Template:776-777

-p776-

Vice-President Damon came a few days afterward and was examined. Earlier than this Mr. Bishop, connected with the press, was examined. There were several persons on the annexation side who were examined. I did not suppose that there was any withholding of it from the Government at all; I think they knew very well what I was doing.

The Chairman. Allow me to inquire whether Sereno Bishop is a relative of the wealthy man who has made so many endowments there?

Mr. Blount. I think not; I think Charles E. Bishop came from Boston— a young man.

The Chairman. And married a native?

Mr. Blount. A native princess. He is a very excellent gentleman. Sereno Bishop's father was a missionary. I think I have this from Mr. Bishop. He was born down at Lahaina, on the island of Maui, the old capital.

Senator Dolph. Who were the people representing the Queen's cause—her side of the controversy ?

Mr. Blount. Do you mean before me?

Senator Dolph. No; I do not mean to say there was any representation before you. I understand that was with closed doors; there was no one present but you and the stenographer. I mean persons who saw you in the islands.

The Chairman. The alleged leaders of the Queen's cause.

Senator Dolph. The alleged leaders of her government.

Mr. Blount. Do you mean leaders in the sense of counseling in this investigation?

Senator Dolph. That assumes that I am assuming that you allowed yourself to be counseled and directed by these people. I do not wish to convey any such impression. People called on you and talked with you, and I understood they called from early morning until late at night, and they talked about the matter of this revolution.

Mr. Blount. I think you are entirely courteous; but this matter goes down in print, and therefore, I ask that everything be made plain, and that my every answer may be correct. I am not in the condition that you gentlemen are. I understand that I am the subject of a great deal of criticism, which is legitimate, and I want to understand the questions I am answering.

The Chairman. You mean to say that the right to criticise you is a legitimate one?

Mr. Blount. Yes.

Senator Dolph. I do not mean to criticise you. I wish to know who were the people who appeared, who called to represent the Queen's interest. That is all.

The Chairman. Who were the reputed leaders of the royal party?

Senator Gray. Whom you met.

Mr. Blount. The matter of leadership there is a very uncertain thing. There are a good many factions amongst them, as you will see from the testimony. But I would say that amongst the more prominent persons in the islands you will find Mr. J. O. A. Carter, Mr. E. C. MacFarlane, Mr. Parker---

The Chairman. Sam Parker?

Mr. Blount. Sam Parker—a man by the name of Bush. He is another leader amongst them. They rather struck me with a little more positive force than some others.

Senator Dolph. At the time the revolution took place how many of the cabinet acted in their interest while you were there?

-p777-

Mr. Blount. I never saw any cabinet at all. I kept aloof from their politics. I stayed in that building away from the social life.

Senator Gray. Did you participate in the social life of the city?

Mr. Blount. Not at all, except I found myself bound to accept invitations from President Dole and other officials. And there was a Mr. Glade, a German, there, a member of the committee of safety, and the consul-general of Germany. I thought I could make a few calls of that sort—calling on the officials.

The Chairman. You say Mr. Glade was the consul-general of Germany, and still a member of the committee of safety?

Mr. Blount. He was a member of the committee of safety and a very active man in it.

Senator Dolph. Did you meet those who were members of the Queen's cabinet at the time the revolution took place?

Mr. Blount. Oh, yes.

Senator Dolph. Talk with them?

Mr. Blount. Oh, yes.

Senator Dolph. Did any of them defend the restoration of the Queen, defend her rights?

Mr. Blount. They were all for restoration, as I understood them?

Senator Dolph. All the members of the cabinet?

Mr. Blount. Yes. I think that will appear from the papers.

Senator Dolph. Were they examined before you?

Mr. Blount. I remember very distinctly Mr. Parker's examination. Whatever was done is in the record. As I say, I have not seen these papers in six months.

Senator Dolph. Did Mr. Nordhoff talk to you about this matter?

Mr. Blount. Mr. Nordhoff was like a good many other people; he would talk; but I did not confide in Mr. Nordhoff.

Senator Dolph. You listened to what he had to say ?

Mr. Blount. Oh, yes.

Senator Dolph. You did not disclose your instructions to him, but got what information you could from him?

Mr. Blount. I let him talk. He never stayed long; he would talk and go away.

Senator Dolph. Was anybody examined through Mr. Nordhoff?

Mr. Blount. No.

Senator Dolph. Any documents furnished you through him?

Mr. Blount. He brought me one day a letter from Dr. Trosseau, a physician there, the family physician of Mrs. Carter, an excellent lady (the wife of the ex-minister and sister of the chief justice and of Justice Bickerton, as I learned by accident). I think so; I have not had a chance to examine these papers. It seems to me that that paper this man sent to me—he wanted access to me, and he went to Nordhoff and Nordhoff wrote me a note inclosing these papers. They were in there. And it seems there was this communication from Nordhoff and a communication from this other man missing.

Senator Gray. There is a communication from a Frenchman who was the physician of this Queen as well as the other people.

Mr. Blount. There was a communication he sent. I did not like it. I never said a word to anybody about this paper from this physician, and I never sent for him. I made it a point not to get acquainted with him for some time after that occurred. For some time he used to come to the hotel, and for a long time I never met him. I did not care for anybody else to make suggestions. I said nothing to Mr. Nordhoff in any way about it; but I did not send for Dr. Trosseau. I did not like