Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-06
PLOT TOCONTROL
ISLAND OF SAMOA
ESNOT SUCCEED

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. Amer,
lean Samoa's beetle-inspecting chief
of police is out of jail and the judge
who has seven other jobs is again
holding court, according to advlces
from Tutuila. This change back to
which resulted in dissipating an
attempt by a naval officer and
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 H. Boucher, lieu
tenant commander, and the eX-re-
porter, Arthur A. Greene, enlisted the
support of Commander A. G. Kali,
second in rank to Commander War
rem J. Terhune, governor of the is
land. The three filed charges
against Terhune and his administra-
tion and finally Kali tried to send
wireless message to the navy de-
partment at Washington branding
his superior as insane.
With the message in front of him
Terhune, suffering from i'll health,
committed suicide. The pitiful part
of this tragedy developed when the
route to Tutuila from Hawaii, alb
solved Terhune's administration of
all charges, recommended the de-
portation of Greene, the court mar.
tai or BOucnor anu the removal OIL
Kali from his post.
Among the charges filed against
Terhune's administration was one
that officials were drawing illegal
extra salaries. j. Hurkin Mailo,
native chief of police and Judge A:
NJ. Noble were especial targets of
Boucher, Greene and Kali.
After Commander Terhune shot
himself 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 Bouch-
er had alleged that irregularities OF
the Terhune administration includ-
ed paying Mailo as beetle inspect
orr as we'll as head of the police
force, but that no beetles were In
Judge Noble, who, besides being
district judge was secretary to the
commandant, registrar Of titles, sec
| rotary of native affairs, judge of the
probate court, superintendent or
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 authority. Kali
closed Mobiles court when the for
Other charges before the naval in
quiry included the following:
That Terhune administration was
a close corporation and that many
Of its acts were Illegal.
That the governor was physically
unable to perform his duties.
That civil and naval officials of
the administration were inefficient
and that some were immoral.
That there were gross irregulari-
ties in handling funds.
That the administration made
American Samoa the laughing stock
of the South Seas and of the Unit
ed States navy.
days. Testimony revealed that
eighty-five days service. was under
suspension on three charges-carry-
ing a pistol. attempting a mutiny
and acknowledgements examina-
zion revealed that he posed as a Sc
cret service man without authority:
publicly criticised secretory of the
navy and the presidents; insubordi-
nately communicated with authori-
regulations; and committed many
other breaches of naval regulations.
Upon examination he declined to
answer many questions on the
ground that the answers would in
criminate himself. He acknowledged
that all charges he made were based
upon hearsay and without investiga-
ton. 1t was revealed that documents
were stolen from naval officers but
an attempt to introduce these by
Greene, who acted as Boucher's
counsel was overruled by the board
The testimony revealed also tina:
Greene and Boucher created unrest
among the natives in an effort to
change the government and assume
control for themselves. Their &C
tivities resulted in organization of
natives into a COMMITTEE" which
forwarded an appeal to President
Wilson to remove Governor Terhune,
and the native unrest was manifest
ed by several fights with the Amer
lean sailors