New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-14
THE CRISIS AT SAMOA.
MArAAFA's FOLLOWERS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE TROUBLE
GERMANS SAID TO BE INsrIGAroRs-crvL
WAR NARROWLY AvERTED-AMERI-
CANS IN DANGER

been received from Samoa. showing how alarming
tbs situation was when the steamer Mariposa ieit
Ay-ll for this city,
"Apa, Dec M-Events have moved rapidly since
the last mail left here. Civil has been mr.
rowly avoided and for the first time In samoan
history the lives OF white inhabitants nave oeen
threatened by the natives Even now oloodsned IS
not improbable Armed guards protect the mousse
OF Chief Justice Chambers an American citizen,
and that OF Mr. Guerr the leading English lawyer
OF the town. who has taken prominent part m
supporting Malietoa's claim to the throne II nght-
ing once begins the results will be serious, lot edoh
side has thousands OF men in he field and II VIII |
require energetic action on the part OF English ana
German warships to keep the conflict within |
bounds.
THE whole trouble has arisen through the In
tudlcious action of the three treaty Powers IN
bringing the deported Mataafa back to Samoa BY
doing 50 they have thrown down bone OF con-
tention and converted what might otherwise have
been a peaceful election into an angry combat or
course at the time America England and Germany
agreed to Mataafas return Malietoa's death was
not anticipated otherwise the homecoming OF the
exiled King would certainly have been delayed.
For many years ever since the unfortunate affair at
vaIele when so many brave German soldiers lost
their lives the Germans have shown feeling OF
uncompromsing hostility toward Mataafa, under
whose leadership the Teutonic defeat was accom-
pllshed Latterly. for some unexplained reason the
/ German officials have changed their views. and
have tried to secure Mataafas return. This course
/ has brought the German Consul into open disagree
| ment with the British and American consus and
the Chief Justice. and the natives have been en-
couraged turbulence and the lives OF white resi-
dents have been endangered
GERMANS STIR UP TROUBLE.
1.-THE trouble began Immediately upon Mataafa's
return from Jauit Though ne was nominally held
| as a prisoner the consuls. actuaed by kindly
motives gave to him permission to live az the
royal dwelling at Muinnuu, and to take such OF
| his adherents he chose with him Mataafa's
people began crowdng by thousands into the
! limited space OF the Muinnuu Peninsula. driving
out the followers OF Malietoa. Fortunately Male
toas people preserved a friendly attitude and
obeyed the proclamation OF the consuls in demand
ing that peace should be maintained at all hazards
Still the usurpers Mulinnuu were aggressive. and
issued a proclanla ton declaring Mataafa king OF
Samoa Further they assumed TO themselves royal
powers. and. secretly encouraged by the Germans
proceeded to deport public officers and appoint their
own nominees. The climax was reached when
Mataafa and his chiefs actually dischargea me
Chief Justice. who is appointed under the Berlin
Treaty by the three pGwe 1 S 5s Juice G
formed Mataafa that he must walt for the decision
OF the court before he could legally declare hihseh
king ..,.,,. .,..,.,. T., ~. w,o,s affair Is
the disagreement between the consus. Inc Ger
man Consul has been playing double with MS CO..
leagues and the English and American oc ba5
there was to be no foreign interferencs IN d the
m Sya o yeh Work Win
The ataafa people until they have been reused 20
acton na naye Epeed he Mention Of dis
| regarding entirely the Berlin Treaty
sEpITIoUs UTTERANCEs QUOTED.
ITO show the extent Of feeling aroused suatee.
a religious fanatic. who is Of Mataafa's most
prominen. adherents, IS quoted as saying:
samoans. you must fight strong: when you hgnt
| kill When you meet a white man cut him up;
when you meet a missionary, cut him up; when you
meet a deacon. cut him up; when you meet
Samoan, cut him up; we VIII oreaK tnrougn IN; ;ne
bounds Of the treaty We will leave no munich
patty ,..,.,os wot,a,a.s neopye.
sgsS6sn es Of 2efe 81 cearss 10 he
tives Of the London Missionary Society and Is
deRss S I Be The c5ecs q aiiacE
Chief Justice Chambers began ms S ecember
n in Of great CROWD Ss q naes ah bs
n nder r.f se bf n This 'r matter s"' '"s'
H"a Nrataafas people entered vigorou: protest ss
the sR Ss ySe ~ that
he had right to run his own court as ne cdose' ho
bap Of MaHetoa Another lawyer, Mr.. Carruthers.
representing Tamasese announced tha s ms r uen
would be thrown into Maetoas scale
FOREIGN INHABITANTS FEAR MURDER
"The next day the Germans brought forward law
YER named Won Bulow and asked that ne De sworn
in as a solicitor Of the court This was done out
IN half an hour the Chief Justice rebuked Won
Rnov for his disrespectful conduct toward the
fo,Iowine day II was reported that Sautele and
other fanatica adherents Of Mataafa had formed d
plot to murder the Chief Justice MI Tueff S S.
otRer whites concerned in the case Inc Cniel
Justice Immediately called meeting OF oon t;,e:
and both English and american dSar Sp threstened
hoi,ses The German Consul. however demurrer .S
s ssng t Of the ne wa MIdIo BLIZZARD
fortunately the captain OF the Ensnsh war s a
p0 c cl wss was A AVOIDED He promptly cleared
his ship for action and declared IN patvs guards
nstroed the roads and the threatened attack OF
Mataafa's fanatcal adherents was aVoioeu'
BRITISH CAPTAINS FIRM STAND.
.rhe most sensational scene in the drama oo-
. Cured however. December 70, wnen ali the
AUDIENCE in the case had been heard and Guerr as
ors,I for Malietoa was summing It up. II was
, discovered that Mataafa came from race OF
princes which had been cut of by an ancestral
curse from the line OF succession. An eAci'i"e
oora ensued Natives burst crying in court.
and were promptly elected. Outside the cro"o OF
Samoans raised great tumult. and their leaders
could with difficulty restrain them from coming
10 blows The captains of both the German and
English war were IN court; Mh t tne bs
Englishman outside. He said that war was Ger
tam y6 out Sand BY his ship and would be ready
10 oppose any one who stirred up ngnt. mere
Is general feeling here that the whole scene was
order 70 lead to nmgtf 6 ana ar 1nes
r the Porpose however. defeated the plot. - -,
THE trial is expected 10 close about me enc OF
e recember and there may be more trouble Mataa..
las people threaten that II the DECISION Is aga a
them thew will attack the town. No alarm Is rev;
{ ! bowever because Mataafa has only about LOW
armed adherens. while Malietoa who is ready 81, 70
meet them has over three thousand resolved tol-
= ioWers American citizens greatly regret that no1
american man-of-war has arrived. the display OF
] J tho American flag this tuncture Woutd nave
j added Immensely TO the National prestige ana az
= The same time would have strengthened the nanus
r ~ the American Consul. Al present Mr.. Osborne
Is poweress to effect anything II violence tnrea.s
ened II American life or property IS snoahSere.o
he can only appeal for aid 10 the British manor
war"
NOTES