Show MEN FROM CRUISER DENVER FOR ACTION CAMPED IN HAVANA result of a conference between president palma and commander colwel detachment from IL S gunboat marietta at Oen fuegos OO 00 0 0 0 0 0 OFFER TO SURRENDER C 0 c 0 havana sept 13 command 0 0 er colwell of the cruiser den 0 0 ver was approached tonight by 0 0 emissary of gen castallo Castl llo one 0 0 of the insurgent leaders offer 0 0 ing to surrender to him it guar 9 0 antwi a fair trial 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 havana sept 13 six score of sailors from the united states protected cruiser denver are camped tonight in front of old la castle facing the plaza de annas the little park in front of the presidential palace which is the seat of the cuban government the american nag Is planted just inside the coping separating the castle grounds from oreilly street which thoroughfare passes between the camp and the plaza de armas the sailors arc armed with regulation rifles with the exception of a few who carry revolvers or carbines two field howitzers howit and two rapid fire guns point across the park the denver which originally anchored further up the bay dropped down this evening to a position abreast of the foot of oreilly street and in front of the offices of the captain of the port so as to be conveniently near the detachment the sudden landing of the american sailors followed a conference between president palma charge dAlYa iros sleeper and commander colwell this afternoon on the occasion of the lat tors formal call upon president palma mr sleeper asked the president directly whether he considered the gov able to protect all american interests in havana the president re piled that ho hoped the government would be abl e to do so but himself suggested that it might he advisable as a measure of precaution in the in of americans as wem as for the maintenance of order in general to land sailors at some convenient point suggesting the plaza de armas sleeper and commander colwell after a brief conference decided that the landing should be made and this evening at the detachment air der command of executive officer miller began coming ashore two hours later the commissary outfit followed with supper for the officers and men questioned whether their duties on shore would be protection of american interests or defense of the palace and president palma executive officer miller replied that it the town should be attacked or if an uprising occurred in the city they undoubtedly would have something to do regardless of the question as to who attacked after reading an associated press dispatch from washington in which secretary of the navy bonaparte was quoted as saying that there would be no landing of united states forces n cuba except jn the event of excitement and unrestrained rioting commander colwell said to the associated press 1 I have landed a force after consultation with those best advised as to he situation and especially on the request of president palma himself who informed mr sleeper and myself that he gravela doubted the ability of the cuban government to protect american property and persons president palma did not suggest this location for our force I 1 selected it because in my judgment it is the best point and commands tho two principal business streets 0 havana I 1 am not considering intervene tion or the protection of the palace or the president but am simply being in readiness to protect american interests I 1 have telegraphed these facts to secretary bonaparte and also the fact that I 1 have offered asylum on the denver for americans who may desire tj seek such safety commander colwell suggested that it quiet continued the sailors from the denver might return on board ship president palma however urgently requested that they remain the dent expressed satisfaction with the influence their presence was producing and aid h considered it a guarantee against an attack or an uprising in havana the general impression here seems to be it is the intention of the united states not only to protect american interests te rests but also the government of president palma the presence in the city of american sailors has had the effect of creating a feeling of comparative security against attack from without or of an internal uprising reports current here today were that the worst elements were planning to set fires under the th e cover of which lobber les might be committed it was also reported that insurgents in considerable numbers were approaching ha vana from several directions the newspapers this evening commented favorably upon the appearance of american warships in cuban waters havana sept 13 commander colwell late tonight was shown an associated press dispatch from washington stating that the sailors from the cruiser denver had been ordered to return he expressed great astonishment and said he had received no such order and added he believed that the department had not deciphered hid code message explaining the situation commander colwell said he believed he had done right and was satisfied that this evening events had so proved however if after understanding the atlon the navy department ordered the return of the bailers bailors Bai lors tha order would be carried out within half an hour alfredo president of the lib eral party who has offered to surrender it guaranteed a fair trial sent commander colwell word late tonight that he hoped to visit him tomorrow I 1 washington sept 13 mr sleepers cablegram reported the landing of the sailors and explained that there was no purpose of protection of any body or anything except american lives and property the announcement that the sailors had been ordered back to the ship followed from the while house soon after the receipt of mr sleepers official report that the landing was a complete surprise to the government here was evident it was not made under instructions from washington also wag mado plain but the reasons that actu 1 abed commander colwell were set forth in his dispatch it was distinctly stated today that the quiet preparation of other vessels looking to possible dispatch to cuba does not contemplate intervention that there would be no landing parties except in the eveln of rioting when international law demands restraining action by any neutral ship present in port but it is realized ahta by some unexpected act of either contending force the american government might be obliged to cary out the provisions of the piatt amendment acting secretary bacon was at the white house tor some time tonight and left on the midnight train for oyster bay the officers of the denver according to the latest roster are commander john C colwell lieutenant commander marcus L sillier lieutenants henry B price fletcher L sheffield and henry L wyman ensigns james A