Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-18

I
Intense Suffering of the POpulace-One
| Hundred Rebels Carried Out TO Sea
and Thrown Overheard.
PANAMA. April II.
| The following is an authentic report of the
burning of Colon and the scenes attendant
thereupon
PANAMA, April Il.
/ About noon on the 30th men from Panama
numbering some l20, advanced upon the
town and heavy fire ensued The scene in
the town beggars description. Bullets were
! flying in all directions, and the terrified pop
uiace, abandoning homes and fortunes, were
seeking safety in flight The town WAS en-
tirely constructed of wood and the bullets
passed through the houses as if they had
| been cardboard. When cefest became GER
tain to Preston, fires commenced. Many de-
clare that Preston personally fired the gov
ernment house, where the drst fire originated,
while others assert that the Haytisn general,
| Portusal, was the author of the outrage. He
is the same man who fired the Jacme in
/ Hayti some months ago. He is now, toy ther
with companion, prisoner on board the
Gslena. Directly after one fire started
| dozen were set in different directions. A
strong wind was blowing and pandenionuim
Of fire, robbery, shooting and misery ensued..
~ " '' 'ouiu heu u" ooaiu the sniPs' TOT
uaES 'housahus OF the Populace occupied nat
anu oon cars "'ich were hurridis run oui
along the Panama railroad track.
Inc hteu states marines ana sailors are
reported to have acted admirably. The
troops from the English gun-hoat Lilly were
were also landed and assisted in keeping
guard, but were withdrawn after the canal
company had formed guard for the protec-
| 'i"h VI tntH property Inns guard caught
many oI the piuhdtrers' as did also the men
OF the uaiena. All caught red handed were
! iin"ienlately urea ana on the Following day
| sho'' fHty-elght persons, among whom II Is
oei'''en, were innocent people, were thus
summarlly despatched.
during the night between the troops which
went hehce ana Preston people, some 20 or
90 persons were Killed, whlle many more
were wounded. All these were burned dur
ing the nre, ana the charred bodies of all yet
encumber the streets. The flames flashed
through hundreds OF houses in which powder,
alcohol and general merchandise were stored
IN immense quantities, and there were fire.
quen' explosions which added terror to the
scene. The panic-strcken populace were
almost without provisions and water for two
davs. Conferences had been held during the
previous days by commissioners sent hence
to discuss matters with Gen. Aizpurn. lie,
however, demanded the unconditional surren-
der Of Gen. Govlma, and threatened to a tack
the city unless he surreneered. GOvima
however, declared that he would remain in
side the city and await results.
BY daylight the armed men of the Aizpuris
band had captured the steeples cot the Santa
Anna church and soon drove in the outposts.
They then dashed from church to church and
from street corner to street corner, heavy
and continuous rifle fire meanwhile being
kept up. Most OF the houses in Panama are
built OF stone and afforded better protection
for noh-combatants than the buildings in
| Colon. The barracks in which Gen. Govima
had shut himself were surrounded and at
| o'clock IN the afternoon he surrendered.
CITY OF MEXICO, April II.
Dispatches received IN this city state that
the total number of rebels captured al and
after the burning OF Colon by the Columbian
government troops Will reach 400. Authentic
reports state that on Wednesday the officials
OF the COLUMBIAN government selected 100 OF
the worst rebels imprisoned at Colon, and
placing them on board OF steamer, carried
them out INTO the bay, where the entire 100
were thrown overheard and drowned.
PANAMA, April II.
Intelligence from Central America states