New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-04-29
British Correspondence with Costa Rica in-
tcrcepted. -.4

American ship on Bay Blanco, near Cardenas. Men
we're at work on board dismantng her. It was as
certaned at Havana that she was bound for New Or
eans, and had beenashore on the Bahamas, and paid
salvage at Nassau. The ships name is unknown:
The steamer Philadelphia arrived at Havana the
23d with passengers from steamer Cortero; left As
pinwa on the 25th. Steamer Illinois arrived at
Havana on the evening of the oath with passengers
from steamers Golden Gate and Uncle Sam, leaving
at Aspinwa some 400 passengers Of the latter ship
for want Of accommodation. A serious riot occurred
at Panama on the eve of the 18th, when large num-
Der Of passengers bound for and from California |
(Americans) were Killed and wounded. All the Fix |
press mails were destroyed and number lost all their
baggage The Panama Railroad was torn up some |
two miles, and the company's books destroyed. =
Among the passengers on the Granada is Parker II.
French, Esq, former Nicaraguan Minister to the |
United States, who reports the capture othe English
mail for Costa Rica, wherein dispatches we're found
The dispatches have been forwarded to Washington in
charge of special messenger. 49, |
Important from Panama.
The most important intelligence brought by this |
arrival, relates to the bloody and destructive riots
that occurred at Panama, on Tuesday afternoon and
night, 18th instant. We condense from the account
furnished by the Panama Star and Herald of the 19th
On Tuesday afternoon, stated before, the 270
passengers, per Illinois, arrived from Aspnwa at the
station, for the purpose of embarkingon board the
John Ii. Stephens, for California Owing to the state
of the tide they were detained shore until late
hour. little before dark, whilst most of the passen
gers around the railroad station waiting to get
their tickets registered, others were at the Ocean
Hotel, and in the other hotels and eating houses in
the Cienega.
Whilst Messrs. McLane, Center and Nelson were
standing on the wharf, they perceived commotion
running towards the town. Sending a messenger to
enquire what the matter they were informed that
native had tried to steal watermelon-a pistol had
been discharged, and man slightly wounded. Almost
OF oft Tho Clarf
the bells of the Church Of Santa Anna commenced
to ring the alarm of fire. and Immediately after, the
natives were seen running along the beach and
through the Cienega and then followed the attack
the Ocean Hotel AIcAllisters store and the Pacific
House. From the time the first difficulty arose until
the attack the houses, not more than fifteen
minutes elapsed. During this time few shots were
fired Capt. McLane Immediately sent messenger
to town for Col. Garrdo and the police and then all
three proceeded to the railroad station.
Many of the passengers ran down to the wharf to
embark, and others at the depot anxious to go
out to rescue the and children in the hotels,
and few went the rest croWding into the railroad
Office asking for arms and ammunition. All the arms
in the office double barreled gun, pair OF
pistols, sabre and fourteen old flint muskets all
private property, which, after some delay (believng
there would be attack given out and loaded
for defence, but sentry was placed at the door to
prevent any one from going out and joining In the
tight.
and children removed from the Ocean House.
| Colonel Ward, U. S. Consul, and Mr.. Saba, his
secretary, just then arrived at the scene of action
and endeayored, along with the other gentlemen, to
restrain the passengers some of whom were anxious
to go the rescue Of the and children in the
Cienega, and could with difficulty be kept back, al
though at this time the work Of plunder had almost
| ceased and things were comparatively quiet.
! An old cannon belonging to the company was dug
out of the sand and loaded being charged with rves
instead of ball. but Col. Ward, Mr.. Center, and all
who had authority gave positive orders that it was
not to be fred unless an advance was made by the
mob.
The Consul then sent his secretary to if the po-
lice were coming, but as be did not return (having
been shot in the leg by revolver ball. the Consul
| himself and MI. Nelson went forward to see how
| things stood. They had not advanced beyond the
Pacific House, when q crowd of natives advanced
through the cane huts, and Mr. Nelson called ont to
them in Spanish not to re-that they were friends;
but they dlsregafded the notice, and number OF
| shots were fired, some of which hit Col. Wards
horse which caused it to become restiye In vain Mr..
