Show AMERICAN AND BRITISH MARINES The Part they Recently Played in the Corinto Trouble PROTECTED FOREIGNERS BIOSTBR AND BRAG OF THE HOX BTJREAN GENERAL I Was Quickly Cooled However hen the Representatives of America and England Began Their Movement Horrible Outrages Committed on Women and rages ConunltC1 Vollcn Yonng GirlsApologies Profuse A Lesson MANAGUA Nicaragua May 24 Copyrighted 1896 by the Associated PressIn view of the fact that the government controlled the the wires at the time the correspondent of the Associated Press here has been compelled com-pelled to send by mail the following account ac-count of the landing on May 2 at Cor into of a force of about 100 American and British marines from the United States ship Alert and the British cruiser Comus who acting in the most perfect harmony occupied that port protected until May 4 the property of foreigners in the custom house and at the railroad station subduing a riotous and drunken mob which threatened to cause the most serious disturbances During the recent REVOLUTION IN NICARAGUA of the I there were remarkable instances ministers socalled lawless manner in which sOcled isters of provincial governments can act when they have the opportunity For instance about March 24 Samuel Mayorga who was minister for the treasury in the Baca or revolutionary government made a demand on Mr H S Harding an English subject controller of the branch at Leon of the London Bank of Central America for a loan cIt 80000 on about 33000 of Nicaragua bonds of doubtful ownership owner-ship threatening to withdraw protection protec-tion from the bank if the demand was not complied with within a given time Mr Harding succeeded in staving off until he had letters delivered secretly to Command Franklin Hanford of the United States ship Alert then the only warship at he port of Corinto and to the United States consular agent at Corinto Mr Henry Balazlo Commander Hanford immediately assured sured Mr Harding that he WOULD RESIST ANY EFFORT to take by force the property of citizens citi-zens of the United States or of subjects sub-jects of foreign governments in friendly friend-ly relations with the United States Commander Hanford sent this leter by the United States consular agent who took prompt action and succeeded in saving the money of theEnglish bank from the Nicaraguan officials while at the same time clearlyshowing the insurgents in-surgents that he property of foreigners foreign-ers could not be interfered with But on April 16 Minister Mayorga issued a decree in the name of the revolutionary government declaring I that the officers and books of the custom cus-tom house at Corinto were to b at once removed to Leon the capital of I the revolutionary government situated I i about tfliirty miles in the Interior adding add-ing thait owing to the fact that the J troops of Honduras C4ent to assist the j I army of President Zelaya might at any time overcome the small force of Bacas troops at Corinto and SEIZE THE MILLIONS + of dollars worth of merchandise in the oustom house belonging to the citizens I of Nicaragua and to foreigners a I they had robbed private dwellings and stores in the town of El Viejo twentv miles from Corinto he Samuel Mayorga minister of the treasury had I come to Corinto with railroad trains in order to remove the merchandise belonging largely to foreigners from the custom house o Corinto to Leon I was evident however the real object ob-ject of Mayorga to obtain was possession posses-sion of this property and HOLD IT AS SECURITY for a war loam The foreigners protested pro-tested to Commander Hanford and to Captain Henry H Dyke of the British cruiser Comus which had arrived at Corinto about April 5 The American and British commanders decided that they would not allow the Insurgents to take possession of the property of foreigners for-eigners in the custom house or rail road depot at Connie a the latter buildings being within six hundred yards of the guns of the two warships I were at least a safe as if the property prop-erty was at Leon I This enraged Minister Mayorga s much that he caused the anrest of all I native males in Connito between the ages of 17 and 70 years on the plea that a great battle was imminent at Momo tomibo After detaining them on the railroad cars for a few hours Mayorga released all of those who could pay him from 100 to 250 in cash and returned re-turned to Leon with the other unfortunate unfor-tunate inhabitants of Corinto without giving any receipts for the money collected col-lected but declaring he would return again to Corinto This he did on May 1 with his party disbanded > and SOUGHT SAFETY IN FLIGHT with considerable sums of money extorted ex-torted from the people of Nicaragua I They escaped to Guatamaja on a small schooner the commanders of the American and British warships having no authority to arrest them But their flight showed the necessity of protection protec-tion for foreigners to be greater than ever Although the chiefs of the insurgent insur-gent party succeeded in escaping a great number of the officers and soldiers of the insurgent army with their arms flocked to Corinto in the I hope of getting out of the country but failed owing to lack of means The disappointed soldiers became reckless after their leaders deserted them began be-gan drinking and rioting Some of them succeeded in crossing the estuary estu-ary and made for the woods Others oommenced robbing houses aind threatening threat-ening the lives of everybody of the law and order class at Corinto i WOMEN WERE INSULTED I and an attack upon the custom house I was planned The native commandants com-mandants and the handful of police at I the port were utterly impotent and about 9 oclock in the morning of May I 2 the commandants at the request of the peaceful residenlta sent a committee commit-tee to Ohinaldega with a letter to Manuel Bonilla vicepresident of Honduras Hon-duras who was in command of the troops of that republic