Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-04-13

REPIILSED THE ATTACKS OF
THE NATIVE WARRIORS-TIE
LOSS OF THE COMBINED FORCE
WAS SEVEN MEN, INCLUDING
THREE OFFICERS - THE MA
TIvES LEFT FORTY DEAD ON
THE FIELD-CIRCUMSTANCES
OF THE FIGHT RENDERS 1T A
VERY SERIOUS MATTER ASIDE
FROM THE LOSS OF LIFE.
Apia, Samoa, April /, via Auckland,
N T., April 12.-As the result OF an
ambush by 800 Mataafa warriors on a
German plantation to-day, lbs Amer
lean and British sailors were forced to
retreat to the beach, leaving three Off
GERS and four sailors dead upon the
field.
The officers killed were Lieut.. Ions
dale and Ensign Monahan, of the
United States cruiser Philadelphia, and
Lieut.. Freeman, of the British cruiser
Taurangua
The British and American forces
were surprised Yin ambush at the Ger
man plantation of Vaslelo. The rebel
force opened fire on the rear left flank
and front of the Anglo-American force.
The friendlies bolted but the marines
and blue jackets stood their ground
splendidly, Americans and British fir
ing shoulder to shoulder.
The Colt automatic gun with the
landing party became damned and the
Americans and British were practic-
ally at the mercy of the rebels. But
retreat was sounded three times be-
fore the marines and blue jackets re-
tired.
Lieut.. Angel H. Freeman, first lieu
tenant of the Taurangua, who was in
command of the allied force, was shot
through the heart.
Lieut.. Philip Van Horn Lansdale, of
the United States cruiser Philadelphia,
had his leg shattered while endeavor-
Ing " LA IIlC Jdluuu6u SuH
Seaman Hunt, of the British cruiser
Porpoise, had an extraordinary es-
cape.@ He remained with Lieut.. Lans-
knocked senseless. The bluejacket re-
vived as the natives were cutting off
his right arm. AT this juncture a shell
from the British cruiser Royalist burst
on the battlefield, soaring the reoels,
IIInt LODI in ir Il
beach, although severely stabbed in
one foot.
The same night the friendlies found
the bodies of all the officers headless.
The bodies were buried with all hon
ors at Mulinun on Easter Sunday.
Their heads were subsequently brought
In by some French priests and the
graves were reopened and the heads
buried with the bodies.
The loss of the enemy is not known,
but probably so of the rebels were
killed and many were wounded, The
bodies of three rebels were found near
the spot where Lieut. Lansdale and
Ensign Monaghan, of the Philadelphia,
were killed. The priests buried SO
rebels and much blood was seen on the
road over which the Mataafans had
Leen dragging away their dead and
wounded. There were also pools of
blood behind the cocoanut trees. the
bullets from the American and British
rifles going right though thick trees
and killing men hiding behind them.
Some of the rebels fired from the top
OF cocoanut palms.
The rebels opened fire near the town
last evening. 1t is now proposed to
summon another warship, to distribute
more arms among the friendlies and to
import additional friendlies from Tu-
tulea. 1t is also suggested that troops
might be obtained from New Zealand
or Sydney, N. S. w.
The Samoans say Mataafa, on three
occasions, had resolved to surrender.
but the German counsel, Herr Rose, adj
vlsed MIN not to do SO, and he now says
ne Will never give in, but will fight TO
the death.
Further advices from Apia, Samoa.
say that on the arrival of the British
cruiser Iauranga at Apia, the British
and American consuls issued a procla-
matlon TO give Mataafa a last chance.
ana That the French priests also used
tneir influence. but all efforts failed
anu the rebels continued their depre-
uatlons. property was DESTROYED and
pridges and roads were barricaded. On
March 20 the enemy was sighted al
Magulgl and machine guns and seven
FOUNDER We're used. The friendlies
also attacked the enemy during the lat
teT.s retreat. and several rebels were
killed or wounded. The friendlies car
rled one head through Apia. which
made Captain Stuart so furious thar ha
went to the king and threatened to
shoot any man found taking heads. The
king then issued a proclamation forbid
ding the practice
The German counsel wrote to Admir-
al kautz, asking if two great Christian
nations approved of this inhumane and
barbarious practice against the laws of
Christianity and the decree of the Sn-
preme Court.
The Admiral replied, agreeing with
the counsel as to the inhumanity of the
practice and pointed out that HAD the
German consul upheld the decree of the
Supreme Court of January THERE
WOULD HAVE BEEN no bloodshed.
that the custom was an old Samoan
one, but first made known to the world
ten years ago, when the heads of hon
est German soldiers were cut off hv
the barbarious Chief Mataafa. whom
the representative of the great Cbr;c