The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1921-02-01
Reporter and Naval Officer Try
to Get Control of the
Administration.
ODD MIXUP IS CLEARED UP
Governor, in III Health and Under
Charges, Commits Suicide-Is Com
pIeteIy AbsoIved by Naval
Court of Inquiry.

beetle-lnSpectlng chief or ponce is out
of Jail, and the Judge, who has seven
other jobs, is again holding court, &C
Cording to advices from Tutuila. This
change back to normal followed ma
val inquiry which resulted in dissipat-
ing an attempt by a naval officer and
a former newspaper reporter to con-
troll the naval administration of the
American possession In the South
Seas.
In furtherance of this attempt, the
naval officer Greed III. Boucher, lieu
tenant commander, and the eX-repOrt-
err, Arthur A. Greene, enlisted the
support of Commander A. G.. Kali,
second in rank 10 Commander War
rem J. Terhune, governor of the
island. The three filed charges against
Terhune and his administration, and
finally Kali tried TO send q wireless
message to the navy department at
Washington, branding his superior as
insane.
Takes His Own Life.
With the message in front of him.
Terhune, suffering from ill health.
committed suicide. The pitiful part
of this tragedy developed when the
naval court Of inquiry. already en-
route to Tutuila from Hawaii, alb
solved Terhune's administration of all
charges, recommended the deportation
of Greene, the court martial of BOu-
cher and the removal of Kali from his
post.
Among the charges filed against
Terhune's administration was one
that officials were drawing illegal sal
aries. J. Hurkin Mailo, native chief
of police, and Judge A. N. Noble were
especial targets of Boucher, Greene
and Kali.
After Commander Terhune shot him
self Kali became acting governor, and
he Jailed Mailo on charges that the
chief of police had urged the natives
to oppose the activities of Greene and
Kali. Previously Boucher had alleged
that Irregularities of the Terhune ad-
ministration included paying MailO as
"beetle inspector" as well as head of
the police force, but that no beetles
were inspected.
Judge Noble, who, besides being dis
trict judge, was secretary to the COM
mandant, registrar of titles, secretary
of native affairs, judge of the probate
court, superintendent of education, as
SOciate member of the high court and
vice president of the American Bank
of Samoa, was charged by Boucher
and Greene with being instrumental
in alleged misuse Of funds and au-
thority. Kali closed Mobiles court
when the former became acting gov
ernOr.
Board Sits Eight Days.
The board of inquiry sat for eight
days. Testimony revealed that Bou-
cher for % of his s. days service
was under suspension on three
charges-carrying a pistol. attempting
q mutiny and falsehOod. Boucher's
examination revealed that lie posed as
a secret service man without author
ity: publicly criticized the secretary
Of the navy and the President; in
unfortunately communicated with AL
thorities in Washington in violation
of regulations, and committed man!
other breaches of naval regulations.
Upon examination he declined Il
answer many questions on the ground
that the answers would incriminatt
! himself. He acknowledged that al
charges he made were based upoI
hearSay and without investigation
| 1t was revealed that documents were
stolen from naval officers, but an at
! tempt to introduce these by Greene
who acted as BOucher's counsel, was
! overruled by the board.
| The testimony revealed also tha
! Greene and Boucher created unres
among the natives in an effort t.
! change the government and aSsum,
! control for themselves. Their activi
ties resulted in organizat ton Of native.
! into a committee" which forwarded
an appeal to President Wilson to re
| move Governor Terhune, and the ma
| tive unrest was manifested by severa
| fights with the American sailors.