campbell jr charles A blakesley paul B dampman and stanton L H hazard past assistant surgeon rlph W plummer assistant paymaster Pap master R W schumann chief boatswain E H eycke chief gunner franklin T applegate chief carpenter frederick C lepine and machinists joseph altton william T robinson and barnett B bowie sept 13 it was officially announced here late tonight that the sailors who were landed at havana from the american cruiser denver have been ordered to return to their vessel immediately save tor a small guard which hyill b e left at the american legation this followed the receipt of an official report by acting secretary of state bacon from sir sleeper the american charge daf faires at havana regarding the landing the report was not made public but it was announced officially shortly afterward that the sailors were landed from the denver solely for the protection of ahe lives and property of american citizens thai such action as in pursuance of a discussion be tween mr sleeper and the naval commander the belief that it was a wi so precaution looking to the protection of the lives and property of americans there was no intention it is stated to do to safeguard american interests and the services of the sailors were to be utilized only in case of disorders within the city which threatened such interests that the landing in any way contemplated the protection of either the cuban government or the insurrectionist government or president or any other persons than american citizens was disclaimed officially and it was out that this fact could not bo emphasized too strongly the landing of of the ets of the american protected cruiser denver on cuban soil and their camping in front of president palmas palace in havana tonight caused the most profound interest here it was stated on official authority that the instructions to the american officials were such that the armed force would not have been sent ashore from the denver upon the initiative of the american naval commander but only upon a request coming through mr sleeper the american charge daf faires who perhaps is better acquainted with the internal situation in the island than any naval official it had been the expressed hope of the washington oali bials that no anch eventuality as that which has necessitated the landing of the sailors would arise government officials declined to corn ment upon the action acting secretary of state bacon left on a late train tonight for new york for a conference tomorrow with president roosevelt the denver was ordered to cuba for the protection of american interests but it has been intimated that one purpose was to oner president palma aid in case his life was in jeopardy washington sept 13 the navy department is quietly preparing several other vessels for service in cuban waters so while the navy is preparing its ships the army is being carefully studied with the view to quick and effective action in case its services are needed so far as can be learned there there have been no troop movements in this connection and although army orders provided for the return to the united states from the philippines of tho twenty first infantry sailing october 10 it is stated ions ago the only dispatches re at the state department today from mr sleeper charge at havana and made public say that fighting has been reported in pinar del rio and near cienfuegos they tell of the blowing up of bridges but indicate that the railway to pinar del jiro may be reopened tomorrow the railroads it was stated have issued notices yarning passengers to defer travel as there is danger of insurgents dyna trains havana sept 13 there has been liens today from the western por alon of pinar del rio province on account of tho interruption of telegraphic communication matanzas Is reported still freo of insurgents santa clara reports more concessions to the insurgent cause but there has been no fighting puerto Princ pe reports that some small parties have gone out to join the insurgents in santiago there is considerable anti fight feeling but there are few person actually in insurrection all afie main insurgent forces in havana province are reported as concentrated at bejucal Bej ucal the town officials and police have joined them the insurgents have occupied santiago de las vegas and seized the city hall and the government agricultural experimental stations the buildings and machinery on the hormiguero su ga restate near been destroyed train service on the united railways out of havana ceased tonight on account of the danger of insurgent attacks A united railway freight train was burned today at rincon junction and it has been deemed unsafe to dla patch more trains A through train for santiago which goes eastward over the havana main line waa not allowed to depart no trains will depart eastward tomorrow from regla across havana bay the western railway Is similarly tied up the special session of congress will convene tomorrow the moderate caucus today decided to back president palma in all respects one of the great curses that is slowly but surely cropping out as a result of the insurrection Is that of race the moderates in general condemning the insurgents as a mob of negroes neg led by white men of lower character than the negroes themselves in santa clara province the insurgents program of burning the properties of foreigners began today with the destruction of the buildings on two large plantations the san jose owned by A bell bros american citizens and the constancia owned by new york capitalists represented by 0 B stillman it is reported that a spanish estate at andrietta Andr letta also was burned new york sept IS secretary of the navy charles J bonaparte arrive I 1 here tonight on his way to oyster bay and immediately wont to the albemarle hotel when shown the associated press dispatch from havana to the effect that sailors of the armored cruiser denver had been landed there he said that he knew nothing about that action and further that he was unable to account for it shortly afterward the secretary entered into telephonic communication with washington alie news conveyed in the Associated press dispatches from washington stating that an order hafl been issued recalling the naval landing party is believed to have been the outcome of mr Bona partes conversation over the telephone secretary Secre tarr bonaparte retired early leaving orders that he was not to bo disturbed now york sept 13 co carlos M aguirre acad of the local cuban junta abated today that the junta Is preparing a statement covering the cuban situation for the past yeah the statement will be submitted to president roosevelt we do not hope for official recognition said col aguirre but wo are determined to make our wrongs known to the head of this government |