Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-04
PEACE AGAIN
REIGNS IN SAMOA

San Francisco, Jan. 3.-American
Samoa, far out in the South Pacific,
is settling down to equatorial peace
fulneSs, its bubble of committee"
government having burst after sew
mail advices received here from Tu-
tuila.
The I. S. S. Kansas. with Admiral
Charles +. Hughes. has left Tutuila
for Milo, Hawaii, carrying two naval
officers who were adjudged respon-
sible for instilling unrest among
Samoans and encouraging formation
OF an organization of native chiefs to
supplant the rule Of the late Governor
Warren j. Terhune.
Five months of turmoil ended on
November Goth. when Arthur A.
Greene. an American citizen. was
deported and left for Honolulu; Lieu
tenant Commander Greed II. Boucher
urt-martialed and placed under
arrest on the battleship Kansas:
Commander a. G. Kali. acting gov
ernor adjudged guilty of misdirected
zeal and taken aboard the battleship.
and Captain Waldo Evans. a new
governor, installed and started con-
ferences with the native leaders to
restore the old-time harmony.
The tragedy of the affair was the
suicide of Commander Warren ].
Terhune, governor. against whom the
conspiracy was directed and who
ended his life just before the start
NJ hn inn 1iy~1- ;,l,
Tribute to his administration Is paid
by the enlisted men of the naval
station who have presented a fund
to the widow to build a memorial for
their unjustly accused commander.
Testimony of the court of inquiry
received here reveals the strange
course of affairs in the mid-Pacific
group of islands. Lieutenant Com
mander Boucher reached American
Samoa, May 3rd. After eighty-five
days service, twenty-five of which
were spent in suspension for three
offenses, he was detached by Gov
ernor Terhune,- on approval from
Washington and proceeded to Mare
Island, California. Boucher filed
charges with the navy department
against Governor Terhune and Off
GERS, naval and civil, of the islands
admlnlstra ton, citing maladministra-
tion' Incompetence, misrepresentation
sof funds and abuse of the natives.
arthur "A. Greene arrived in Samoa
last April. Commander A. G. Kali
arrived there in September Both
were instrumental with Boucher in
pressing charges against Terbune.
Commander Kali, captain of the ward
under Terhune, sought to have the
medical officer of the station declare
the Governor insane. Kali ATTEMPTED
10 send wireless to the navy de-
partment that Governor Terhune was
insane, and a copy of this message
was found in the room in which the
commander ended his life.
Conditions in July revealed unrest
OF the natives, in frequent stone
hghts with the sailors. This unrest.
with the charges by Boucher. and the
counter charges by Terhune. resulted
in the sending of the battleship kan
sas TO Samoa with a board of inquiry
under Admiral Hughes and CAPTAIN
waldo Evans. the latter designated
as new governor.
Two days before the arrival ~ the
battleship, Nov. 3. Governor Terbune
Shot himself. Commander Kai, as
Stunning the position of acting gov
ernor started a sweeping change of
administration, suspendinp ~
courts, closing the medical inst;tr-
tions and suspending medical officers
rive days later the inquiry onened
II proved all statements and charees
by Boucher and Kali without FONDA
tlon. and indicated Boucher had
sought to become governor and name
Greene secretary for native affairs
Boucher from the midst of the in
curry was changed from the status
OF an interested party to defendant
and upon its close held for court.
martial on twenty-six charges nv
order of Secretary Daniels.
Governor Evans, at the close of tho
inquiry, called the discontented