Nelson expostulated with the people, they told him
to keep out of the way and not to return to the sta
tion if he did not want to be killed. Seeing that Mr..
n persisted in advancing to the station, man called
out to him to keep to the left which he accordingly
did, and get to the track about hundred yards
above the depot, and then walked down to the build
| ing. i.
| In the meantime, most of the passengers and per
sons at the station had got inside the Company's
fence and sheltered themselves, well as possible
from the bullets that now flew about fast regular
fire being kept up upon the building, and, at this
time, many were killed and wounded.
A report was then spread that the natives were
coming down the track to attack the depot; and
from the direction of the balls it was evident they
were changing their positions. There was no firing
at this time from the station or passengers. Col
Ward, Capt. McLane, Mr.. Nelson and Mr.. Corwine
then changed their position and moved to the ole
mess house, whilst Mr. Center went into the de
pot to see after the passengers-all of them belev
ing that when Col Garrido arrived with the police
the whole matter would be speedily terminated
Presently the buge of the police was heard but BY
this time the natives had advanced the freigh
house and commenced pillaging. One Or two shot
were at this time fired by the passengers. Still NJ
attempt was made by the police to restrain the mob
but the contrary, they joined the people and com
menced firing on the depot.
Col Ward Capt. McLane, Mr.. Nelson, and Mr.
CorWine, then returned to town to induce the Gov
ernor to come down and stop the massacre. On thei
way up, they were stopped by a party of armed ia
tives but allowed to proceed. Reaching the Govern
ment House, they found that the Governor was not a
home whilst crowd around the house, armed wit
guns demanded that powder and ball should be give
to them.
At last, the Governor was found in Juan De Dio
street. and agreed to return to the station but sal
that he had been there, fired at. and received
ball through his hat. At length he set out accom-
panied by Capt McLane and Mr. Nelson.
Reaching the scene of the riot they found the pee
pie still pundering the Ocean Hotel and McAlister
store. whilst on the beach a man named Dolores III
rola had cannon loaded pointed at the steamer Ia
boga, and could, with difficulty, be induced not t
f fire it.
They then learnt that Col. Garrido had gone sen
, on board the Taboga, dsarmed the passengers, an
: taken away the ships gun.
e When Mr.. Nelson and Capt. McLane were thus en-
poyed, Mr.. Center entered the depot where he say
the natives advancing down the track to attack il
# Entering the freight room, he found it filled wit
: men, women and children, trying to screen then
f selves from the firing, which was then brisk and a
!, in the widest state of excitement. From thence h
entered the Office, (the nearest the beach at til
. left hand corner of the depot,) and found many PEE
there trying to keep the door closed; the roo1
was filled with smoke. Whilst there aiding, he sal
one man killed before him, and three killed
y wounded on the floor; there no firing from til
l. room. Leaving this scene of slaughter, he mex
}. managed to get to plank over the beams Of til
freight door, and looking out to the Cenega, throug
II a large open door, he distinctly saw the police on
side close to the house firing deliberately into it, &c
d Garrido, with his sword drawn, cheering and urgin
IS on his men. Proceeding to one of the rooms on Il
upper story, he found two passengers trying to ho
the door, he helped them, but in a moment they we
both shot-one died instantly, and the other in e
1t hours Passing to another place where he could 81
passengers cried out for mercy aud 'quarter
but the people still continued plunderng, rifing tt
:. persons of the passengers, and cutting open the
'e carpet bags and trunks About this time the fri
N Nse ceased, but the plunderng continued
n n When Mr.. Nelson and Capt. McLane reached t.
"a station, after leaving the Governor, they found
lS police outside in very excited state, aud wanting
fire into the upper story of the depot, declaring tt
al. fN,l