that a
general surrender was about to take place
were mixed up with the Mataafa party be-
More this skirmish commenced and after
the first alarm, they were very fortunate
in getting behind the Tivoli Hotel which
was pierced by several shots.
Mataafa's Victory.
BY this time it was nearly dark, and the
line of burning houses was getting pain
fully close to the Tanu people whose
wounded were being carried into the mis-
sion house close to the Tivoli, to be guard
ed by the marines of the Porpoise, and
attended by her surgeons. During the re-
treat of the Mataafaites two of their num-
Der, drawer, perhaps, than some of their
friends, entrenched themselves behind
some stones on the beach near the hotel
and there gave battle to many of their red
turbaned opponents, who were much bet
ter sheltered. Believing they were about
to be Killed or taken, both dropped their
guns and ran into the sea, swimming with
all their strength, while being pelted with
shots from more than twenty rifles. One
of the poor fellows was hit before he
had gotten beyond the shallow water of
the inside reef; the other, perhaps young
er and stronger, managed to get beyond
easy range, and finally reached shore in
the midst of his friends near the Cathed-
raj Without any ado, the wounded or
dead man on the reef was beheaded, and
the CHASTITY trophy carried ashore in tri-
umph.
After dark little firing was done by eth
er side, both doubtless saving their di-
unfinished supply Of ammunition. The Tan
uites were Withdrawing and concentrating
in the neighborhood of their boat, and the
Mataafa people following them foot by
foot During the night it rained heavily
with an accompaniment of thunder and
lightning of an appalling character. Only
a scattering shot was heard About
a. m. word was silently passed along the
Tanu lines, and part of the warriors
returned 10 the beach and launched their
boats, some fifteen in number When
these were ready, all were called quietly
in, and embarked with just what they
stood in, but carrying away with them
their rifles. In a few moments they were
alongside of the British warship, there 10
beg for protection, for in ell Samoa there
was no safe place for them to go TO- Some
sixty of their principal men had silently
slipped into the mission house and con-
"
ing day.
At daylight the Mataafa forces were on
the move, and the sight of these thou
sands of white-turbaned men entering
Apia with a rush just after dawn, will
never be forgotten by those who saw It.
Their Houses PiIlaged.
Had the Tanu people remained nothing
could have prevented general massacre.
They saw many Of their houses pillaged,
and then converted into blazing ruins, or
chopped down If too close to the dwelling
of a white man, for IN all of these op-
erations it must be said that no foreign
ers property was wilfully molested. Some
few things were unknowingly carried off,
but when the ownership was pointed out
they were always restored, and one Of the
first acts of the victors was 10 declare that
# any white man had suffered wrong or
injury at their hands, he should be prop
erly recompensed.
Negotiations were opened with the Ma
fea fafo aft Nod