MILITARY BANDITS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14252, 27 March 1914, Page 8

MILITARY BANDITS.

IN GERMAN SAMOA. THREE SHOT-ONE HANGED. APIA, February 28. .Some rather exciting events have lately transpired in German Samoa. On February C lour native soldiers, without orders, raided a coolie house, where they discovered several Chinese gambling. .They fired off their revolvers to scare the coolies, and thou appropriated all the money iu sight. Next day the coolies complained to ,Mr ; Schaffhausen, who acts as coolie commissioner. This gentle■mair inquired into the case, but did not take the precaution to arrest and, confine these Learning from several sources that such conduct on the part of enlisted; soldiers was severely punishable, tlie young fellows decided to resist arrest. Being at liberty, and soldiers still ol apparently good .standing, they were .able-to get-possession-of sevqrgl guns and revolvers and a large supply of ammunition,- (In the night of the Bth they deserted and started on their travels to Westward. As- they were seen several times on the road; and the direction they had taken was well known, parties in pursuit were soon started on their trail.

All roads were guarded, and detached squads pat’-olled in many directions. A motor car was .sent through to the,west, warning the > people in- that neighbourhood (and ensuring a stoppage-of all escape hi that direction. On-the morning •Oh the 9th the lour runaways suddenly

apiKrared on- the plantation ofUMr Trcviauiius; whom'- they found at-his-house with his overseer,; Mr Schlitt.v ‘Without provocation, and -with- scarcely u ■ word,- theseugentlenreu a wereviatally shot; -Mr -SehHttJ, -dying- dns-tautly, aud M r‘Trcviannus a few dtours- later.

-The new-S of these murders spoil reach,e<l- the town,' and-Governor Sehnltze did not heqitate to serve out-gunSnaud nmiminition to careful and-trustworthy natives, and am armed; party,(if foreign residents was-also quickly; formed and set in .motion. As-all.-the nuiaways wore; extremely young follows (none yift them ■past his' tWentyTirst yean), and all of them- were related to' natives'. Jiving at •Malie,.-{ it .was, .rightly -conjeetdred that they would endeavour tq-Tlide Tn the neighbourhood- of .tiiis -tmvivj'.wliiclx is hut -six nrihsTrom Auiavt-T'h;e- pplioei, under t)fficsr« ■ Busch,, brought news-• that jtitcy.runaways ; had been -seen in , ll,ie-iieighhou.iJieDd of -Mirlie on the. even.iilg of theV9chti',-»ud .every- effort. Was inado to'surraund This plachmud to cut ipff escape by sea.- y ff’he actual camp of •the;’fugitives tyvhsr-discovered, aa?d firing -soon-bagan. Officer Alotzkus, supported bynscvenib Sa-nioan, (policemen jnsca-lod a native,-stone to gain an ludva-utageous- position, but was discovered and (shot in ithe hip, :A ten rnomeHts later Mr Hellige, a' younl ;planter, was fatally- shot through the breast. ■ The ■ criminhls-i"dofended- fehemsclvcs desperately Ton isevcraj liom-sy -and a sup;piv. of-, ammunition had to>'he sept for, and .firing! ceased Jor «;timeu-When fresh ammunitibn Was obtained the buttle was ; rosum«d,i and ih number- of -'Samoans charged-into The enclosure which had sc long, and so gallantly been .defended. Three of .the-runaways were found dead, and the fomtlv,--badly injured, was then brought t(( Apia and questioned by the officials, No rational explanation was ohtainajdo'- from .tlio--survivor, .who was hanged the same njglit, and this closed the 'Scries of strange and excitable happenings which bad disturbed the quiet community of Samoa for some days. This mad outbreak is not of the slightest political significance. The natives of Samoa, under German rule, aro kindly treated, and in no way suffer the least oppression.