The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-21
CALLED FOR
THE CLAIMS
Gear Talks Indemnify
For Ninety-Five.
SCHEME IN THE WIND
He FOrestalls Final Action on Act
Four by Securing an
Adjournment.

One of the principal incidents of the
Council of State session yesterday was
the calling up of the Indemnity Claims
of 1895 by Councillor Gear. The latter
questioned the President very closely
as to their fate. Gear wanted to know
whether the Executive had shelved the
claims. or if he was still corresponding
with the United States government
about them.
The questioning was not wholly un-
expected by those in touch with the
councillor. He endeavored to pin the
President down to a statement as to
what would be the probable fate of the
claims of those who he stated were
arrested as suspects during the troub-
lous month of January. 1895, but who
were not brought TO trial. The Incl
dent caused no little excitement and
some smiles.
Councillor Gear said he had heard 1t
was generally understood that the cor
|respondence between the Executive and
the authorities at Washington had
finally resulted in the United States re-
ferring the claims back to the Hawai-
ian government for settlement. Pres
ident Dole in his answer said that he
did not understand the reference was
made for settlement, but for disposi-
tion.
In opening his questions, Councillor
Gear emphasized his desire to gain a
satisfactory answer.
UI uOuId lilo N agk question of
the Executive" said he, ION the mat
ter which may have to come up in this
bill (Act ~. IL is as to the status at
present of the claims made against the
government by those who were impris-
oned as suspects but not brought TO
trial in 1895-aliens. / am given to un-
derstand that claims have been pre-
sented and have been pushed by the
representatives of Great Britain and
other countries at Washington, de-
manding damages.
Now, after the passage of the Ter
ritorial law, making Hawaii a territory
to the United States. Ii appears to me
| that the force of these claims will fail,
and that the force of the reference TO
| this government by the government at
| Washington, will also fail.
II would like to ask whether they
were referred with instructions TO make
settlement. and II so. how the money
is 70 be provided"
| President Dole replied at once:
| The claims were reported to this
government by the United States gov
ernment, after being brought up by the
English ambassador at Washington
The United States then referred them
/ to this government. We have several
letters from the Washington author
tiles in the matter. The Executive
| Council has done a considerable
| amount of work upon them. but has
| not been able to flnish-them on account
Of the press Of other work. At present
We can simply report progress
| Getting down n little closer in his
questioning. Mr.. Gear asked, "1s 1t the
intention of the Executive Council To
make settlement of these claims? II so
will it be necessary to call another ses-
sion of the Council Of S,ate TO appro-
pirate money to make the settlement oi
the claims?'
81 don't know what you mean by
making a 'settlement'of the claims, Mr.
Gear" replied the Executive. I'VE un-
derstood the government at Washing
ton to mean to reconsider the claims
and dispose of them. We have no re-
quest from the Washington government