THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect Am I." SATURDAY, MAY 4. 1889.
The news which arrived last .mail giving particular of tjio extraordinary conduct of German officials in Samoa lit obtaining the iiatucs of two of Mataafa's followers to u document written in German, ami which has now been found to be a statement signed by those two Sainoans declaring that Klein and Mataafa's people were the first to ootntUence the attack in the engagement with thy Germans in 'Docemlier last. This has caused great excitement in Samoa. The news did CiOt come from Admiral Kim- ; berly as previously reported, but •by other sources. The short report ; in last week's issue is substantially I correct. Suspicion has been enter* ! taincd for the last three mouths ' that some underhand work wfts ; going on in connection with the i report of the light with the Ger-
mans and Mataafa. From time to time our German friends were beard loudly declaiming that they had proof that Mataafa's soldiers were the aggressors, but we question very much it* many of (hem could 101 l what was the value of their infor-
mation. That was most probably ; ouly known tu the German Consul | ami one or two o!" his immediate friends, and it m very likely from hints from the latter our German friends took their cue and were so jubilant in prospective revenge, which the great German nation would have on Mali'afa and his"' followers as soon as the paekage containing the false proofs reached the great Bismarck. In a week or two afterwards positive statements by Germans here were made that 2000 men wore on their way to Samoa to take >t out of Mataafa for the loss of the Germans in the engagement Of course this was all bluster, but it was intended to answer the purpose of frhdjpe-uing Mataafa into : failed in this, the German Consul had recourse ,to another little move. He endeavored by the influence of SamoanS connected with German oflicials (principally females who were related to many of the chiefs | in Mataafa's camp) to use their in--1 fleuce with a few of Mataafa's followers to induce them to withdraw f from allegiance to the King, and it . was by this despicable conduct the two chief* were persuaded to sign a document which they now positively declare was as far aa they I were aware of a totally different j character. Mataafa, on receipt of
the news called liis chiefs together and showed them the communicatroii ho recoved, which contained the names 6f Sila ami Tmmalenliifano as the persons who gave sworn testimony that Klein and Mataaial soldiers weiv tin- lis -t to the on the German-'. The chiefs agreed with Mataafa that those two men should bo immediately aunt for. They arrived on Saturday morning, an J a court'of enquiry was immediately hold. Sila ami Tuitualealiifuno on hearing what they were charged with, immediately denied the.accusation and also stated that it was impossible for tin in to make any statement of the light with th<; Gmmiu*, for they weie Dl t wilhin two miles of .the scene of action. These two chiHs then detailed the manner in which they were apparently duped l»y the German Consul. It appears tho Gorman
Consul sold for th&ietwotaena short timo after tho fight in December last He told them lie had great love for the people of Fah-latai, to which district Siia and Tuiiualcaliifanu belonged, and be did not wish to injure the people of that village Oft account of the marriage connections with some German oftlciala ('TiiimalcaliifAuio is a Urother-in-law to a gentleman who holds a permanent Gerin&u Imperial Official position in Apia, and who has the hole control of the postal department). The Consul advised the men to give up their suns nnd go to their homes, and v> hen the '.2000 German soldiers arrived he would have notice* posted on trees near their house* whith would ensure their safety. Sila and Tuimalacliifano were terribly frightened by what Dr. Knappo told them, and they agreed to give up their arms as soon as the Garmnn soldiers arrived in the harbor. l?r. Knappe ! rinding he could do no Utter told
ihe two men ho was satisfied, lie then produced a document written in German, which of course the two Snmoans did not understand. They were let! to believe that both would keep their word when the licet arrived. They signed tho document by request of the Consul, and kepi the whole matter a secret, from Mataafa.Al! i-. now Count! out, that the document which tho two chiefs signed was a testimony that Klein an.! Malm fa's soldi' rx were ljr.it to open lire upon the Jernuuns in-"De-cember last. The chiefs were perfectly astounded when they were told v hat they nu I they liavo sworn IhaU-lh-.y d: i vM know anything of tin- t.••. Sieing there at the time, 'i'l.o w !;•..: j iliarcputable bnsiih-hs is tvdv before the i übiic. It wii' be ;■ .;• then to ooissider wha! v...t'*-- L.i purr ne. Wo willneftin refer t,> the matter.
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Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 29, 4 May 1889, Page 2
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850THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect Am I." SATURDAY, MAY 4. I889. Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 29, 4 May 1889, Page 2
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