The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-09
TALK OF WAR.
The Germans in Samoa Were at
the Bottom
Of All the Recent Violence and
BlOOdshed.
THEY WANT CONTROL.
Required a Threat From the
Captain of a
THEY WANT CONTROL.
British Warship to Restore Or
der on the Island.

San Francisco, Feb. 9-The steamer
Moana from Samoa brings full details
of the recent outbreak at Apia to the
Associated Press from it's correspondent
at that place. He writes that while
Chief Justice Chambers was holding the
claims of the rival candidates for the
kingship that Mataafa natives, who
were numerically stronger, were open
ly supported by the German officials
and the entire German population began
to talk of immediate war in case the
decision went against him and the life
of the chief justice was openly threat
ened by one of the chiefs. The three
cOnSulS agreed to issue a prOclamat ton
putting the chief justice and his resi-
dence under the protection OF the treaty
powers. For some reason the German
consul broke his word and declined to
do so. The British and American con-
Suls thereupOn issued the proclamation
and hoisted their national flags over
the residence of the chief justice Deem
Der 81; the chief justice decided Mataafa
was ineligible for election and Ma1ietoa
Tanus was king. The American and
British consulS Immediately recognized
the new king.
The decision was received with omin-
Gus silence by the natives. Within an
hour the consuls, the president and the
German and British captains held a
meeting. The German consul and preSi-
dent declined to recognize TanuS and
ing at Mulinu, the western portion of
Apia, with 5000 men under arms, until
he had surrounded the loyal troops, 1900
in number, who occupied the central
portion of the town.
The Malicious lacked arms and am
munition. In a few hours the rebel
forces had surrounded the residence of
the chief justice, who was guarded by
200 loyal natives, and Captain Sturdy,
of H. NJ. S. Porpoise, landed % sailors
under Lieutenant Gaunt
The residence was barricaded and the
men stood to arms all night, when the
chief justice and family were taken to
the beach. Fighting was expected to
commence at any moment, and the
British and American consuls did all
they could to prevent hostilities. A re-
newa1 of fighting is expected soon, as
both factions of the natives are dissat-
isfied.
If the two rebel parties had effected
a junction these Ioyalists might have
ben slaughtered, but darkness came
and the fighting ceased During the
night Malietoa's people sought refuge
i'll boats and were huddled together I'M
der the guns of the PorpOiSe. After the
retreat from TivoH to the mission it
was found that King Talu had been left
at the TiVoli- Capt. Sturdy and Consul
Maxsew went to the hotel and brought
the king safely back 1t was a brave
deed, and, although the rescuers were
fired upon repeatedly, they escaped
without damage.
The British sailors under Lieut. Gaunt
behaved splendidly. They held their
fire for a direct attack, which never Oc-
Cured. American Consul OrbOrne and
family took refuge in the British con-
sulate, which was closely guarded by
British sailors. By the flight of Malie-
toa men to the Porpoise the rebels were
left in absolute possession of the town.
All Samoan houses were looted and
burned. White mems houses were in
vaded and searched for Samoan prop
erty. Trees were cut down, crops were
l.
and boats either stolen or DESTROYED.
In this extremity the consuls, the presi-
dent and the leading Mataafian chiefs
came to an agreement to preserve life
and property.
A provisional government with the
president as executive head was ap-
proved by all cOnSulS pending the set
Element Of the whole question by their
respective governments.
The British and American consulS
agreed to this provisional arrangement
with the understanding that it was in
nowise to effect the Berlin treaty or any
official powers or any officer under it.
And that the Malietoa people who had
been taken on board the Porpoise
should be allowed to go to their homes,
their arms being retained on the Por-
poise. The first act of the provisional
government, however, showed the fixed
determination of the German officials
to assume an ascendency in Samoan af-
fairs. By public notice the provisional
government abolished the supreme
court and then decided that the presi-
dent was the acting chief justice and
that Chief Justice Chambers no longer
held office. They seized the supreme
court and placed new locks on all the
doors. Chief Justice Chambers and the
British and American consuis issued a
proclamation that the court would be
opened by him as usual in the morning.
Captain Sturdy of the Porpoise gave
notice that if any resistance to the
opening of the court by Justice Cham
bers was offered, the Porpoise would
open fire on the town. Captain Sturdy
also appealed to the German captain
for assistance without avail Mataafa
upon receiving Sturdy's ultimatum,
withdrew his armed guard from the
court house and on January the chief
Justice, with a guard of 25 men landed.
The chief justice and the two consuls
walked to the court house and after an
exciting colloquy with the German Off
Gals, Chambers ordered the door bro
ken in with a sledge hammer. The ses-
sion of the court was then held. Three
cheers for the justice and the British
and American consuls were given by
the British and Americans and the
crowd dispersed
All is now quiet, and SO FAR as fighting
justice has sent his family to Auckland
Germans still insist that DR.. Raffel is
chief justice. ~ -,
merchant in Samoa smashed all the win
dows in the supreme court 6uildl I1 He
was fined 500 and sentenced 70 1Oo DAYS
imprisonment. In the court he insulted
the judge and gloried. in his deed. He
was sent to Jail, and late that night DR..
Raffel, claiming to be chief justice, order
ed the jail keeper, g. Swiss with German
sympathies, to take the prisoner to the
German consul This was done, and the
next day the merchant was fined $50 by
the German consul.
ing news of the action of the three pow
ers. The action of the Provisional gov
eminent in deporting the Malietoa chiefs
is claimed to be in direct opposition TO the
agreement made with the consuls. Sixty