The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-07
BACK TO NORMAL IN
SAMOA; INSPECTOR
OF BEETLES ON JOB
(By Associated Press)

{By ASSOCIATED PreSS)
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 advices
from Tutuila. This change back to
normal followed a naval inquiry which
resulted in dissipating an attempt by
a naval officer and former newspa-
per reporter to control the naval ad-
ministration of the American posses
sion in the south seas.
In furtherance of this attempt the
naval officer, Creed HI. Boucher, lieu
tenant commander and the ex-report-
er, Arthur A. Greene, enlisted the sup
port of Commander A. C. Kali, second
in rank to Commander Warren J. Ter
hume, governor of the island. The
three piled charges against Terhu1e
and his administration and finally Kali
tried to send a wireless message to
the navy department at Washington
branding his superior. as insane.
Reads Like Novel.
With the message in front of him
Terhune, suffering from i'll health,
committed suicide. The pitiful part
of this tragedy developed when the
naval court of inquiry, already. en-
route to Tutuila from Hawaii, absolv-
ed Terhune's administration of all
charges, recommended the deportation
of Greene. the court martial Of Bouch-
CT and the removal OF Kali from his
post. -...
Among the charges filed against
Terhune's administration was one that
officials were drawing illegal extra sal
aries J. Hurkin Mailo, native chief Of
police. and Judge A. M. Noble were
IL of
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 we'll as head of
tho police force, but that no beetles
were inspected.
cfar1e Misuse of Funds.
INDIE Noble, who besides being dis
t'i~t i"dgn w@s secretary to the COM
-~"-do-t ro o~is' ro~ Cf titles secretary
cr r"t;vo off"i~e it-Gpe OF the probate
~---~. r,,~o"i-t ondont Of education, as
~~-'n+a r>e7>,fe~ IF the high court and
,-'~o oraSidont CT the American bank
cf "~rroa, was charged bv Boucher
c>>h C~aen with heinr instrumental in
~"o~ed mieusn Of funds and authority.
T-~l closed Mobiles court when the
f~"-'er became acting governor.
'"he board of inquiry sat for eight
d"v~. Testimony revealed that Bouch-
ar for 25 of his S5 davs' sevice, was
roder suspension on three charges
carving a pistol attempting a mutiny
end falseh ood-Boucher's examination
revealed that he posed as a secret
rorvice man without authority: pub
l'nlv criticised the secretary of the
navv anad the president; insubordi-
rota1v communicated with authorities
At WASHINGTON in violation of regula-
tons: and committed many other
braa ches of naval regulations.
Upon examination he declined to
answer many questions on the ground
tat the answers would incriminate
r'r1self He acknowledged that all
charges he made were based upon
raarsav and without Investigation, 1t
v-ns revealed that documents were
rtolen from naval officers but an at
tempt to introduce these by Greene,
who acted as Bouchers counsel was
overruled by the board.
The testimony revealed also that
Greene and Boucher created unrest
among the natives in an effort to
change the government and assume
control for themselves. Their activi-
ties resulted in organization of natives
into COMMITTEE" which forwarded
an appeal to President Wilson to re-
move Governor Terhune. and the ma
tive unrest was manifested by several
fights with the American sailors.