Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-04-24
NATIONAL CAPITAL NEWS.
OUTRAGES ON AMERICAN CITIZENS.
Perpetrated at Colon by the Rebel Pres
tan-Captain Dow's Account of the
Atrocious ATair-His Treatment
While Under Arrest

WAsWNGTON, April q. - Secretary
Whitney has received from Captain Dow,
the Pacific Mail company's agent at Pan
anna, II detailed story of the outrages
committed upon American officials and
private citizens by insurgents After tell
ing the story of his refusing to give up
arms on the consignment of the papers
offered by Prestan, he says Prestan then
called Il squad of soldiers to arrest him
and in spite of their remonstrances ar
rested also Mr.. Wright, Lieut. Judd and
Ensign Richardson As we approached
the gate looking from the yard of the
| cOmpany's house into the street. Prestan,
in an excited and angry voice, looking in
| the direction of the Galena. said to his
officers in Spanish "The first gun you
hear from that vessel shoot these men"
In view of this pleasant recommendation
| | suggested to Prestan that he had better
| allow ut least one of the officers of the
guard to go on board and report our ar
rest to Captain Kane, to which he CON
sented. Mr.. Richardson was released.
| AS none of our party bat myself heard
| Prestan's order, mentioned it to Rich
ardson and told him ito tell Captain
Kane that perhaps the lives cf
our. party depended on his prudent
| action. Richardson then left and
| we were lIldrCHeu 10 Jne CdldDOOSe WlUnln
the barricades and up stairs to room
where our friend Mr.. ConnOr had been
since noon. Guards with loaded rifles
were stationed at the door of the room and
another on the rear balcony of house,
ten feet distant which commanded the
room through the only window in it.
After about an hour Prestan and his
interpreter, the latter of whom was after
wards captured and killed, came in al d
sought. further to induce me to
deliver up the goods. During this
conversation Prestan said if he was at
tackled he would fire the city, massacre AL
foreigners and astonlsh the civilized
world. Finally Consul Wright agreed to
give the order for the delivery of the
goods and we We're released Some sus-
piciOus movements on the Galena, while
the goods were being unloaded, caused
the re-arrest of myself and Connor on the
wharf and had Il shot been fired at Pres
tan's men at this juncture we certainly
would. have paid the penalty with
then again taken to the Gala
DOOSe
, On the 3lst of March, at 2:45
II. m we were taken from our quar-
t ters and led like criminals to one of the
outposts of the rebel forces and placed un
, der guard in a hut. We had hardly been
! ! there half an hour when the government
troops attacked the outpost and soon bul-
lets were flying thick and fast. told my
guards To run ana they dld so, ana l eS-
capped i'll the confusion, as did ConnOr in
, another direction, after his guard had
been shot, and we met on the Galena
t Capt. Dow, whose story is very Yolumin-
| Gus, iustihes its length by the desire to
put Mr.. Connor and himself on record AS
demanding through the United States
government satisfaction from Colombia
Tor the treatment received
= The Presidents First Reception.
WA~HTNGTON, d. c. April 2l.-president
> Cleveiapd held his first public reception
at the White House tonight. The attend
ance was larger than any public reception
t. at the executive mansion for many years.
/ The President received in the east room
and was assisted by members of the Cab
p met and ladies of their families. From .
until II o'clock IA constant stream of call
t ers poured in and out, the attendance be
- inp estimated M \ ONO