The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-17
THE GERMAN SIDE
ofthe Situation In samoa-Of Conrse
all the Blanc for tho Strained Con.
ditions is Laid on Admiral Kautz.

"Aotii.NGlOS, ~. ~, april lB.-A
correspondent In this city for leading
German newspaper has received an In
teressing private letter from Apia con-
cerning events there In March, as view
ed entirely from the German side Of the
question. The letter was written by a
prominent German and Is OF interest, In
that 1t gives for the FIRST time the Ger
man View OF the state OF things now ex-
listing In the Samoan Islands. The letter
begins with a complaint that no regard
whatever Is shown by the British and
American forces towards the Germans.
The bombardment had been announced
to begin on Wednesday, March II, at /
p. M, but no notice, says the letter, was
given the Germans, and the German
consul general is still waiting for the
official communication OF the COM
mencement Of the bombardment. The
commander OF the German warship
Fake was. notified by an officer OF the
Philadelphia only quarter OF an hour
after the firing had been opened. The
numerous whites living In the vicinity
OF the town had no opportunity TO take
any measureS for their personal safety
and were not aware Of what was going
on until shrapne! exploded in their
neiShborhood. 1t Is due. continues the
letter, only to merclful providence
that no white was killed or wounded.
Reckless Shooting.
In Valtele. cocoa plantation belong
Ing to the German trade and plantation
company, on the afternoon OF March
Is. six shells fell down just around the
house. One struck through the roof OF
the veranda and rent asunder the floor
just on the spot where scarcely min
ute before the manager OF the planta-
ton, Herr Tiedelnann, had stood with
an overseer.
The same afternoon three bombs were
thrown upon the Voca mountain. south
of -Apia, where the French mission has
school for native children, one shell
falling down close to the house and an
other exploding in the immediate VI
cinitv of the house Of the Sisters. -
On March 16 4 shell fired from the
Philadelphia exploded too soon and q
nineteen pound piece OF it was thrown
into the building OF the German con-
sulate, wrecking part of It. This event.
1t Is stated, taught the firing parties to
use little more caution in the future.
On March Is part of the town and
the grounds in the rear, the letter says,
were searched by an Anglo-Amerlcan
landing party. strengthened by about n
hundred friendly natives under the
command Of Captain Sturdee, OF the
warshfp Porpoise.
Complaint OfIndignitics.
The expedition landed In the Mataute
quarter OF the town before the house OF
wealthy French merchant, and after
a few aim!ess volleys. the Tanu men oc-
cupied the house Of the F.renchman and
battered down under the eyes OF the
English officers doors and windows and,
the letter asserts, helped themselves
freely to whatever from the store they
could In the hurry lay hands upon.
Then the grounds were searched,
though in vain. for Mataafa's warriors.
The letter follows this staten .nt with 4
bitter and sarcastic personal attack on
Captain Sturdee.
I'm the meanwhile the provisional
government under the able leadership
OF Mutaafa had maintained such order
and security as under no former gov
ernmeat. Everybody felt secure of his
lie and property, the Copra production
In the country commenced again and
there were signs Of prosperous times
coming back to the white traders. No.
bodf- who represented material interests
wanted change OF the existing condi-
tions. the British consu! and his aide
Mr.. Sturdee. of course, excepted. who in
order to give vent TO their dissa tisfaI-
tion and TO demonstrate the alleged in
security maintained 4 strong guard I'm
the British consulate and did not give
shore leave to the crews OF the war
ships. not to speak of other ridiculous
measures.
Germans Ignored.
On March G. the Philadelphia, under
Admiral Kautz arrived here when the
fate Of the provisional government was
sealed. Mr.. Kautz did not think fit to
try to get Just picture of the Samoan
situation by extending his inquiries as
far as possible. Chief Justice Cham
bers, who through his partial judgment
Is principally responsible for the present
troubles. the English consul MaXsc, and
Commander Sturdee were his crown
witnesses. The grea. many Germans,
well informed on the conditions of the
county, and more particularly the Ger
man consul general. were from the
beginning not considered. The Amerl-
can consul general did not deem It
worth while 10 give the matter Il serious
thought and complacently ucquiesced In
the proposals Of MaXse and Sturdee.
On March II a conference OF the
three consuls with the admiral took
place on board the Philadelphia when
the German consul protested with due
energy against the plan of the admiral
TO expel and completely dissolve the
provisional government and use to this
end the whole force OF the men-ot-war,
In vain the German representative ex-
planned to him that the country was In
condition Of perfect tranquility md
that there were no reasons why they
should not quietly walt for the decision
Of the treaty powers.
On March Il Admiral Kautz issued
his proclamation and did not hesitate to
state In the Samoan text that all con-
su's were agreed as to the proceeding
against the provisional government.
Roses Proclnmation.
The German representative firmly re-
solved not to have the German warship
Falke participate in the impending
butchery. issued his counter-proclama-
ton. The Mataafa. men were not al
lowed the least time for consideration.
They evacuated MulInu. the seat OF the
provisional government, on Monday,
March IS. but were already shot upon
when they on Wednesday had not yet
left the territory OF the municipality. In
order to frlghtcn the Mataafa men still
more, all Tanu men, though very little
inclined to fight against their own peo-
pie. were armed by the English with RI
lies and plenty OF ammunition.
Among the Victims OF the present
fighting nre also five brave marines,
and It Is pity that II not nil, yet most