Jere Krischel at 06:02, 23 December 2005

2005-12-23T06:02:49Z

Jere Krischel at 04:55, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T04:55:01Z

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902 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
Mr. STEVENS. I think they had one on the palace grounds the same
afternoon.
The CHAIRMAN. YOU do not know?
Mr. STEVENS. I think so; I cannot swear to it. I know they had
one there the same afternoon, or preceding afternoon, and my impression
is, the same afternoon.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you know that before you went on board the
ship ?
Mr. STEVENS. I think so, because there were handbills posted in the
street, handbills on both sides nearly all through the city, as well as I
remember.
Senator FRYE. Mr Chairman, if you can hold in your mind just
where you want to start, I would like to ask a few questions at this
point.
The CHAIRMAN. Yes.
Senator FRYE. Mr. Stevens stated that he requested certain of the
troops to be sent to the consulate, and certain of them to be sent to
the legation; but he did not give any account of the disposition of the
balance of the troops. Now, Mr. Stevens, answer my questions, and
answer them only. You say you thought when the troops came ashore
they would bring their tents with them!
Mr. STEVENS. When I made my request?
Senator FRYE. Yes.
Mr. STEVENS. I stated that.
Senator FRYE. When the troops came to the shore, you found they
had no tents ?
Mr. STEVENS. And they had to have a hall.
Senator FRYE. Up to that time did you ever know that there was
such a hall in Honolulu as Arion Hall?
Mr. STEVENS. Never, until the time the Opera House was refused.
Senator FRYE. Did you call upon them for a place to have the troops ?
Mr. STEVENS. The officers said they would have to have a place to
stay during the night.
Senator FRYE. Did you send a man for a place!
Mr. STEVENS. Yes.
Senator FRYE. What did you send him after?
Mr. STEVENS. The Opera House.
Senator FRYE. IS the Opera House a place that was before occupied
by United States troops ?
Mr. STEVENS. I could not say as to that.
Senator FRYE. Do you know it by report?
Mr. STEVENS. I think it had been occupied before by a military force.
Senator FRYE. Why did you send for the Opera House.
Mr. STEVENS. Because I knew of that hall, and I knew of its
capacity.
Senator FRYE. And the only one that you knew of in the city as
suitable for the purpose you wished to use it for?
Mr. STEVENS. Yes.
Senator FRYE. Your man returned ?
Mr. STEVENS. He had to go 3 miles to find the man in charge, and
returned with a negative—that the owner of the hall was not on the
island and he would not like to have the hall used for that purpose.
I found out that he was an Englishman and against the Americans.
Senator FRYE. Then you heard of Arion Hall?
Mr. STEVENS. I sent the same messenger, the same man.
Senator FRYE. How far did you send him?
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 903
Mr. STEVENS. About a mile, to a man known to be a royalist—Kalakaua'sminister.
Mr. Walker had been a minister, and hadbeen all through
these troubles. He said lie would be very glad to let us have the hall.
He gave me the name of the manager. I sent a third man to the one
who had the management of the hall, and he granted the right to use
it. It was then well on to 10 o'clock. Consequently the men had to
stay in the street that night to that hour.
Senator FRYE. At Mr. Atherton's house?
Mr. STEVENS. Yes; he had extensive grounds
Senator FRYE. In selecting Arion Hall for the use of those troops,
did you have any reference whatever to their location as regards the
Provisional Government or the Queen's Government?
Mr. STEVENS. Not the slightest; it never entered into my head.
Senator FRYE. Had anyone made any suggestion to you on behalf
of the Queen or the Provisional Government that Arion Hall should be
selected on account of its location near the Government building?
Mr. STEVENS. Never.
Senator FRYE. When you selected Arion Hall for the troops did you
have any reference whatever to its being near the palace and the Government
building?
Mr. STEVENS. Not the slightest.
Senator FRYE. Did you have any reference whatever in your selection
to the location of the troops being effective to prevent the Queen's
troops attacking the Provisional Government's troops?
Mr. STEVENS. Not the slightest.
Senator FRYE. AS a matter of fact, is Arion Hall, so far as American
property is concerned—and I mean by that, of course, residences as
well as anything else—a reasonably central location?
Mr. STEVENS. A reasonably central location.
Senator FRYE. DO you know of any place large enough, other than
that, for quartering those troops in the city of Honolulu?
Mr. STEVENS. Not obtainable. I had thought of another on my own
street. If Arion Hall had not been gotten we would have tried another
hall, which was nearer me, but the owner was not there.
Senator FRYE. The only purpose you had was to place the troops
where they could be protected during the night?
Mr. STEVENS. Yes; and where they would be useful in case of fire.
Senator GRAY. YOU said that this was arranged on the Boston in a
conference with Captain Wiltse. What was to be the route the troops
were to take?
Mr. STEVENS. No; I do not remember any arrangement as to the
route; the arrangement was as to where they were to land.
Senator GRAY. And where they were to go?
Mr. STEVENS. NO ; we had not found this hall.
Senator GRAY. HOW was it they came to go to Mr. Atherton's?
M. STEVENS. Simply because he had extensive grounds, and he
was an American.
Senator GRAY. That was a matter of arrangement before you left
the ship?
Mr. STEVENS. I could not say that; I presume so. It -was arranged
where they would land, because they were going up the principal
streets.
Senator GRAY. You knew they were going to Mr. Atherton's?
Mr. STEVENS. I can not say positively.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you know that before you left the ship?
Mr. STEVENS. I can not say positively, for I do not remember it.

Template:902-903 - Revision history

Jere Krischel at 06:02, 23 December 2005

Jere Krischel at 04:55, 12 December 2005