The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-22

King or any chief may claim in the exer-
else of this office, such question shall not
iead TO war, but shall he. presented for
decision to the chief justice of Samoa, who
shall decide il in writing. conformab.y TO
the provisions of this act and to the laws
ana customs of Samoa not in conflict
herewith; and the signatory governments
VIII accept and abide by such decision
Mataafa Showed His Strength.
The protest of the Tanu-Tamasese party
was accepted, and the Mataafa party no
titled. Every effort was made by the lat
ter TO show their strength and the weak
ness of the other side to the chief Justice
so that he would see how hopelessly beaten
the weaker side was. A number of the
foreign residents endeavored to point out
how trifiing the opposition was and how il
was only kept together by the lawyers.
The Mataafa people who occupied Mulim-
nj (the capitaD gave feast and paraded
past the chief justice $500 armed war
riors, whom they had gathered in a few
days. They challenged the Tanu-Ta-
masese party to show anything like this
force, but though they were doing all they
could TO muster men i'm Apia they were
unable to make even a respectable show
ing.
Shortly after this Mataafa was anointed
and proclaimed King in the public square
at Mullmni, in the presence of a very
large gathering of people Replying TO
the complimentary speeches that were
made to him he stated that he accepted
the Office only to please the people, as he
personally had no ambition to be King of
Samoa. As they had freely chosen him,
ne would take up the relns of government
as soon as the treaty powers had confirm
ed their choice and he should always do
his best to bring about that harmony and
good feeling between the whites and his
own people that always ought to exist.
There Were Then Two Kings.
A few days later, In a native house not
far from the Supreme Court, Tanu was in
vested with number of titles and anoint-
ed by some inferior chiefs of his following
Thus there were two kings. Mr.. Chief
Justice Chambers, against the advice of
people whose opinions should have had
weight with him, decided to have a trial in
open court, instead of making careful in
quiries from ali sides and deciding after
the result of these had fixed his conclu-
sons.
Before proceeding with the trial he
drew up an agreement, which he wanted
both sides to sign, binding them to abide
by his decision when rendered; and at the
same time he intimated that the lawyers
might be introduced into the case.
The Mataafa party, 1t appears had no
objection to a fair trial of a matter In
which all the parties concerned were Sa-
means, but, as they did not believe in
having lawyers NEEDLE with their affairs.
and as they should not employ one, they
objected to the other side having any The
Mataafa party thought they had good rea-
sons TO suspect that the chief justice
would favor the opinions of the Mission
party If it were possible, and the agree
ment was declined. The Tanu-Tamasese
party were ready to accept anything and
signed without hesitation.
At this point in the dispute the chief JUS
tice proposed to the Mataafa chiefs that
both sides count their forces In his pres
ence, and thus settle in one day which
was the larger party, for the Tanu-Tama-
sese kept claiming to have fully as large
Following as Mataafa. This proposition
was accepted by the Mataafaites, but de-
clined by the lawyers
Both Sides in Court.
Finally the chief justice ordered both
parties to appear in his court on the 18th
of December and declared that on the
18th he would render his decision On the
opening of the court he again demanded
that both parties sign his agreement, but
met with firm refusal from the Mataafa
chiefs, among whom were nearly all of
the prominent followers of the late King
Malietoa. On the one side the whole of
Samoa was represented by the highest
chiefs in the land; on the other a few
lesser chiefs, mostly from the district sur
rounding Apia.
AT the last moment the Mataafa chiefs
were induced by the German CONSUL who
has been a number of years in Samoa and
who had taken great pains to find out the
true situation, to accept of the services
of a Mr.. Won Bulow who knew nothing
of law, but a good deal of the Samoan
customs.
Instead of combining the discussion to
the circumstances of the election, and
thereby trying to discover which was the
stronger party, the lawyers were allowed
the widest latitude, and undertook to
search back through many generations to
prove that Mataafa was Ineligible, and in
fact, no chief at all. Several times the
court was nearly broken up by the princi-
pie chiefs, who were provoked by the
statements of very common people, which
they believed to be untrue.
Wanted to Protect Him.
One night during this eventful trial the
chief justice found his house surrounded
by armed men of the Tanu-Tamasese par
ty who stated that they had come to pro-
tect him, as they had learned that a Ma
tadIa c01eI ndQ threatened 10 take MS
life. An investigation showed that there
was no foundation for this story and the
affair was probably arranged to give the
court the idea that the Tanu-Tamasese
party was bound to protect the chief JUS
tice, and TO abide by his decision in any
event. The Mataafa chiefs swore that
none of them had heard this particular
chief make any threats. and did not be-
lieve that he had done so. The chief him
self was not questioned, nor was any
witness summoned against him, but the
chiefs were ordered to heavily punish him
at once. The trial dragged on from day to
day, wandering from the point. Was the
election a fair one, and was Mataafa chos-
en- according to the laws and customs of
Samoa?
Both parties prepared for war Two
days before the decision was rendered the
chief Justice addressed the different con-
suls iuquiring from them if they had any
instructions from their governments as to
the eligibility of Mataafa- This was not,
of course publicly known. Some years
ago at Vallejo the forces of Mataafa de-
feated the German sailors, and IS out of 120
were either killed or wounded, while the