The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-16
He RESTORED THE WATCH
The Thoughtful Kindness of
Mataafa.
REGRETS A USELESS WAR
Deplores the Sad and Untimely Death
of the Two Officers in "a Letter
to Mcknley-Friendship for
America.

Washington, Sept. 15.-The president
received in audience at the white house
this afternoon John George Leigh, who
has spent several months in Samoa as
special correspondent of the London
Times and is now on his return jour-
ney to England. While in one of the
black villages of Upolu Mr.. Leigh learn
ed that a watch. believed to have be-
longed to either Lieutenant Lansdale or
Ensign Monaghan, the two officers OF
the United States cruiser Philadelphia
who were killed during the recent war
against Mataafa, had been found and
was in the possession of a native. He
at once communicated with Mataafa,
whom he had visited only a few days
previously and promptly received a re-
ply from the high chief assuring him
that no effort will be spared to recover
the relic, and begged him, should the
search prove successful, to restore the
watch to the rightful owner, With my
heartfelt coincidence"
He added You know what I feel
about America and the late unhappy
war"
At the same time he placed at Mr.
Leigh's command his grandson and a
boats crew, who We're instructed to
carry in every necessary direction Ma
taafa's order to his adherents.
While these messengers were in the
island of Savaii a watch and chain
with locket and other articles attached
We're handed to Mr.. Leigh and identified
as the property of the late Lieutenant
Lansdale.
few days later the correspondent
left Samoa for San Francisco, where
he met the young widow of the lament
cd off nj ttsin lxpt in haf
possession. Long ago, at the instiga-
ton of her family and of Lansdale's
comrades in the navy, unsuccessful
efforts had been made to trace the arti-
cles. Mr.. Leigh this afternoon handed
to the president a letter from Ma
taafa, of which the following is trans
laton:
ITO His Exeellency, William McKin-
ley President of the United States of
America: Your ExcellenCy-I have to-
day been informed that watch has
been found by one of my people which
Is believed to have belonged to Lieuteu-
ant Lansdale, or Ensign Monaghan,
who We're unhappily killed in battle at
Vailele on April /. I have learned that
Mr.. Leigh is about to leave Samoa for
America and I have asked him to con-
Vey the watch to your excellency, IN
the hope that you will cause it to be
restored to the bereaved mother or
nearest relative of the brave and la
mented' officer. Mr.. Leigh will tell you
that / have sincerely deplored the sad,
untimely death of the brave officers and
men who came from America and per-
shed in the late unhappy (uselessl
war. My sorrow is the more because
of the great friendship which your
great country has in the past extended
to Samoa. | am especially anxious
that this should be made known to the
sadly stricken mothers and relatives.
May it be the will of God that there
may never again be strife between
Americans and Samoans and that the
three powers will recognize my subrnis-
sion to their will and desire for good
government. l pray God may give you
long life. T.. j. MATAAFA.
Mr.. Mckinley. in the course of con-
versation with Mr.. Leigh, expressed
himself much gratified at this proof Of
Mataafas thoughtful humanity and
said that it would afford him more than
ordinary pleasure to promptly respond
to the letter. He very warmly thanked
Mr.. Leigh for his action in the matter
and for having personally conveyed ths
| relics to Mrs. Lansdale. When Mr.
| Leigh left Samoa active endeavors were
| being made to recover Ensign Mona
| ghan's watch and Mr.. Leigh believes
that it will follow him to Washington
| by the mail due in a week or so. In
| that event, it will. of course be at once
| forwarded to the relatives.