Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-09-16
SENDS A FRIENDLY LETTER TO
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY.
BEWAILS RECENT HoSTILITIES
HOPES THERE WILL BE No MORE
STRIFE WITH AMERICANS.
Sends a Watch Which Belonged to
Lieutenant LansdaIe, n Member
of the AngIo-American
Party That Was
Ambushed.

WASHINGTON, Sept. i5.-The president
received in audience at the White House
this afternoon, Mr.. John George Leigh,
who has spent several months in Samoa as
special correspondent of the London Times
and is now on his return journey 10 Eng
land. While in one of the black villages of
Upelu. Mr.. Leigh learned that a watch,
believed to have belonged to either Lieu
tenant 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 Il
native. He at once communicated with
Mataafa, whom he had visited only few
days previously, and promptly received a
reply from the high chief assuring him
that 10 effort would be spared to recover
the relic, and begging him. should the
search prove successful, TO restore the
watch TO the rightful owner, with my
heartfelt condolences"
He added: You know what 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 were instructed to carry
in every necessary direction the Mataafa' s
order 10 his adherents. While these mes
sengers were in the island of Savaii, a
watch and chain with locket and other
articles attached, were handed to Mr.. Leigh
and identified as the property of the late
Lieutenant LansdaIe.
A few days later the correspondent left
Samoa for San Francisco, where he met
the young widow of the lamented officer
and placed the trinkets in her possession.
Long ago, at the iustigation of her family
and OF Lansdale's comrades in the navy,
unsuccessful efforts had been made to trace
the articles, so hope that they ever would
be found had been practically abandoned.
Mr.. Leigh this afternoon handed to the
president a letter from Mataafa, of which
the following is-a translation:
ITO His Excelleney, William Mckinley
President of the United States.
Your Excellency:-I have to-day been
informed that a watch has been found by
one of my people which is believed TO have
belonged to Lieutenant Lansdale or Ensign
J. r. Monaghan. who were unhappily kill
ed IN battle at vaiie1e on April i. have
learned that Mr.. Leigh is about to leave
Samoa for America, and have asked him
to'conYey the watch to your excellency, in
the hope that you Will cause 1t to be re-
stored 10 the bereayed mother or nearest
relative OF the brave and much 7iamented
officer Mr.. Leigh win tell YOU that l. have
sincerely -depfored- the sad, untirneiy death
of the brave officers and men who came
from America and perished in the late un,
happy tuseiessl' war. Ny sorrow is the
more because of the great friendship which
Your great country has in the past extend
ed to Somoa- j am especially anxious that
this should be made known to the sadly
stricken mothers and relatives.
May 1t be the will of God that ther.
Will never again be strife between America
and the Samoans, and that the three pow
ers will recognize my submission to theil
will and desire for good government
pray God may give you long life.
'"T. ]. MATAAFA."
MIR. Mckinley. in the course of conversa
tion with Mr.. Leigh, expressed himself a.
much gratified at this proof of Mataafa'.
thoughtful humanity, and said that 4
would afford him more than ordinar,
pleasure personally to respond to the let
ter. He very warmly thanked Mr. Leigh
for his action in the matter and for having
personally conveyed the relics to Mrs
Lansdale. When Mr.. Leigh left Samoa
active endeavors Were being made to re
cover Ensign Monaghan's watch, and Mr.
Leigh believes that 1t will follow him L
Washington by the mall due in a week Of
so. In that event, IT will, of course, be a
once forwarded to the relatives.