Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-05-10
THE PANAMA OUTRAGE.
TAcrs BY oxE OF rue SUFFERERS.

VI
and now a resident of San Francisco, who came
passengers in the Gortes, frenl that city, on the
goth uit., on her way to this place on visit TO
her friends and relatives. She was an eye wit
ness of the. outrageous proceedings OF the riot
ers at Panama on the 10th inst, and suffered
severely from them.
Accompanied by her four little girls, the cid
est only eight years of age, the youngest an
infant she took passage for San Juan dc Nicsrs-
gun. in the Cortes, on the goth of March, leay-i
ing her husband merchant of standing IN San
Francisco aud who went from New Orleans in
1919, as one of the early pioneers in the settle
mentof that city. On account of an apprehen-
sion that the steamer would be seized II It went
to San Juan, the captain proceeded with her to
Panama, where arriving, Mrs. Scotts went to
the Ocean Hotel to pass the night, and take the
Philadelphia the next mornings for HAyana, there
to meetthe Grenada, on It's way to New Orleans.
That afternoon the steamer Illinois, from New
York, bringing great number of passengers for
San Francisco. had arrived at Panama, but the
passengers were detained, the steamer Tobaga,
not being able to leave until the evening. Every
place was crowded, and there We're many per
sons in tho streets as welFas in the hotels, eat
ing houses, &c,
AIRS Scoffy says she was sitting at the window
of thcoceen Hotel, looking outnpon the plaza and
saw a man who was afterwards ascertained TO be
ono OF the passengers of the Illinois, from New
York, apparently purchasing fruit of a native,
who was gesticulating violently, and evidently
using harsh language, though she could not hear
what he said. The American had no arms of
any kind that she saw in his hands, dor didihe
strike or offer to strike the fruit seller, who how
ever, it seemed to her, threw something at him
in anger. In a moment angry shouts were raised
and as il by prcconcerted signal, the whole space
in front ofthe hotel began TO swarm with the ex-
cited population of the place, rushing, with arms
in thier hands, unfortunately upon the pas
sengcrs These mostly endeayored to shelter
themselves from the fury of the mob by retreat
ing to the hotels, and the storehouse and depot
of the railroad. Thither they were pursued, and
their places of retreat were attacked by the ruff
fans, keeping up an inccssant fire with muskcts
and pistols while those who were overtakcn In
the streets were shot or cut down.
The women and children who were in the
Ocean Hotel were taken into an upper room, and
an attempt was made to guard them from dan
ger But the rioters, though told there were
none there but women and children, kept upa
continued fire at the windows and doors of this
part of the house. All this time there were at
tempts made to fire the hotel, and Mrs. Scolly,
who understands the Spanish language, heard
frequent cries Of tear it down. At length,
it was Thought prudent to remove them from
their perilous position to the depot, and if pos
sible to get them on board the steamers at the
wharf Mrs. Scoffy left the room, holding her
Youngest child in her arms, and leading two
others while one of the passengers took up the
fourth in his arms They were met at the door
by one of the rioters, armed with u knife, who
told this man to put down that child, that he
had been firing upon the natives, and must die
Mrs. Scolfy demonstrated, and beSought the
wretch not to iuiure the guardian fiber child;
whereupon man, who seemed to exercise some
influence over the rest, pcrcmptOrily ordered the
ruftian to let the man 20, saying that lie was
that lady's servant, and the party proceeded
without further molcstatior. Mrs. Scotfy, with
her family, and others of the passengers for
Havana, got on board tho Tabaga, which put
out from the wharf, and they were placed on
board the Philadelphia in safety.
During the fusilade upon the hotel while the
women and children, with not a few of the men
besides, were covering below the level of the
windows to avoid the shots, Mrs. ScOffy says
that there were cries raised that the police were
arriving. This for moment gave them some
hope and she raised herself and snatched n look
from one of the windows What was her sur
prise to see these keepers of the peace drawn up
in Inc, and engaged in firing upon the house.
All these facts our informant ayers she is rca-
dy, and if it will be Of any service to the cause
of justice, is dcsirOus to verify upon her OATH.
Her account in general agrees with the others
that We have already published, as to these inta
l,lous and outrageous transactions
In thegeneral seizure and plumber of the bag
gage of the unfortunate Sojourners for that short
space of time at Panama, Mrs. Scoffy suffered
to the extent of everything she possessed. Her
three trunks, Cthe cheeks for which she showed
us, her carpet bags aud baskets, all shared the
general fate; and she and her children arrived
at Havana without Il change. Of clothing.
Her account of the brutal treatment of its i'll
fated victims by the mob shows that it was ac-
tuated by the most savage and barbarous malig-
nifty. The dead bodies of those who were shot
down were insutsd, their passage tickets, in
some instances, being twisted into roll, and
stuck into the wounds made by the bullets.
we forbcar, at this time making such COM
ments upon this outrage as the narrative we
have been giving from the lips Of an eyewitness
abundantly suggests We can only say that it
strengthens US greatly in the view we have al
ready intimated that it is clear case for the
promrt and decided action of ourgovernment-
" D. Piatyuae.