Washington telegraph., 1856-05-21
The Panama Outrage.
FACTS BY ONE OF TIE SUFFERERS

FACTS BY ONE OF THE SUFFERERS.
We have had the pleasure of an interview
with Mrs. z. NJ. Scoffy formerly of this city,
and now resident of San Francisco, who
came passenger In the Cortes, from that city.
on the z9th ult-. on her way to this place,
on visit to her friends and relatives. She
was an eyewitness of the outrageous pro-
ceedings of the rioters at Panama on the
10Th inst, and suffered severely from them.
Accompanied by her four little. girls, the
eldest only eight years of age, the youngest
an infant, she took passage from San j ]uan
de Nicaragua, in the Cortes, on the 2Oth of
March, leaving her husband, merchant of
standing In San Francisco, aud who went
from New Orleans in 1849. as one of the
early pioneers IN the settlement of that CITY.
On account of an apprehension that the
steamer would be seized if it went to San
Juan, the captain proceeded with her to Pan
anna, where arriving, Mrs. ScoHy went to
the Ocean Hotel to pass the night, and take
the Philadelphia the next morning for .Ha-
vana, there to meet the Granada, on Its way
to n. Orleans
That afternoon the steamer Illinois, from
New York; bringing great number of pas
sengers for San Francisco, bad arrived at
Panama, but the passengers were detained,
the steamer Taboga not being able to leave
until the evening Every place was crowd
ed' and there were many persons in the
streets, as well as in the hotels, eating hous-
es, &C.
Mrs Scofy says she was sitting at the
window of the Ocean Hotel, looking out
upon the street, and saw man, who was
afterwards ascertained to be one of the pas
Sengers of the Illinois. from New York, ap-
parently purchasing fruit of 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 bis hands.
nor did be offer to strike the fruit seller.
who, it seemed to her. threw something at
him IN anger In moment angry shouts
were raised, and, as if by preeoncerted sig
nal, the whole space in front of the hotel
began to swarm with the excited population
of the place, rushing, with arms in their
hands. iDdiscriminately upon the passengers
These mostly endeavored 10 shelter them
selves from the fury of the mob by retreat
ing to the hotels. and the storehcuses and
depot of the railroad. Thither they were
pursued, and their places of retreat were at
tackled by the ruffians keeping up an inces-
SAINT fire with muskets and pistols, while
those who were overtaken 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 dagger. But the rioters, though
told that there were none there but women
and children, kept up continued fire at
the windows and doors of this part of the
house. All this time there were attempts
made to fire the hotel, and Mrs Scoffy.
who understands the Spanish language,
heard frequent cries of ''tear it down -
At length, it was thought prudent to re-
move them from their perilous position to
the depot, and if possible. 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 a
knife. who told this man to put down that
child, and that be had been firing upon the
natives. and must die Mrs Scotfy remon-
strated, and besought the wretch not to in
jure the guardian of her child; whereupou
man. who seemed to exercise some iniiu-
ence over the rest, peremptorily ordered the
rufiian to let the man go. saying that he was
the lady's servant, aud the party proceeded
without further molestation Mrs Scoffy,
with her family, and others of the passen-
gers for Havana. got on board the Taboga
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 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 mo-
ment gave them some hope. and she raised
herself and sna.ched look from one of
the windows. Waat was her surprise to see
these keepers of the peace drawn up in a
line. and engaged in firing upon the house.
All these facts our informant AYERS she is
ready. and if it will be of any service to
the cause of justice, is desirous to verify up
on her oath. Her account Id general agrees
with the others that we have already pub
lished, as to these Infamous and outrageous
transactions.
In the general seizure and plunder of the
baggage Of the unfortunate sojourners for
that short space of time at Panama, Mrs
Scofy suffered to the extent of everything
she possessed. Her three trunks, Ghe
checks for which she showed us,) her carpet
bags and baskets, all shared the general fate;
and she and her children arrived at Havana
without change of clothing.
Her account of the brutal treatment Of
its ill-fated victims by the mob shows that
it was actuated by the most savage and bar
barous malignity. The dead bodies of those
who we're shot doWE we're insulted, in some
instances, being twisted into roll. and stuck
into the wounds made by bullets.
We forbear, at this time, making such
comments upon this outrage, as the narra-
a.. lcx- Al e