The record-union., 1899-04-21
The Report That the Commander Of
the German Warship Fake
Was Surprised and Arrested While Dsllv-
ering Arms to Mataafa's Men.
The Sensational, Story Said to Have
Been Cooked UP Aboard the
Steamer Aorangi, Which Ar
rived at Victoria Yesterday
From Australasia.

SEATTLE, April 20.-The "Post-In-
telligencer' correspondent at Victoria,
b. c., wires as follows:
STORY of the arrest of the commander
of the German man-Of-War Fake at
Samoa is a rank fake. 1t was cooked
up aboard the steamer Aorangi."
DOES NOT CALL AT APIA.
VANCOUVER (B. c., April 20.-The
steamer Aorangi, which arrived to-day
from Australia. does not call at Apia,
and consequently brings no late news
from Samoa.
THE STORY SENT OUT.
SEATTLE, April 20.-A Times" spe-
cial from Victoria, b. c., says that the
steamer Aorangi from Australia brings
advices that the commander of the Ger
nan ar-of-war Fake, at Samoa, has
been arrested by the British, and is now
held a prisoner on the British vessel
Porpoise. He was surprised by a squad
of British seamen handing arms and
ammunition to Mataafa's men, The re-
port was brought to Australia by the
passengers of the steamer Upola.
After the arrest of the Fakes COM
mander a conference was held betueeu
Captain Sturdee and Admiral Kaull,
and the Porpoise and Philadelphia
steamed in position on either side of the
Fake. Orders We're then sent aboard
her that if she made a move of any
kind she would be blown out of the
water. No one is allowed TO go aboard
CT leave the German ship of var with
out permission, written and signed by
either Captain Stu-9ee of the Porpoise
or Admiral Kautz.
Fighting continues between the
forces of Mataafa and Malietoa Tanus.
Bush fights with slight loss of life are
daily occurrences. business is practi-
cally at Standstill.
There is considerable sickness among
seamen of the Porpoise and Philadel-
pnia, and three of the Porpoise's crew
died from fever Lieutenant Garnet of
the Porpoise is among the sick
Mataafas cause is waning
April 4th is the date on which the
reported arrest was made.
CABLE ADVICES LATER THAN
THE STEAMERS.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 20.-The
Victoria dispatch stating that the Cap
tain of the German warship Fake was
placed under arrest by the British and
American authorities at Apia, Samoa,
Is not credited here. 1t undoubtedly
refers to the arrest of the superinten-
dent Of the German plantation on the
charge of melting the natives to fight
Cable advices by way of Auckland
nave been received under date of April
0th- The run from Apia to Victoria
would take at least fifteen days AS the
run from Auckland to Victoria takes, at
least twenty-one days, and as the Vie
torla dispatch states that the news was
brought from Auckland just prior to the
sailing of the Aorangi by small
steamer, it is therefore impossible that
the steamer that arrived at Victoria
to-day should have brought later ad-
vices than those received by cable.
STORY SECUTED AT WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, April 2O.-The state
ment that the commander of the Ger
man cruiser Fake has been arrested at
Apia by the British naval commander
was at once secuted by the officials to
whom it was referred here. Both Sec
retary Alger and Secretary Long ex
pressed. their disbelief in the accuracy
of the report.
Attention was directed to the fact
1hat the Navy Department had heard
from Admiral Kautz by cable from
Auckland at a later date than that
upon which the steamer just arrived at
Victoria must have sailed from Apia
on her long eastward voyage Admiral
hautz's dispatches were dated April
4th, and We're forwarded from the near
est cable station, Auckland, April 10Th.
1t is regarded as extremely unlikely
that steamer could have made the
trip from Apia to Victoria since April
4th.
1t IS suggested as an explanation of
the story that the steamers crew heard
OF the arrest of the German manager of
the plantation where the American and
Briush sailors We're ,ambushed. and
was taken on the British warship and
mad jumped to the conclusion that the
person arrested was the German COM
mander
1t is pointed out in official German
quarters that the arrest of the com
mander of one warship by the COM
mander of another ship is an absurdi
~ and moreover. cable advices have
---------------