The Saint Paul globe., 1899-01-13

Way in Everything-Retu of
DepOrted King Cause of Trouble.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 12-The fol-
lowing letter has been received by the
Associated Press from Its Samoan cor
respondent, and shows how alarming
was the situation wien the steamer
Mariposa left Apia for this city:
Apia Dec. 28.-Events have moved very
rapidly since the last mail left here. Civil
war has been narrowly avoided, and for tho
first time in Samoan history the lives of
white residents have been threatened by the
natives. Even now bloodshed is not far from
impossible. Armed guards protect the resi-
dences of Chief Justice Chambers Ameri-
can citizens and that Of Mr.. Gurr, the lead
ing English lawyer of the town. who has
Malietoa Tanu's claim to the throne. II
fighting once begins, the results will be seri-
Gus, for each side has thousands of men in
the field, and 1t will require energetic action
on the part of the English and German war
ships to keep the conflict within bounds.
The whole trouble has arisen through the
1njudicfous action of the three treaty powers
in bringing the deported Mataafa back to
Samoa By doing SO they have thrown down
bone of contention and converted what
might otherwise have been a peaceful cleo
tion iHo an angry combat OF course, at this
time America, England and Germany agreed
to Mataafas return. Malietoa's death was
not anticipated, otherwise the home coming
OF the exiled king would certainly have been
delayed: For many years, ever since the un-
fortunate affair at Vailele when so many
German soldiers lost their lives, the Germans
have shown g. feeling Of uncompromising
hostility towards Mataafa. under whose lead
ership the Teutonic defeat was accomplished.
Latterly, for some unexplained reason, the
German officials have changed their views
and have tried to secure Mataafa's return.
This course has brought the German consul
10 any,f Tuffh
American consuls and the chief Justice the
natives have been encouraged to turbulence
and the lives of white residents have been
endangered. The trouble began Immediately
upon Mataafa's return from Jaluta Although
ne was nominally held as prisoner the con-
suls, actuated by kindly motives, gave him
permission to reside on the royal Demesne at
Mulinuu and to take such of his adherents
as he chose with him. This permission was
interpreted literally, and lMataafas people be-
gan crowding by thousands into the limited
space of the Mulinuu, peninsula.
CHIEFS ENTER PROTEST.
At first tn followers of Maletoa, chiefs who
had followed the fortune Of the late king for
years, gave way courteously, but eventually
they found themselves driven entirely from
their thatched houses, and were forced to
take refuge in another quarter of the Town.
fortunately Malietoa s people preserved a
friendly attitude and obeyed the proclamation
OF the consuls in demand that peace should
OF Mulinuu issued a. declaration declaring
Mataafa king of Samoa. Secretly encouraged
by the Germans they proceeded to deport
public officers and appoint their own nomi-
nees. The climax was reached when Mataafa
ard his chiefs actually discharged the chief
justice, who is appointed under the Berlin
treaty tire BY by the & three powers The chief justice
had notified Mataafa that he must wait for
the decision of the court before he could
legally declare himself king
the most serious element in the whole affair
hnfTyy ,11
The German consul has, 1t Is alleged been
playing double with his colleagues and the
English and American officials are naturally
indignant. 1t was an understood thing that
there was to be no foreign interference in
the royal elections, yet throughout it all an
undermining current OF intrigue has been at
been reused to aggressive action, have openly
declared against all white control, and an
nounced their intention Of disregardipg en-
tireiy the Berlin reatY. ~
-es4 MISSIONARIES THREATENED. ~
To show the extent OF the feeling aroused,
Suaatele, a religious fanatic, who is one Of
Mataafa's. most prominent adherents, is quot
ed as saying:
Samoans. you must fight strong. When
you meet white man cut him up; when you
meet missionary, cut him up; when you
meet a deacon, cut him up; when you meet
a Samoan, cut him up; we will break through
the bonds CT the treaty; we will leave no
municipality
III speaking OF missionaries, Mataafa'S DeO-
pie being Catholics, refer. Of course to the
representatives of the London Missionary So
ciety, and it Is expected the houses of mis-
sionaries and white residents will be the
first objects of attack.
Chief Justice Chambers commenced his eX-
animation into the merits OF the rival candi-
dates ON Dec. 10. in the presence of a great
crowd of natives. Mataafas people entered a
vigorous protest against the employment of
attorneys in the case This, however, the
chief justice, considering that he had right
fn r1Jr h lie rsIrv-f, ol,o
consider, and Mr.. Gurr appeared On bshalf
of Malietoa Tanu. Another lawyer, Mr.. Car
ruthers, who had previously held brief for
Tamases, announced that his client had re-
tired from the contest and that his influence
would be thrown into Malietoas scale.
The next day the Germans brought forward
lawyer named Won Buelow, and asked that
he be sworn in solicitor of the court.
This was done, but the chief Justice had to
rebuke Won Buelow for his disrespectful con-
duct toward the court and threaten him with
disqualification. On the following day IL
was reported that Satuele and other fanatical
adherents of Mataafa had formed a plot to
murder the chief justice, Mr. Gurr and other
whites concerned in the case. The chief JUS
tice Immediately called a meeting Of consuls,
and both English and American representa-
tives agreed to hoist their flags over. the
threatened house. The German consul, how
ever demurred, claiming that he would have
first to consult the captain of the warship
Buzzard.
BOLD BRITISH TAR.
Fortunately, the captain of the English
warship Porpoise was man of vigor and
dash. Through his influence a clash WAS
avoided. He promptly cleared his ship for
action and declared in favor Of the English
speaking consuls. Meanwhile native guards
patro.ed the roads, and the threatened attack
of Mataafaxs fanatical adherents was ayerted.
The most sensational scene in the drama
occurred, however, on Dec. 26 when all the
evidence in the case had been heard, and
Gurr, as eonIsel for Maiietoa, was summing
it up. 1t discovered that Mataafa came
from a race or princes which had been cut
off by an Ancestral curse from the line CT
succession. Natives burst out crying in court,