The evening times., 1899-05-13
SAMOAN ATRocIT1Es.
De.criptio. Il the Fate Of L.a.a.
and kaonaghan. [sst

Descriptio. sfAfhe Fate Of Lansdaae
aad taonaEhan. 80
Atlanta, Ca, Nay l3.-In letter re-
ceived yesterday by his sister. Mrs w. H.
Alexander. of this city. Chief Justice
Chambers. Of Samoa, writes:
''The killing of our officers and sailors
Il mean English as well as American).
from ambush by the rebels was bad
enough. but the mutilation OF their bodies
was horrible beyond expression.
Il knew each of the officers. and they
were splendid fellows. Lansdale. the first
lieutenant of the Philadelphia, was such a
handsome. jolly. whole-souled fellow. He
had been married only a few months be-
fore coming here. and his young wife,
whom he left behind in California. is now
in Honolulu. having come there to spend
part OF their honeymoon when the ship
returned to that port.
He was shot in the leg, and was being
taken from the field by Lieutenant Non
Afghan. of the Philadelphia. and q sailor,
when the sailor was shot and killed.
Monaghan then struggled away with his
precious burden, succeeding at last in
getting him secure beneath some banana
bushes.
Brave Lansdale was heard imploring
Monaghan to leave him to his fate and save
his own life but the heroic young fellow
stood by his friend to the last. Whatever
took place after that none but the saw
ages who committed the devilish deeds
can tell.
when 1t was discovered that Monaghan
and Lansdale were both missing. the main
body having returned some distance toward
the beach, a searching party was sent
back After a while they saw Mataafa men
running away. but nothing OF our brave
sailor men.
Early the following morning large
party went out. and the first discovery
was poor Monaghan's headless body. CO.
ing on about 150 yards they found Lans-
dale's body, whose head had also been ta-
ken. Between these, at distances OF thir-
ty or forty yards apart, were the bodies oil
three dead Samoans showing beyond doubt
that he (Monaxhan) had defended Lans-
dale to the end. and being driven back he
bravely fought as he retired. killing al
least three of his pursuers-
The English lieutenant, Freeman. also
had his head cut of In the case OF the
saiolrs.the heads were not taken but their
ears were. showing that the savages dis
criminated between the officers and the
privates.
Ten years ago last December fight
occurred within few hundred yards of
this same place between Mataafa's fcrces
and German sailors. in which twenty six
Germans were killed, many OF whom had
their heads taken.
1T is a significant thing that only twice
in Samoan history have the heads Of for
eigners been taken, and both times the
horrible deeds were committed by Mataa-
fa's people. In fact. no whites have ever
been killed except by the followers of Ma
taafa.
For the first act OF inhumanity he was.
On Germanys demand exempted from ELI
gibility TO the kingship. They seem. how
ever. to have forgiven him. for some
strange reason, and Germans here have
been calling him by such names as the
'Hoary- headed Old Hero / do not think
he will receive a pardon from the English
and American governments.
The heads of cur brave officers were
recovered the day after the battle and plac
ed with the bodies in the grave where sleep
the mutiiated remains of seven British and
American heroes in sad and melancholy al
lance"