The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-29
UNBASINESS IN SAM0A.l'
The Attitude Of the Natives Far
... From Reassuring.
COMMISSIONERS WELL RECEIVED,

COMMISSIONERS WELL RECEIVED
But Several Fights Have Occurred Be-
tween the Supporters of tho Rival
kinas-Chief Justice Cham bers Left
In Disgust. and Is Home Again.
San Francisco, July 29.-samoan adj
vices under date of July IA were re-
ceiyed yesterday by the steamer Moana,
which vessel brought among its pas
sengers Chief Justice Chambers. e
The situation In Samoa is one OF
great uneasiness, the attitude of the
natives being far from reassuring.
Several fights have occurred in diff
ferent parts Of the islands between
supporters of the rivals for the king
ship, and several natives have been
killed. Nothing much seems to have
been accomplished by the high COM
mission since arms to the number OF
400 were surrendered by the contend-
ing factions. Chief Justice Chambers,
being dissatisfied with the support ex-
tended to his court by the commits
sioners, left for Washington. Their
action In refusing the aid asked for
to sustain the courts authority is said
to have been prompted by dispatches
received by the German commissioner
from his home government, which, 1t
is claimed. is greatly displeased with
supreme court in the kingship case.
The commissioners have been we'll
received on all the islands they have
visited. At Tutila the natives were
prepared to accept the proposed ab0li-
tion of the royal office and the sub
stitution of an executive appointed by
the three powers. At Sapotulifla, the
headquarters of Lanatia, that chieftain
was defiant In manner, indicating fu-
ture trouble. AT Safune the only place
where the natives took prominent
part in the proceedings there was
fight with axes, knives and stones In
the presence of the commissioners. ono
man being severely wounded. The
trouble was caused by the meeting of
parties of Mataafa and Malietoa men.
who were bearing food offerings to the
commissioners. |
At Safata on July some Mataafa
men attacked the home of an opposl-
tion chief named Taahui, who, with
two others, was badly wounded. H. M.
S. Torch went to the scene but quiet
had been restored.
The chief justice issued orders to
certain towns in Sanaii to appear be-
fore tbs ssapTsme. eourt ip certain civil
cases where the judgment of the court
had not been complied with. Chlsf
Lanatia ordered them not to obey. toll
ing the towns to pay no attention to
the orders of the court which were
only words on paper. Some towns did
not appear while from the remaining
ones only Maltetoa men appeared. The
Mataafa men openly deded the court.
The chief Justice then asked the conn
missioners to support his authority
with warships If necessary, and on
their refusal he decided to leave
Samoa
After the return of the British war
ship Torch from Satafa the Malietoa
men there took offense because the
persons who attacked Chief Tanmuis'
house on July had not been punished
and made an attack on some of the
followers Of the rival Chief Suatele.
one being killed and several wounded,
two of tie latter being Suatele's adopt
ed sons. One of these died later In the
German hospital in Apia.
The warships Torch and Cormorant
steamed again to-Satafa and arrested
two Malietoa chiefs and the Mataafa
chief, who are now lodged in jail in
A pia, pending an inquiry into the mat.
ter. The men-ofwar at present there
are the Tauranga, Torch and Cormor-
mt.
Mataafa has never been in Apia since
he visited the commissioners on tbe
Badger at the time he agreed to sur
,ender his arms. This he claims he
las done, and he accepts without reser-
,ation the abolition of the klngship.
Mataafa COMPLAINS that Tamasese
md his immediate supporters have re-
NAMED in the neighborhood of Apia.
after his abdication Malietoa Tanu in
ended to 20 to Sidney and remain
here for some time and the Torch
vas put at his disposal to carry him
Is far as Fiji, where his sister. the
Princess Famaiui, Is living. But act
ng on the advice of his chiefs, he de-
ided to remain in Samoa.
President Solento took office on
une 10 and Immediately had trouble
With Vice King Tamasese and his
hiefs, who considered that. although
anu had abdlcated the lingship thew
till constituted a Samoan government
The commissioners were appeaIed to
nd they requested the chief Justice tn
ee the Malfetoa chiefs and trv ard
attIe th,ng ,n,ic.h,,, TN. 49,, aia
nd the chief Ieft Mu,,nuu point onI
he residence NJ the late nrssidant nv
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