The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-03-30
CRISIS IN SAMOA
American and English GunbOats
Shell Mataafe's Head.
quarters.

Aplos samoa isldnust MArcn @of VIA
Auckland, New Zealand, March 2s-
The troubles growing out Of the election
OF a king OF samoa have taken mofo
serious turn and resulted in the bonn
bardment Of the villages along the shore
by the United states cruiser 'iiladelphia
Admiral Kautz commanding and the
British cruisers POrpoise and Royallst
The bombardment has continued inter
mittently for elFh, days. Several villages
have been burned. and there have been
number OF casualties among the Ameri-
can and British sailors md marines As
yet it is impossible to cstiafete the num-
Der OF natives killed or iniurec.
As Masaafa and his chiefs constituting
the provisional government. continued ,o
defy the treaty after the arrival OF tie
Philadelphia. Admiral Kautz summoned
the various consuls and the senior ofh-
GERS to a conference. when the whole sit
uation was carefully canvasscd The up
shot was "a resolution to dismiss the prl.
visonal government and Admiral Kautz
issued a proclamation calling upon Ma
taafa and his chiefs 20 return to their
homes.
Masaafa evacuated Muhnuu. the town
he had made his headquarters and went
into the interior.
Herr Rose, the German consul at Apia,
issued a proclamation supplementing tho
one he had issued several weeks before
upholding the provisional government. AS
result OF this the Mataafaians asscmb.
led in large force and hemmed IN the
town. Tho British cruiser Royalist then
brought the Mal.otoa prisoners from the
Al A. "a uf.s
red by the provisional government.
The Americans then fortified Mullnuu
whore 22.OOO Mnlietoans took refuge. The
rebels-the adherents Of Mataafa barr-
caded the roads within the municipality
and seized the British houses.
MEANT WAR.
An ultimatum was then sent TO then,
ordering them 70 evacuate. and threaten
ing them. In the event Of refusal with a
bombardment to commence at one o'clock
on the afternoon OF March 10. This was
ignored and the rebels commenced an at
tack in the direction of the United States
and British consultates about half an
hour before the time fixed for the bonn
bardment The Philadelphia Porpoise and
Royalist opened fire upon the distant
villages There was great difficulty In
locting the enemy owing 10 the dense
forest. but several shore villages were
soon In flames.
A defective shell from the Philadelphia
exploded near tho American consulate
and che marines outside narrowly escaped
A fragment struck the leg OF Private
Rudge, shattering It 50 badly as to ne
cessitate amputation Another fragment
traversed TO the Greman consulate and
smashed the crockery. The Germans then
| went on board the German cruiser Fake.
During the night the rebels made a hot
attack on the town. killing three British
| sailors A British marine was shot I'm the
| leg by a sentry OF his own party. another
was shot In the foot and an American
sentry was killed at hls post,
The bombardment continuing, the in
habltants OF the town took refuge On
board of the Royalist crowding the vessel
Many people are leaving Samoa, the
captain of the Royalist urging them to
| go 50 as not to interfere with the mill.
| tary operations.
The Porpoise has shelled the villages
east and west OF Apia and captured a
| great many boats
The Americans and British are tight
| ing splendidy together. but there Is d
bitter feeling against the Germans.
Two men, a British and a German sub
| ject have been arrested as spies,
The bOmbardment OF the jungle was
| for a time very hot.