The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-21
CAUSE OF SAMOAN TROUBLE.
Germans Charged by Resident of
the Islands With Instigating the
warning Chief

the lRtunUH W e7'NN-N
Warning Chief.
From the New York Herald
In private letter received by a gentle
man in New York from a friend in Apai,
Samoa. much light is thrown on the poiiu-
cal situation now existing there aud
which promises to result very seriously
10 the American and British residents of
the islands because of the attitude assum-
Cd by Mataala, the aspirant for the throne
made vacant several months ago by the
death of Malietoa Laupepa.
The Germans are said to be chiefly to
blame for the trouble which exists, and
which threatens TO become most serious.
The actual news features OF the situation
lu Samoa were tod in the Herald of Sat
urday last, under date of Dec. %, from
Apia. The authority of the chief justice.
w. L. Chambers, an American. who was
appointed jointly by the three Powers
he United states, England and Germany
which adopted the Berlin treaty, is OPEN
~ defed by the German consul, and the
chief justice is subjected to gross insult
by that official The letter is in part as
follows:
'Mataafa is supported by the Germans
in his aspirations for the throne not be-
cause they have any love for him, nor
have they forgiven the defeat of their
sailors az the battle OF Fagali on Dec. 10
1888, in which twenty-three were killed
by Mataafa's troops, but because he is
anti-British although when he fought the
Germans in 1883 he was most friendly TO
he Americans and English. The Ger
mans say that the London Missionary So
ciety which has been esta blished in Sa-
moa for many years, has always support
"a the Malietoa party, and they look up
The society as the forerunnner of British
annexation. The Germans have complete
~ thrown over the Tamasese party. who
hey so strongly supported in 18SS-S9, and
Tamasese has Joined forces with the Ma
lietoa party Il is the most complete
turnover you ever saw.
The German CONSUL, following the Gus
tom of his predecessors here, has done
and is doing all in his power to bring about
trouble, so that the Germans may have
an excuse to land men from their war
ship in the horbor and thus attempt to
cain the footnold which they have been
seeking for so many years but Capt
StuIdee of the English warship Porpoise
has checkmated him at every point
THE German consul has accused Chief
Justice Chambers Of malfeasance in office
and has specified a number of charges
such as unfair decisions and Partially in
cases between Germans and persons of
other nationasities The charges are friv-
olous and most transparent and the OBJ
iect Of making them is thoroughly under
stood by the American and English resi-
dents.
"The assertion has been made by the
German consul that the residents Of Sa-
moa are losing confidence in the Supreme
Court Of the country. This is a fabrica-
ton, for during the last two years the
business of the court has been steadily
increasing, and natives of all parties from
all parts of the Samoan group of islands
have been appearing in court when sum
moned to do so The Supreme Court had
had no assistance whatever from the con
suls or their governments or from the war
ships that happened to be here. aud stl
up to the time of Mataafas return from
he Marshall Islands the court was stead
lv becoming a nower in the land
"Chlef Justice Chambers has replied to
the charges of the German consul by ac-
cusing him of prejudice, malice and false
hood