Jere Krischel at 07:59, 23 December 2005

2005-12-23T07:59:00Z

Jere Krischel at 04:58, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T04:58:04Z

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934 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
Mr. STEVENS. The committee called and presented their document,
which I have made of record among the documents.
Senator GRAY. When did they call!
Mr. STEVENS. I think they called right after the close of their massmeeting.
Senator GEAY. That was on Monday?
Mr. STEVENS. Monday.
Senator GRAY. Did you see any of them on Saturday or Monday?
Mr. STEVENS. I do not remember that I did. If I did, I saw them as
individuals.
Senator GEAY. I mean as individuals?
Mr. STEVENS. I may have seen one or more of them; I can not say
that I did. If I saw them, I saw them just as I did the other side.
They had every access, both sides, to the legation; but the leaders of
the Provisional Government were men of brains, and they did not embarrass
me by coming there and letting me know their plans. And that
is what I said of Mr. Dole, who is alleged to have conspired with me.
He nor his wife never hinted to me his intention, and it was so of all
the others.
Senator GEAY. Did Mr. Thurston call upon you during any of those
four days?
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. Thurston, I think, called upon me once. Mr.
Thurston was taken sick, if I remember aright, on Monday, after the
mass meeting. I think he was sick and did not go out. I did not see
him again until he left on the Claudine for Washington. I saw him
for a few moments only before he went on board the Claudine,
Senator GEAY. Did you see Mr. Cooper during these days?
Mr. STEVENS. Not at the legation.
Senator GEAY. Or anywhere else?
Mr. STEVENS. Nor anywhere else.
Senator GEAY. Did you see Mr. Cooper on board the Bostonl
Mr. STEVENS. No.
Senator GEAY. Did you see Mr. Castle on board the Boston^
Mr. STEVENS. I did not. Mr. William R. Castle was a member of
the committee of safety, and he called when they presented their request.
Senator GRAY. Did you see Mr. W. O. Smith ?
Mr. STEVENS. That is when they called and presented the request
of the committee of safety. I think only the subcommittee of three
called. Of course, there were so many who called during the three or
four exciting days that I can not remember in each case who did call; I
have to go on memory.
Senator GRAY. Did you state to Mr. Thurston when he called, that
the troops would have to be landed from the Bostonf
Mr. STEVENS. Not at all. My answer was the same—when the
troops landed it would be for the purpose of protecting life and property.
Senator GRAY. YOU say you made no statement to Mr. Thurston
about landing troops ?
Mr. STEVENS. I do not remember any. I may have stated, as I did
to other gentlemen—that the troops might be landed. I used great
caution in my language; and j-ou may be quite sure of this, that I was
quite as courteous to the royalist einmissaries as I was to the others.
There was reason: Mr. Thurston and Mr. Dole and others were men
of too much sense to embarrass me with improper questions.
Senator GEAY. Did Mr. Thurston state to you on that occasion that
they had a proposition for establishing a provisional government?
w
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 935
Mr. STEVENS. NO; it would have been absurd for him to have so
stated. It was generally talked that the opponents of the Queen
would form a new government.
Senator GRAY. That they were going to establish a provisional
government?
Mr. STEVENS. Yes. When the Queen failed on Saturday, at the
churches and everywhere else they were talking over the situation,
and what they would do. They called a mass meeting for Monday,
and appointed a committee of safety and proposed to establish some
form of government, and that was notorious, and they would not have
to give me any special information.
Senator GRAY. Whom did you get your information from; you say it
was notorious?
Mr. STEVENS. Such parties as would call there at the legation.
Men and ladies called there from both sides.
Senator GRAY. Did you state to Mr. Thurston on the occasion when
you state he may have called—I think you said he did call?
Mr. STEVENS. I think he called on Sunday. If he did he remained
but a few minutes.
Senator GRAY. Did you say to him when the Government was established
and actually in the possession of the archives and buildings
that you would recognize it?
Mr. STEVENS. It was not necessary. He and those acting with him
knew i>erfectly well that the de facto government would have to be
recognized, and Judge Doleand Mr. Thurston understand international
law and usage as well as any of us. Judge Dole was too intelligent to
ask me what I would do in the contingency named.
Senator GRAY. When did the communication come to you at the
legation, asking you to land the troops?
Mr. STEVENS. That came to me on Monday just after the mass meeting.
Senator GRAY. Who brought it?
Mr. STEVENS. It was this committee of safety; I presume it was
only a rjart of them; I think there were three.
Senator GRAY. The committee of safety was composed of 13 members?
Mr. STEVENS. I think there was a subcommittee of three. Mr. Castle
was one, Mr. Smith another; the third I can not recall.
Senator GRAY. That was before you went on board the Boston?
Mr. STEVENS. Yes. I could not state the precise hour—whether
it was 3, or half-past 3, or 4.
Senator GRAY. And immediately after you went on board the Boston
and requested the landing of the troops?
Mr. STEVENS. Very soon. And my note was drawn up before the
committee called, and if it had not called I would have made the
request.
Senator GRAY. And you saw Capt. Wiltse that day?
Mr. STEVENS. Capt. Wiltse called at the legation probably nearly
every day after we got back from Hilo.
Senator GRAY. I understood you to say that you went on board the
Boston some time about 4 o'clock, you could not be precise as to the
time, but it was after you received this communication from the subcommittee
of safety. Now, I understood you to say, that prior to your
going on Capt. W ilbtosea?r d the Boston that day you had a full conference with

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Jere Krischel at 07:59, 23 December 2005

Jere Krischel at 04:58, 12 December 2005