The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-17
OUTRAGES BY GERMANS
JUSTICE CHAMBERs's ACCOUNT OF
HAPPENINGS IN SAMOA.
How Consul Rose, DIR. Raffel and 9th
ers Conspired with Natives to Seat
Mataafa on the Throne.

| chief Justice of Samoa under the Berlin
treaty, dated Apia, Jan. %. Justice Cham
bers speaks Of the trial of the contest for
the kingship between the two rival factions,
ending in his decision in favor of Tanus,
son Of the late King Maletoa, as already
published 1.-The United States consul gen.
eral, Judge Osborne, of Nebraska, a man
| of fine character and legal ability, and the
British consul, Mr.. Maxse, nephew of
Lord Salisbury's wife, a man of fifteen
years experience in diplomatic service in
England's foreign service the letter says,
both Immediately accepted the decision for
their respective governments. The German
consul general, Herr Rose who had also
attended the trial, refused to accept the
decision for his government, although his
government had already agreed with Amer
lea and England that it would accept and
abide by the decision whatever it might be-
"A meeting of the consuls and the captains
of the English and German men-of-war was
held within an hour. The American and
English consuls and Captain Sturdy pro-
posed that the King Gin whose favor I had
decided) be Immediately recognized by the
consuls calling him and the war ships
giving him a royal salute. This the German
consul and the captain of the German war
ship refused to do. If it had been done
there Is no doubt whatever that he would
have been firmly upon his throne that very
day.
within tNo hours the German consul and
other German sympathiZers were leading the
armed troops Of the Mataafa faction into
the streets of the municipality. The presi-
dent, who is a German. threw all his in
f1uence on that side, and the Mataafa peo-
pie, realizing that they had the support of
the German consul, of a German war ship
and of the entire German population, got
ready with amazing quickness for the vio-
lent attack which followed. The Malietoa
people, when it became known that the Ma
taafas were going to make war, got together
all the men they could. They had no time
to gather their supporters from the different
parts or the island. They succeeded in mus
tering about 1000 men, 1ndifferently armed
and provided with miserable ammunition
The rebels, who had been preparing for the
situation for several weeks, perhaps, mus
tered about $500 men, and, was afterward
shown, had much better guns and were well
supplied with ammunition. In fact, there
seems to be no doubt that the German trad
erS and one American, SympathiZing with
the Matafaa side, had provided many new
guns and great quantities of fresh ammuni-
ton for them"
GERMANS LEAD MATAAFAS TROOPS.
the details of which have already been given
BY the Associated Press. He declares that
Germans led the Mataafa troops, the Ger
man consul general riding at the head of
several hundred rebels. Justice Chambers
continues: THE English man-of-war could
not interfere beyond the protection of Amer
lean and British interests because of the
German sympathies on the other side and
"a hat an in q
from the English ship on the native ques-
ton would be taken by them as an insulting
act to Germany. One of the first things the
victors did was to forcibly close up the
Supreme Court. station around 1T an armed
force and publish proclamation saying that
the court should not be reopened except
upon their order A provisional government
was organized, consented to by the consuls
on the expressed condition that 1t was SIM
ply to preserve peace and order and In no
way TO interfere with the treaty rights OF
any of the treaty officials
President Raffell, a German, was placed
at the head of the provisional government,
and we thought that he would have sense
enough to execute peaceful purposes. But
the opportunity was too great for the salts
faction of his ambition to be resisted. had
recently decided very important case adj
versely to him. He grasped this opportunity
to proclaim himself chief justice. l promptly
called on the consuls of the three govern
ments-anticipating that the German consul
would refuse, as he did-for protection in
reopening the court The United States and
British consuls laid the matter before the
captain of the British ship, who promptly
rendered me all the force required. l issued
a notice that the court would be opened at
II o'clock the next day. The British consul
gave notice to all American and British
subjects to come on board the man of war
before IL O'Clock, and the captain gave no
tice to the captain of the German ship, adj
viSing German subjects TO 20 to places of
safety. as he was determined to open fire
at any time after II 80 o'clock if my pur-
pose Of reopening the court should be re-
n ha cbi lad
with women and children, only a few men
coming on board, be it said to the credit of
o'clock, practically all the Americans and
Britishers in Apia were on the spot ready to
cooperate with their governments.
''At ten minutes before u o'clock two con-
sui boats started, the one in front flying the
stars and stripes. with Consul General Os-
horne on board, and the other flying the
English jack, with Consul Maxse at the TIL
Ter few yards to the rear l embarked in
an armed cutter, under command of Lieut..
Parker. with twenty eight blue jackets,
each with his Lee-Metford rifle and forty
rounds of ammunition. / stood on the poop
of the little cutter and in the bow was
quick-hring machine gun. Before landing,
observed that the street side of the court
house was crowded by German officers and
subjects. The marines were left on the pier,
while the two consuis and mysed aGXaneed
the Britishers and Americans backing lis
up. We walked straight to the German
lines and, pushing the gate aside, stepped
on the veranda, supported by the two con-
sulS and Lieutenant Parker.
DOORS BROKEN IN.
'The German officials wished to discuss
the situation, but we Indignantly refused,
and demanded the keys of the courthouse
from President Raffel, denouncing him as a
traitor to the treaty and a usurper. He re-
fused to surrender Them and 1 thereupon
called upon the bystanders to assist me in
forcible entry. There was a general re-
Spouse, but the man who reached the We
randa first was an American carpenter
named Willis, and then a British boatbuild-
er named Mackie. The clerk of the court,
Denvers, was pummelng away with a
small hammer. Willis and Maclxe secured a
sledge hammer and soon the doors fell in.
Cheers were given for the chief justice and
the Supreme Court, and the flag was then
hoisted by Britisher, who climbed to the
top of the pole. 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 a salute
The United States and British consuls
both made vigorous speeches, and l ex-
pressed my indignation at the insults which
had been heaped upon the court and myself
and at the gross insults which had been
shown the American and British flags.
thanked the people for their loyalty and
lowered the flag with my own hands and
pledged my life even in its defense.
The Wealthiest and most prominent Ger
man merchant. A. Groesmuhl after threat
ening the United States consul general with
dire calamities, went to the Supreme Court
building and smashed in all OF its windows
Upon hearing this 1 went ashore He had
been arrested by an American half-caste
policeman named Scanlon. The man was
brought before me and admitted he had
committed the offense through contempt Of