The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-17
Chief Justice Chambers Account
of the Recent Warfare.
Describes In Detail the Contest for King
Between the Rival Factions.
Declares That Germans Led the
Mataafa Troops at the Opening
of Hostilities, the German Con-
sui General Riding at the Head
of About Five Hundred Rebels.

or A0St1l1t1es, the herman CO0-
sui General Riding at the Head
of About Five Hundred Rebels.
NEW YORK, Feb. 16. - DR.. Porter
Chambers of this city has received a
letter from his brother, William l..
Chambers, Chief Justice of Samoa un-
der the Berlin treaty, dated Apia, Janu-
airy 23d. Justice Chambers described
the fighting, the details of which have
already been given by the Associated
Press. He declares that Germans led
the Mataafa troops. the German Consul
General riding at the head of about 500
rebels. Justice Chambers continues:
1.-The English man-of-war could not
interfere beyond the protection of
American and British interests because
of German sympathies on the other
side and the notice from them that any
interference of the English ship in the
native question would be taken by
them as an insulting act to Germany.
Zone of the first things the victors
did was to forcibly close up the SUI
preme Court, station around it an
armed force and publish proclama-
ton saying that the court should not be
reopened except upon their order A
provisional Government was organized,
consented to by the Consuls upon the
expressed condition that it was simply
to preserve peace and order, and in no
way to interfere with the treaty or the
rights of any of the treaty officials.
'Dr. Raffel, German, was placed at
the head of the provisional Government,
and we thought that he would have
sense enough to at least try to execute
peaceful purposes. But the opportunity
was too great for the satisfaction of
his ambition to be resisted.
II had recently decided very i'm
ortant case adversely to him. He
grasped the opportunity to proclaim
himself Chief Justice.
''I promptly called upon the Consuls
of the three Governments, anticipating
that the German Consul would refuse,
which he did, for protection in reopen
ing the court
''The United States and British Con-
suls lai6 the matter before the Captain
of the British ship, who promptly ten
dered me all the force required. I is
sued a notice that the court would be
opened at IL o'clock the next day. The
British Consul gave notice to all Amer
lean and British subjects to come on
board the man-of-war before IL o'clock,
and the Captain gave notice to the Cap
tain of the German ship, advising Ger
man subjects to go to places of safety.
as he was determined to open fire at
any time after 1870 O'Clock if my pur-
pose of reopening the court should be
resisted.
by II o'clock the ship was well filled
with women and children. only few
men coming on board, be it said to the
credit of their courage, for when I
landed at II O'Clock practically all the
Americans and the Britishers in Apia
were ready on the spot to cooperate
with our Governments.
''At 11:50 two Consular boats started,
the one in front flying the Stars and
Stripes, with Consul General Osborne
on board, and the other flying the Eng
lish Jack, with Consul Maxse at the
tiller. A few yards to their rear I en-
barked in an armed cutter under COM
mand of Lieutenant Parker with TWEEN
ty-eighr bluejackets, each with his Lee
Metford rifle and forty rounds of am
munition. I stood ON the poop of the
little cutter, and in the bow was
quick firing machine gun.
Before landing we observed that the
street sides of the Courthouse were
surrounded by German officials and
subjects. The marines were left on the
pier while the two Consuls and myself
advanced about 100 yards to the Court
house, the Britishers and Americans
backing US up. We walked straight to
the German lines and, pushing the gate
aside, I stepped on the veranda, sup
ported by the two Consuls and Lieuten-
ant Parker
1.-THE German officials wished to dis
cuss the situation, but we Indignantly
refused and demanded the keys of the
Courthouse from President Raffel. de-
him as a. traitor to the treaty
and usurper. He refused to sur
render them and I thereupon called
upon the bystanders to assist me in
forcible entry.
There was a general response, but
the man who reached the veranda first
was an American carpenter named
Willis and then a, British boat builder
named Mackie. The Clerk of the Court,
Denveers, was pummeling away with
a small hammer. Willis and Mackie
secured a sledge hammer and soon the
doors fell in.
"Lusty cheers We're given for the
Chief Justice and the Supreme Cour.
and the flag was then hoisted by a Brit
isher, who climbed to the top OF the
pole.
1.-THE marines had in the meantime
been marched up and formed in line
inside the court enclosure, and as the
flag went up they gave it salute.
THE United States and British Con-
suls both made vigorous speeches and
expressed my Indignation at the insults
which had been heaped upon the
court and myself and at the gross in
suits which had been shown the Ameri-
can and British flags, thanked the peo-
pie for their loyalty and lowered the
flag with my own hands ard pledged
my life even in it's defense
THE wealthiest and most prominent
German merchant, E. A. Groesmuhl,
after threatening the United States
Consul General with dire calamities.
went to the Supreme Court building
and smashed all its windows. He mad
been arrested by an American half
caste policeman named Scanlon The
man was brought before me and adj
mitted that he committed the offense
through contempt of court, and, being
in contempt during his trial, fined him