Jere Krischel at 05:30, 23 December 2005

2005-12-23T05:30:44Z

Jere Krischel at 04:54, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T04:54:44Z

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898 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
The CHAIRMAN. Was there telephonic communication between the
ship and the shore?
Mr. STEVENS. Between the ship and shore. All our naval vessels,
so soon as they get in the harbor, make telephonic connection.
The CHAIEMAN. You say Mr. Severance sent a note to Capt.
Wiltse?
Mr. STEVENS. Sent a note.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you see it?
Mr. STEVENS. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. What was in it?
Mr. STEVENS. It was a brief note. I think I have it. Moreover, he
telephoned at the time that I was on board.
The CHAIRMAN. Where is that note?
Mr. STEVENS. That is it [producing paper].
The CnAiRMAN. Is this the original note, or a copy of it?
Mr. STEVENS. That is the original.
The CHAIRMAN. I will read this. It is headed personal:
"HONOLULU, January - , 1893.
" MY DEAR CAPTAIN : In case of any outbreak or collision with the
committee of safety at the mass meeting to-day and the Government
forces with a view of suppressing said meeting, it might be necessary
to land a force to preserve order or protect our property. In such
case, should the telephone wires be cut, I can send you a signal by
lowering my flag at half mast, and you will, of course, be governed by
instructions from Minister Stevens. It is reported this a. m. that the
mass meeting of the citizens will be interfered with or broken up by
the Queen's forces. A mass meeting is reported to be held at the
same hours.
" Very truly,
"H. W. SEVERANCE,
" Capt. WILTSE, « Consul-General.
" Captain of the United States Ship Boston."
Before you left to go on board the ship did you have any conference
with Mr. Severance?
Mr. STEVENS. I did not.
The CHAIRMAN. Was there any?
Mr. STEVENS. I did not know that that note was written until I got
on board, or thought that a note was written.
The CHAIRMAN. Was it by virtue of that note that you and Capt.
Wiltse agreed that troops should be left there at the consulate?
Mr. STEVENS. I think I could have recommended, even if the consul's
note had not been sent, because that is the usual way when there
is trouble in a country, that the legislation and consulates are provided
for. I made the same rule there.
The CHAIRMAN. When these troops were so disposed as to place a
detachment at the consulate and another at the legation, was it the
honest and bona fide intention of yourself, and, so far as you know, of
Capt. Wiltse, to give protection to those American establishments, or
was it the intention and purpose to make a display of the American
forces at these respective points under the assurance of the American
flag, or was it because of the movement of a popular character which
you knew to be on foot for the purpose of overthrowing the Queen and
the establishment of a new government?
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 899
Mr. STEVENS. It had sole relation to the protection of American
life and property and, if you wish to covrt* it by Mr. Bayard's order, for
the preservation of public order, I did not feel like going so far as
that.
The CHAIRMAN. At the time you made this request upon Capt.
Wiltse, and at the time you made this disposition of the troops, did
you know of the existence of a purpose on the part of any of the citizens
of Hawaii to organize an opposition to the Queen's Government,
with a view to overthrowing or subverting it in any respect?
Mr. STEVENS. All day Sunday and Monday when the meeting was
held, everything was open and public, just as in a railroad meeting in
any city—everybody knew it; reasons to believe there was no effective
opposition. I believed the movements of the opponents of the monarchy
were irresistible, and everybody understood what was going on.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you know of the actual organisation on Monday
evening?
Mr, STEVENS. I did not, only by such information as I could get. I
put myself in contact with the Queen's representatives; they had
access to the legation, and I would inquire very cautiously about this
and that and a great many things. Many of the friends of the Provisional
Government I knew, and a great many I did not.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you know of a programme, or whatever it was,
before you went on board the ship, for the establishment of the new
Government?
Mr. STEVENS. I could not help but know it; it was all the talk Sunday
and Monday. I knew it by the general appearance of things and
the talk; the leaders did not communicate their plans to me.
The CHAIRMAN. AS I understand, the public meeting had not been
held at that time ?
Mr. STEVENS. It had been arranged for.
The CHAIRMAN. How did you know that?
Mr. STEVENS. By constant reports to the legation, both from royalists
and others.
The CHAIRMAN. It was information that you had?
Mr. STEVENS. I did not go to church that day; I think I remained
home all day.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you derive that information, before you went
on board that ship, from a report or statement made to you by any
member of a body that had organized or had agreed they would organize
a Provisional Government?
Mr. STEVENS. NO ; I think the representative men who were in it
refrained from communicatingtheir details.
The CHAIRMAN. Did they communicate it to you?
Mr. STEVENS. I think not.
Senator GRAY. Or did you have any conversation with any of them?
Mr. STEVENS. I think I did not. I may have asked what they were
doing, and they may have said they would have a Provisional Government.
I should say that is probable. I could not learn what was
going on; I would have to catechise somebody, and they would answer
me.
The CHAIRMAN. But you knew at the time you went on board the
ship that the state of public feeling there would culminate in an effort
to overthrow the Queen's Government and establish a government in
place of it?
Mr. STEVENS. I understood that the Queen's government was at an
end. The Queen's government ended on Saturday afternoon. There

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Jere Krischel at 05:30, 23 December 2005

Jere Krischel at 04:54, 12 December 2005