Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-09-21
STORY OF A TIMEPIECE.
1t Belonged to an American Off
Ger Killed in Samoa.
THE EX-KING HUNTED IT UP.
siataafa's Letter TO the President Is in
Relation TO the Recovery Of Lieut.
LansdaIe's Watch, which Fell Into
the Hands OF Native Warriors.

Washington, Sept l6.-The president
received at the White House yesterday
Mr. George Leigh, who has spent sev'
eral months in Samoa as correspon'
dent of the London Times and is now
returning to England. While in one
OF the black villages of Opolu, Mr.
Leigh learned that Il watch. believed
to have belonged to either Lieut.
Lansdale or Ensign Monaghan. the
two officers of the United States cru.
ser Philadelphia who were killed dur.
ing the recent war against Mataafa,
had been found and was i'll possession
of native. He at once commune
Gated with Mataafa, whom he had Wis
tied only d few days previously, and
received Il reply from the chief assur-
inc him that no effort would be spared
to recover the relic and begging him,
should the search prove successful, to
restore the watch to the rightful own
er.
vt the same time he placed at Mr..
Leigh's command his grandson and IA
boats crew. who were instructed to
carry in every necessary direction Ma
taafa'S order to his adherents. While
of Savai, a watch and chain with a
locket and other articles attached
were handed to Mr.. Leigh and identi-
fed as the property of Lieut.. Lans-
dale. 4 few days later the correspon-
dent left Samoa for San Francisco,
where he met the widow of the Off
Ger and placed the articles in her pos
session. Long ago at the instigatlon
Of her family and of Lansdale's COM
rades in the navy, unsuccessful efforts
had been made to trace the articles,
so hope that they ever would be found
had been abandoned.
Mr. Leigh handed to the president "A
letter from Mataata of which the fol
lowing is a translation:
"To his cXcellcncy William McKin-
lev. president OF the United States.
II have been informed that a watch
has been found by one of my people
which is believed to have belonged to
Lieut.. Lansdale or Ensign Monogram
who were killed in the battle at Val
Iele on April /. | have learned that
Mr.. Leigh is about TO leave Samoa for
America and | have asked him to con-
ycy the watch TO your eNcellency, in
the hope that you will cause it tC be
forwarded to the bereaved mother or
nearest relative of the brave and much
lamentcd officer. Mr.. Leigh will tell
you that ] have sincerely deplored the
sad, untimely death of the brave Off
GERS and men who came from America
and perished III the late war. My
sorrow is the more because of the
great friendship which your great
country has in the past extended tG
Samoa. | am especially anxious thar
this should be made known to the
mother and relatives. May it be the
will of God that there will never again
be strife between America and the Sa-
nioans and that the threC powers will
recognize my submission to their will
and desire for good government |
pray that God may give you long life.
81. j. MATAAFA."
Mr.. Mckinley expressed himself
much gratified with this proof Of Ma
taafas thoughtful humanity and said
that il would afford him pleasure tC
personally respond to the letter. He
warmly thanked Mr.. Leigh for his ac-
ton in the matter and for having con
ycyed the relics 10 Mrs. Lansdale
When Mr.. Leigh left Samoa endeavors
were being made to recover Ensigr
Monaghan's watch, and Mr.. Leigh be.
! lieves that it will follow him to WASH
ington by the mail due in a week or
so. In that event it will be at once