The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-17
THE |MBROCL|O IN SAMOA
Explained by Chambers in Let
ter to a Friend.
GERMANS ARE INSOLEN 7
Unless the Islands Are Annexed by En-
gland or the United States There
Is Long Chapter of Trou-
BILE Ahead.

| New York Feb. 16.-Dr. Porter Cham
bers of this city has received Letter
from his brother, William L. Chambers
chief justice of Samoa under the Der.
| lin treaty, dated Apia, January %. Jus.
| tce Chambers speaks of the trial Of the
contest for the kingship between the
two rival factions and says:
After IL days of patient investiga-
ton, two sessions each day and hard
study every night, of Samoan genealo.
giles, customs, titles and practices,
came to the conclusion from a legal an6
conscientious point of view, besides up
on the treaty and the laws and customs
of Samoa not in conflict herewith, thai
Tanu. the son of the late King Male.
toa, was duly elected king.
The natives during the delivery OF
my decision, exercised a discretion
which was the better part of valor
Things were exceeding quiet and re-
spectful on the surface and the crowd
dispersed peacefully.
THE United States consul general
Judge Osborne of Nebraska a man of
fine character and legal ability, and the
British consul, Mr.. Maxse, a nephew of
Lord Salisbury's wife and a man of Is
years experience in diplomatic service
in England's foreign service, both i'm
mediately accepted the decision for
their respective governments.
THE German consul general, Rose, who
had also attended the trial, refused to
accept the decision for his government
although his government had already
agreed with America and England that
it would accept and abide by the decis-
ion, whatever it might be.
"A meeting of the consuls and the
captains of the German and English
men-owar was held within an hour
The American and English consuls and
Captain Sturdee reported that the king
Gin whose favor l had decided) be i'm
mediately recognized by calling upon
him, the warships giving MIN a royal
salute. This the German consul and the
captain of the German warstlip refused
to do. If it had been done. there is no
doubt that he would have been firmly
upon the throne that very day.
within two hours the German con-
sui. for the defeated side. and the other
German sympathizers were leading the
armed troops of the Mataafa factions
into the streets of the municipality.
The president. who is a German, threw
all his influence on that side and the
the support of the German consul, of a
German warship and of the entire Ger
man population, got ready with amaz-
ing quickness for the violent attack
which followed.
The Malietoa people, when it became
known that the Mataafas were going
to make war; got together all the men
they could in Apia and the surround
ing country. They had no time to
gather their supporters from the differ
ent parts of the islands. They, sue
ceeded in mastering about 1000 men,
indifferently armed and provided with
miserable ammunition. The rebels, who
had been preparing for the situation for
several weeks perhaps may have mus
tered about $500 men, and, as, after
wards was shown, had much better
guns and Were well supplied with am
munition.
in fact there seems to be no doubt
that the German traders and one Amer
lean, sympathizing with the Mataafa
side, had provided many new guns and
great quantities of fresh ammunition
for them"
Justice Chambers described the fight
ing, the details of which have already
been given by the associated press He
declares that the Germans led the Ma
taafa troops, the German consul gen
eral riding at the head of about 500
rebels.
Justice Chambers continues:
THE English man-o'-war could not
interfere beyond the protection of
American and British interests, be-
cause of German sympathies on the
other side, and the notice from them
that any Interference from the English
ship in the native question would be
taken by them as an insulting act to
Germany.
zone of the first things the victors
did was to forcibly close up the SUI
preme court station around it an arm
ed force and publish a proclamation
saying that the court should not be
reopened except upon their order A
provisional government was organized,
consented to by the consuls upon the
expressed condition that it was simply
to preserve peace and order and in no
way to interfere with the treaty or the
rights of any of the treaty officials.
DIR. Raffel, German, was placed at
the head of the provisional government
and we thought he would have sense
enough to at least try to execute peace
full purposes. But the opportunity was
too great for the satisfaction of his
ambition to be resisted. 1 had recent
ly decided a very important case ad-
versely to him. He grasped the oppor-
luilly u proclaim nlmSelf chief JUS
tice. promptly called upon the con-
suls of the three governments. antic-
ipating that the German consul would
refuse-which he did-for protection in
the court
THE United States and British con-
suls laid the matter before the captain
of the British ship, who promptly ten
dered me all the force required | is
sued notice that the court would be
opened at II o'clock the next day. The
British consul gave notice to all Amer
lean and British subjects to come on
board the man of war before II o'clock
ana the captain gave notice to the cap
tam OF the German ship advising Ger
man SUBJECTS to so TO places of safety
as ne was determined to open fire at any
ume after half-past II o'clock if my
purpose of re-opening the court should
be resisted
ny IL O'Clock the ship was well
tiiled win women and children, only
rev men coming on board, be it said to
the credit Of their courage, for when |
lanoed at l. o'clock, practically all the
Americans and the Britishers in Apia
were ready on the spot to cO-operate