Wilcox Rebellion 1889 and Dueling Palace Coup Plots
The Wilcox rebellion of 1889 resulted in 7 men killed, many injured, and the roof of Iolani Palace blown open by dynamite bombs. U.S. marines came ashore to restore order and continued patrolling the streets of Honolulu for a week before returning to their ship. During later remodeling the 8-foot-high walls around the Palace were reduced to their present height to allow events on each side of the wall to be observed by people on the other side.
Behind the scenes Liliuokalani was plotting a coup against Kalakaua, and Kalakaua was plotting a coup against the constitution of 1887.
Crown Princess Liliuokalani held secret meetings in one of her houses to oust her brother King Kalakaua so that she could become Queen. Meanwhile Kalakaua was plotting a coup to abrogate the Constitution of 1887 which had reduced him to a powerless figurehead, and proclaim the previous Constitution of 1864 (which itself had been a coup by Lot Kamehameha V against the earlier Constitution of 1852). Court testimony later indicated that Kalakaua had manipulated Liliuokalani's coup plot against him so that he would come out the winner whichever way it turned out. Indeed, evidence indicates that Kalakaua instigated or encouraged both Liliuokalani's coup plot and the Wilcox rebellion in order to strengthen his own power.
Some details of both coup plots, and details about the activities of Wilcox, obtained from court testimony and other sources, were included in the Morgan Report testimony of W.D. Alexander on pages 643-646. That material has been assembled here:
The story begins near the bottom of page 643, where the Chairman of the committee, Senator Morgan, is reading from an essay written by W.D. Alexander
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The CHAIRMAN. "Two Hawaiian youths, R. W. Wilcox and Robert Boyd, whom Moreno had placed in military schools of Italy, as before stated, had been recalled towards the end of 1887. They had been led to expect high positions from the Gibson government, and their disappointment was extreme. Hence they were easily induced to lead a conspiracy which had for its object the abrogation of the constitution of 1887, and the restortation of the old regime. They endeavored to form a secret league, and held public meetings to inflame the native mind, but without much success. It is said that the royal guards were won over, and that the three chief conspirators, R. W. "Wilcox. C. B. Wilson, and Sam Nowlien, demanded the King's abdication in favor of Liliuokalani. Several members of their league, however, turned informers,
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and a mass of sworn evidence was collected, but never used against them. The leader, Robert Wilcox, was allowed to go to California, where he remained about a year, biding his time."
Mr. ALEXANDER. The story was that those conspirators cornered the King in a room in the tower of the palace and tried to compel him to abdicate then and there, and Thurston, who was at the head of the Cabinet, stopped it.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you speak of stories, or do you speak of the current belief?
Mr. ALEXANDER. In regard to that Mr. Thurston gave me more especial evidence. He had the conspirators examined one by one, took down their statements, and he has them locked up.
The CHAIRMAN. In what capacity was he acting at the time?
Mr. ALEXANDER. He was minister of the interior, and virtually premier; leading member of the Cabinet.
The CHAIRMAN. Of Kalakaua's Cabinet?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. What year was that?
Mr. ALEXANDER. I think about the beginning of 1888.
The CHAIRMAN. Then you take up the insurrection of 1889?
"Meanwhile a secret organization was being formed throughout the islands, and when some progress has been made, Mr. Wilcox returned to Honolulu in April, 1889, formed a rifle club, and began to prepare for another revolution."
Mr. ALEXANDER. The object was to make him abdicate in favor of the Princess Liliuokalani.
The CHAIRMAN. "The meetings of the league were held in a house belonging to the Princess Liliuokalani.
"At the subsequent trial it was proved by the defense, that the King had latterly come to an understanding with the conspirators, whose object was to restore his autocratic power."
Where was the trial held?
Mr. ALEXANDER. In her room.
The CHAIRMAN. Was it a judicial investigation?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. In what court?
Mr. ALEXANDER. The supreme court. I think I speak of that afterward.
The CHAIRMAN. "Before light, on the morning of July 30, 1889, Robert Wilcox with about one hundred and fifty armed followers, occupied the Government buildings and the palace yard. No declaration of any kind was made, as they expected the King, who was at the seaside, to come up and proclaim the old constitution of 1864."
Senator GRAY. Is that the same Wilcox who was in the cabinet?
Mr. ALEXANDER. No; that was a white man; this was a half white, who was sent to Europe to be educated—sent to school. He went to Italy and became a second lieutenant in the artillery.
The CHAIRMAN. What relation is he to the Wilcox who was in the cabinet?
Mr. ALEXANDER. No relation. His father was a white man and his mother was a native.