Senor Bonilla was at El Viejo and when he received the request from Corinth to send a force to protect that port he promised to comply There was considerable delay and the few policemen sent did not reach Corinth until 730 p mf which would have been to late to save the custom house and its contents although Chinandega is only ahont twenty two mires from Corinto While the committee was away the mot serious disorders broke out at Corinto The disbanded soldiers seemed seem-ed insane with drink robbed houses VIOLATED WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS and began gathering about the customhouse custom-house S Palmer the commandant ot the custom house hurried a written re 1 l l ir I quest for protection to Mr Henry Balazio the United States consul agent requesting the American to appeal ap-peal for help to the commanders of the British and American warships in port and asking them to land men and take charge of the port and protect the persons and property of Nicaraguans and foreigners and of the government of Nicaragua until the government of President Zelava could send troops About 1 p m on May 2 a force of about 100 marines quickly drove the rioters into hiding By order of Lieutenant Baker the flag of Nicaragua was again hois edt ed-t the flagstaffs in front of the customhouse custom-house and the Stars and Stripes was hoisted on the flagstaff at the northeast north-east side of the custom house The British flag was hoisted by Lieutenant Lowin of the Comus on the south side of the building and also on the west end of the railroad station In less than half an hour afm the marines landed perfect order and peace prevailed in Corinto and the residents hurrie to bedeck themselves in hell day attire in honor of THEIR GALLANT RESCUERS In tha evening General Metuta of Honduras and about eighty soldiers arrived at the outskirts of Corinto and sent forward a messenger demanding the surrender of the custom house I railroad station and port immediately and that the marines return to their ships Liautenant Baker received the message mes-sage and sent a reply asking for a written request from President Zelaya or from some official of his government govern-ment Metuta evidently had no such authority and he returned to Anaya highly offended after writing Lieutenant Lieuten-ant Baker full of selfeulogy telling of his greatness and pointing out what pigmies all other persons were when compared to him About 1 oclock in the morning on May 3 General Metuta again appeared at Corinto with about eighty Hondur aneans ana proceeded toward the custom house General Metuta after a parley with the young lieutenant in command of the British marines was allowed to pass with some of his aides to the headquarters of Lieutenant Lieuten-ant Baker of the Alert There he stated he came with authority of President Bonilla president of Honduras Hon-duras the commander of the Honduran allies of Nicaragua to occupy Corinto and RELIEVE THE FOREIGN MARINES from proteting the property of the government of Nicaragua etc I was not than known in Corinto what great outrages the Hondurean soldiers had committed on women and girls at Elvayajo nor was it known they had destroyed a great deal of property while occupying that place during the past two months or General Mututas reception might not have been as pleasant a it was However Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Baker signalled for Commander Com-mander Hanford and Captain Dyke who soon arrived at the custom house For an hour or so they patiently listened to Metutas bluster but when he threatened to occupy Corinto without with-out waiting for President Zelayas order although the latter was only about thirty miles away the American Ameri-can and British commanders decided to teach the Hondureans a lesson A few sharp orders were given and the American and British marines fully armed and equipped were drawn up at their different stations ashore the Alert was singalled to steam up to opposite the custom house and the COMUS CLEARED FOR ACTION These preparations had a calming effect upon Metuta He began to apologize a energetically a he had at first attempted to bluff promised to retire with his troops if the American I Ameri-can and British commanders would permit him etc Finally i was agreed that Metuta and his soldiers I should be permitted to come in out o the hot tropical sun and roost upstairs up-stairs in the telegraph office at the northwest corner of the custom house square but they were warned to keep quiet and to behave themselves until advlces were received from President Zelaya A train at about 5 p m arrived at I Corinto from Chinandega bringing about sixty Nicaraguan soldiers under II General Emilio Hierrera with a letter I from General Murelies Estrada a I close personal friend of President Zeaya and commandergeneral of the I civil department of the republic The letter was addressed to the United I States consul at Corinto notifying him General Hierrera had been appointed commandant at Corinto and assuring I him and the commanders of the United States and British warships that Hier I rera was an honest cool prudent and reliable man who would protect life and property and that Corinto might ba turned over to him with safety as the representative of the legal government govern-ment of Nicaragua General Bonilla vicepresident of Honduras also reached Corinto by the same train and at a conference with Commander Hanford Captain Dyke and General Hierrera apologized for the conduct of General Metuta Terms were agreed on and at about 4 a m May 4 Corinto was turned over to the Nicaraguan forces When President Zelaya was Informed of the occurrence he at once telegraphed his appreciation apprecia-tion and approval to the American legation le-gation with his thanks and later telegraphed tele-graphed an invitation to Commander Planford and Captain Dyke and their officers to visit Managua and enjoy the hospitality Nicaragua of the government of |