The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1906-11-24


I: full onslaught and sacrificed his life
!: defending a wounded comrade /:
: Lieutenant Philip V. Lansdale,
{: United States navy.
'''.''''''' '.'''...'....''' '''''''.''......
The monument was unveiled b. Ag-
mes Monaghan, sister OF the hero as
sisting i'll the ceremony being Captain
Thomas S. Phelps and Lieutenant
James j. Raby, intimate friends of the
ensign. who came from San Francisco.
Cal, to represent the navy: Governor
Mead of Washington. Major E. H.
Plummer. in command of several COM
panies of the famous Fighting Third
infantry, U. S. A.. from Fort Wright;
Judge G. B. Dunning. department, COM
mander G. A. r.. Washington and Alas
ka Rt. Rev. Edward O'Dea, bishop of
Nisqually; Rev. Father Herman II Col
Ter, president of Gonzaga college; Sis
ter NJ. Alodia. superintendent of the
Holy Name academy, and Frank White,
trumpeter, who was on the boat when
Monaghan was slain.
Former United States Senator George
Turner of Spokane, chairman of the
committee. presented the monument to
the city of Spokane in a brief address.
which was responded to by Mayor Floyd
L. Daggett. the massed bands playing
"The Star Spangled Banner as the
flag fell from the bronze figure. Bishop
O'Dea made a short address, which
was followed by the eulogy of Ensign
Monaghan by Charles S. Voorhees,. son
of the late United States Senator Dan
iel Voorhees, of Indiana Governor
Mead paid tribute for the state of
Washington. and the women of Spo-
kane sang America" in which the
thousands assembled men and. children
joined. Brief addresses were also made
by President Collier Of Gcnzaga college,
in which Ensign Monaghan was a stu
dent prior to joining the navy; Judge
Dunning and Father Jacquet.
After the unveiling there was a pa
rade of the United States troops, G.. A.
r. and Spanish War Veterans, civic
and military societies, cadets, school
children and scores in carriages, which
was reviewed by Governor Mead and
Mayor Daggett. H. L. Lilienthal was
grand marshal The streets were
thronged, Mayor Daggett having de-
clared a half-holiday for the unwilling
of the monument.
The figure was designed by Sigvald
Asbjornson of Chicago, where the cast
ing was made.
The action in which Ensign Mona
CHAN was killed occurred AprN /. 1899.
A small band of American and British
marines and blue jackets were sent out
a few miles from Apia, Samoa, on a
accommodating expedition. There were
fifteen men in the command. They were
led by Lieutenant Freeman of the Brit
ish cruiser Tauranga. The sailors were
from that ship, the British ship Por-
poise and the United States cruiser Plu-
ia. AS the command was crossing a
MI
by 100 natives OF the rebel king. Ma
taafa's. forces. When the attack was
made by the natives a firm stand was
taken by the American and British
sailors, notwithstanding the over
whelming numbers opposing them
Lieutenant Lansdale was operating the
Colts machine gun which the party had
brought with them, when the weapon
became damned. Although encountered
with heavy fire, the lieutenant stood
by the gun and endeavored to put it
into order
While he was laboring he was struck
by a shot that shattered his leg En-
sign Monaghan and d sailor named
Hunt, from the Porpoise, went to his
assistance. Ensign Monaghan was
killed. Hunt had a marvellous escape
after he had been stunned by war
club, and one of his ears had been cut
off. While the natives were engaged in
their brutal attacks on the wounded
and dying soldiers, a shell burst from
the British ship Royalist, near the ma
who, terrified, ran away. 1t
was necessary to sound the signal for
retreat three times before it was obeyed
by the intrepid British and Americans.
Later scouting party went out and
brought in the fallen. 1t was found |
that the dead. including the officers,
had been decapitated. The heads were
not to be found The bodies were in
tered at Mulinuu on Easter Sunday. |
Next day some French priests from &
mission came in, bearing the heads of
The dead heroes. The graves were then
opened and the heads inferred with the
bodies.
1,ood1a't oil a .icae.