The CHAIRMAN. "The household troops in the barracks remained neutral, and the palace was held against the insurgents by Robert Parker, with 30 men, by the King's orders."
Is that the same Parker who was in the cabinet?
Mr. ALEXANDER. A brother of his.
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The CHAIRMAN. "The King, who distrusted the conspirators, had retired to his boathouse in the harbor to await results."
The harbor of Honolulu?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Honolulu.
The CHAIRMAN. "The volunteer riflemen promptly turned out, and many of the citizens took up arms for the Government."
I will ask you whether amongst those citizens there was the missionary party?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Some of them.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you go into the company?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Two of my sons were members of the rifle company. I went down to the station house and offered my services.
The CHAIRMAN. That was in support of the Kalakaua Government?
Mr. ALEXANDER. It was Kalakaua's Government putting down the rebellion against him, although it was believed the King connived at it. You see the conspiracy was planned in Liliuokalani's house, one of her houses, and before daylight in the morning they started from her house. Nobody has any doubt that she was at the bottom of it.
The CHAIRMAN. And her purpose was to dethrone Kalakaua?
Mr. ALEXANDER. It was thought later that they came to an understanding; they were not strong enough to carry that out.
Senator GRAY. What year was that?
Mr. ALEXANDER. July 30,1889. Kalakaua acted in such a way that, whichever way the affair went, whether success or failure, he would be safe. If they had succeeded he would have gone up and proclaimed the old constitution; as they failed, he denied that he was connected with the movement.
The CHAIRMAN. "At the request of the United States minister, Mr. Merrill, a body of marines was landed, and marched up to the legation, where they remained during the day."
Mr. ALEXANDER. The legation was on the hotel premises, quite near to the palace.
The CHAIRMAN. "This had a great moral effect. The insurgents were surrounded and isolated from the populace outside."
Where were the insurgents assembled?
Mr. ALEXANDER. In the palace yard. The rifles formed a cordon.
The CHAIRMAN. Full-armed?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes; they established patrols before daylight.
The CHAIRMAN. The military of the two parties were in hostile array?
Mr. ALEXANDER. The insurgents went to the barracks, got cannon and ammunition, and the troops in the barracks were ordered by the Queen to remain neutral. But they allowed the insurgents to go there and help themselves to ammunition and cannon. There was a duel took place between our artillerymen and the cavalry.
The CHAIRMAN. "The ministry drew up a written summons to them to surrender, which was served on them by Hon. S. M. Damon, but they refused to receive it, and immediately afterwards the conflict commenced between their three fieldpieces and the sharpshooters in the Opera House and other buildings commanding the palace yard. The result was that their guns were soon silenced and they were driven into a wooden building on the palace grounds, where they were besieged during the afternoon. Towards night a heavy rifle fire was opened upon them and the roof of the building burst in by dynamite bombs, which forced them to surrender."
Mr. ALEXANDER. About the dynamite. The palace was surrounded by a stone wall 8 feet high, and the dynamite bombs were thrown from
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behind that wall by a base-ball pitcher and between 200 and 300 feet. They fell on the roof of the building and burst it in. It was covered with corrugated iron. They did not stay there very long.
The CHAIRMAN. That was what building?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Iolani Palace.
The CHAIRMAN. "Unfortunately this was by no means a bloodless affair, as seven of Wilcox' deluded followers were killed and about a dozen wounded. It was afterwards known that 10,000 rounds of ammunitions were loaned from the U. S. S. Adams to the Government forces."
What do you call the Government forces, the rifles?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. And the attacking party?
Mr. ALEXANDER. And the attacking party.
The CHAIRMAN. "Wilcox was afterward put on trial for treason, and was acquitted by a native jury, on the theory that what they did was by and with the King's consent."
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. What was the result?
Mr. ALEXANDER. There were three for conviction and nine for acquital.
Senator FRYE. Is that regarded as a disagreement of the jury?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes. Three-fourths of a jury may convict. The jury system is peculiar there. Foreigners are tried by a jury made up of foreigners, and natives and half-whites are tried by a native jury.
The CHAIRMAN. A native jury may be composed of Kanakas or half-whites?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes. In late years race prejudices have influenced the juries to a great extent.
The CHAIRMAN. But the rule is that three-fourths of a jury may convict?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. I read: "He became a popular idol, and had unbounded influence over the Honolulu natives for a time. The Princess, Liliuokalani, however deserted him and denied all knowledge of the conspiracy. This unfortunate affair was made the most of by demagogues to intensify race hatred. The license of the native press was almost incredible."
I will ask you whether the press is free in Hawaii?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes; free.
The CHAIRMAN. Amenable only for libelous publications?
Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes.