The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-05-08
Special Correspondence of the N. Y. Times.
The Great Panama Massacre
Another Account.


Special Correspondence of the N. Y. Times.
The Great Panama Massacre
Another Account.
PANAMA, Wednesday, April 8, 1856.
Again have the knives and the machetes
of the negroes of Panama been imbued in
the blood of our countrymen, and again have
the lives of innocent Americans been offer
ed up sacrifice to their wanton brutality
and unquenchablr thirst for blood and plum
der.
Unable longer to carry on their villuinous
depredatons on the Cruces road, these muir
derers have at length had the hardihood to
enter our very dive llings, and commit the
most atrocious murders and robberies in the
very presence Of the imbeclle Governor and
puerle authorities.
On the arrival of the passengers from N.
York by the steamer Illinois, on the 18th
inst, a trifiiDg row was created between an
American and a native negro, about dimes
worth of fruit, which led to the terrible scene
which followed--for huLdreds of natives
were Immediately on the spot. armed with
pistols, guns, machettes and knives. In tVe
minutes after the bells OF Santa Ana Church
were tolling the fire alarm, as signal to
collect the negroes together, and in less
than ten minutes more a most fearful on
slaught was made on the passengers landing
from the train, and the awful attack of mur-
der had commenced.
The Governor was Immediately sent for
bv the Railroad authorities, and with the
greatest difficulty induced TO show himself.
The helpless passengers, most OF whom
we're perfectly unarmed, took refuge in the
hotels in the neighborhood of the terminus,
and in the Railroad Station, and the police
and National Guards soon made their ap-
pearance, not to afford peace and protection
to the passengers. but mixing up with their
colored countrymen, and headed by the po'
lice captain, pouring volley after volley OF
musket balls into the unprotected foreigners
outside and into the railroad depot, (which was
crowded with women and children. The
negroes finding themselves supported by the
police ard national guard, and countenanced
by the governor, who first gave the order to
fire upon the station, nov became perfectly
reckless. broke open the hotels and the sta
ton, and cut down every foreigner in their
Wav, The hotels were ranSacked OF every
thing they possessed, and their furniture
broicn up and DESTROYED, rs was also the Of
fee of the railroad company--every book
and paper therein being literally torn to ot.
oms. Men and women were forced to kneel
down and submit TO be robbed, even OF their
rings and trinkets, and the killed and wound
ed had their clothes torn off them in the
search for plunder. Every trunk and bag
that could BIZ found, was torn open and des
troyed.
Terrible, indeed, was it to witness four.
teen Americans lying dead side by side
pierced through and through with the bul
lets OF the police and mangled beyond recog'
milton by the machettes of the natives, >ant
still more terrible was it to witness more
than twice that number wounded, many o.
them beyond hope Of frecovery, as they lay
there exhibiting the most fearful spectacle
that can possibly be imagined, it appearing
. impossible that man could be so mutilatet
and vet survive. One sufferer whom ex
/ amined had upwards of thirty wounds, any
one of which was sufficient to bring him t.
the ground; his head was opened by a ma
ehte almost from ear to ear, the sea p ant
skull being cut tbrough SO that the brain
. protruded; several of his fingers were cu
off, and his hands both shockingly wounded
bullet had entered his arm, another hi
chest, and another his groin, besides whicl
l.. his leg was deeply cut in two places. A
r. far as ascertained about sixty American
il have been killed and wounded. fifteen o
It whom have already died, and few who will
;. probably be unable to survive but fev
q DAYS. And as proof that the attack wa
:. most unprovoked, and that the massacr
/. was most wiIfully premeditated on the pal
k Of the natives, may state that but one ma
9 tive is reported to have been killed, whicl
!. is yet doubtful, and q very few, any, wount
ed. For the list OF killed and wounded re
fer you to the Panama Star and Heralt
N where you will also find more elaborat
/. and particular account Of this sad affair.
=. Since the commencement OF 1850, tn
4 blood of murdered Americans has been CRY
Il ing for vengeance on the heads of the nativ
negro population of this Isthmus, unheede
:. by our Government, at Washington, no
: withstanding the appeals made to the D.
N partment BY our representatives here; bl
:, now that that blood flows down our stree
ID in torrents, leaving brand on every wa
no and door post-now that valuable lives hav
t to in cold blood, been sacrificed by the doze
nd it is to be hoped, if the Government
ed still deaf to our entire aties, that our countr
>. men at home will consider the outrages tn
-. a. have been committed, the wrongs that mt
n ns still be perpetrated. and demand that
. prompt and lasting punishment be inflict
~ upon the perpetrators. The Governme
ID here, is helpless and penniless; it can
do nothing, even if it would; ard unless reli
as is ordered here by a stronger power, neg
I'M sway is almost sure to predominats in all
,r. brutality. .
=. HASTA LLUEGO.
nj KILLED.
no We are unfortunately unable to give
= names of the murdered passeHgers, as
bodies were not recognized. Weonly knl
off, q
he Robert Marks, from Pennsylvania, ag
- about 80, Watchman Of the, Railroad G
The shot through the stomach.
ley Octave Dubois, Frenchman, long reside
hat in Panama.