The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-04-30
Thirty Passengers Killed and Twenty
Wounded Besides Many or the EAt1v es-
Passengers robbed OF Largo Amount.


TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
Tie public win doubtless be is.srss.ed learning
pAr .u'afs concerning the unfortunate ARRAY that
occurred st Panama the evening and Of the l5t
April instant which resulted in the death of many
and the robbery Of large number o. American czsas.
fhs steamship Cortes, Of tbs Nicaragua line, sailei
from Francisco the Goth of March, bound f.: SAa
Juan Gel sur, with about $50 passengers The ses,ni
day out she boarded by the Uncls Sam Of ths
line; but What intelligence received By hes ,t
made known to the passengers.
On approaching San juan the Golden Gate OF the mA
inc appeared to the andward and hailed the Cortss
and thu agent Of the Nicaragua une going up thu
Gate, board ths Cores leaving sps-s &C. and
returned to the mail ship. The Cortss then sbou.
twenty miles from San Juan, which port abe entsrsd
AID dropped anchor about =. NJ, April l.
Tbs passengers generally retired awakened At
daylight by perceiying the TO be moving and II
was .oon rmored thai she leaving Juan for Pa
taking in tow large coal ship which she tovsd
through to Panama arriving there On the 6ta Of April
The George Law, Accoun. OF tia hardness
o, the Cortes, lett Aspinws before her arrival and
compelled to remain at Panama until soma steamer
might be ready to sail from AspnwAl for the North Anne
The steamer Philadelphia from Havana, arrived q A.
pinwa tie 18th, and the Illinois, from New York ar.
rived the 18Th of April, together bringing to Aspnxa
small portion Of the passengers Of the Cortss ve.rd
of the ship and the miserable Are on board and few
others who had bten spending some days In the city
crossed the fshnus by railroad the morning Of tbs
18TH and the same train, with other trains returned to
Panama in the afternoon taking the whole crowd Of
After their arrival at Panama, they we're scattered
und the depot preparing TO 60 board the John L.
stephen their baggage yisg on the ground about the
the wharf of the Railroad Company the end Of which
ssngsrs and convey them en- board the s.epSsns -
= baggage tighter Ay s'ongsde the Tesoga, bu. u:
and could not move from tie wLan
At o'clock, or near that time drunken man from
New Orleans who arrived at Aapnwan BY the Phihdsl.
time strolng around the suburbs of tbs city insulting
all be met stopped At fruit stand few rods south Of
berg built for the mall company, ard immediately got
into quarre! about watermelon with the native who
30 q fruit pistol was drawn By the rowdy and the
native hcurshed his knife in cefence and the friends Of
the drunken nan were soon pitted agMns. . crowd OF
natives
In moment general row was awakened, asa knives
and pistols were fourishsc without restraint
As the fight became rather general Aucn2
those who happened to te near, the hom5~. shouted
rushed into the conflict
The sgr al fol assembling the police Of the city vas soon
In all directions and in few moments twenty or thirty
soldiers Appeared armed with muskes aid fixed bayo
nets.
At this stage Of the fray, and before many lives had
been taken, the American Consu ward) Mr. Center the
agent Of the railroad company, ond other gentlemen OF
u huence nterfered, and for moment queted the mob
but base spirits who seemed 70 have little regard
for life the gaety and Welfare OF Others could not re-
strain their evil passions and rushed again. dschAra
ing reviewers, and rousng again the vepseAncs o; the
na,ives.
The police coDssisg mostly Of black natives Of the
country IN fun sympathy with the and hatred Of
al europeans, and especially Americans, commenced
hr ng upon the passengers, killing many their mis-
cradle ability would allow
The passsr ger. were generally nnarmed and entirely
cesencsiess, and the mscreants shot them down vbs
endeayoriIg TO escape from the melee
fw rods south Of the iron boat where the rio. eor,
need, stan5s The "Pacfc House. sussi hotel vhsrs
we're copgrtgapd a'gs number Of the pssseuQers The
police and the desperate band Of natives rushed toxayds
It, and the efforts Of those inside prevent their p0ress
befS Intellectual they broke in cutting and shooting Al
everything that opposed them.
The bar, that well stored With l1uors vas aaoc
demolished. Altar drir hing and securing what thew a.
sired, they made their way up stairs and broke omen
Ard robbed every unk bag ard other things suppoxsd
10 contain c0tf ing money. Tbs inside OF the house.
vas completely destroyed.
The Ocean House, little nearer the cspot ana a
much larger building, was crowded with men, women
Ind children, TO the NUMBER oil $50 400 and the bar
oon and other parts OF the house objects OF much
greater attraction 10 che savage rioters
The Americans had, By this time, become alarmed tor
heir safety ard that Of their families and friends ana
,eing mostly without arms, only sought retreat
rom the barbarity Of their assailau The 40 called
,olice band hreo into the Ocean House In all directions
hre ugh the partitions windows and doors and literally
icd'ed the building voundDg several and killing one
Iva Ilsy as-Ys~-sa s.s W., sxsasss ~ suai- !