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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