Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-22
CENTRAL AMERICAN WAR.
Troops Collecting to Fight Aizpuru's
men-AnOther Conflict Expected-A
Detailed Account of the Outrages
Practiced Upon American Officials
From Capt. DOw-The Escaped

PANAMA, April 2I.
A peace commission from Panama reached
Buena Ventura on Friday. Their mission
was wholly ignored and canal launch con-
veying the members of the commission was
captured The war ship Boyaca is towing
an English hulk and the canal launch is tow
ing the Italian bark Genoa with 1000 men on
board who will attack Aizpuru at Panama.
The revolutionary leaders averse that he will
resist this force and state that their presence
is an invasion of one sovereign state by
another and is not q national effort to enforce
authority. Troops are reported to be EN-
barking at Bnena Ventura for this place.
Serious trouble is expected and it is believed
can only be averted by foreign intervention
WASHINGTON, April 81.
Secretary Whitney has received from Capt
Dow, the Pacific Mail Company's agent at
Panama, detailing story of the outrages
committed upon American officials and pri-
vate citizens by the insurgeants. After tell
ing the story of his refusing to give up the
arms on the consignment papers offered by
Preston, he says:
Preston then called squad of his soldiers
standing near to arrest me, and in spite of
their remonstrances arrested 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,
Preston, in an excited and angry voice, look
ing in the direction of the Gaena, said to his
officers: THE first gun you hear fired from
that vessel. shoot those men," Ia view of
this pleasant recommendation. l said to Pres
ton that he had better allow a. least one of
the officers of the Galena to go on board and
report our arrest to Capt. Kane, to which he
con sented, and Richardson was released.
As none of our party but myself heard Pres
tons order l mentioned it to Ensign Rich
ardson and told him to tell Capt Kane that
perhaps the lives of our party depended on
his prudent action Richardson then left us
and we were marched to the calaboose within
the barricades and up stairs to room, where
our friend Connor had been since. Guards
with loaded rifles were stationed at the door
of the room and another on the rear balcony.
After about an hour Preston and his in
terpreter, the latter who was afterm ard
captured and killed, came in and sought
further to induce me to deliver the goods.
| informed him that was simply acting under
orders of the military authorities my govern
ment During this conversation Preston
said if he was attacked he would fire the city
and massacre all foreigners and astonish the
civilized world. Finally Consul Wright
agreed to give the order for delivery of the
goods and we were released. Some suspic-
iOus HONclltuts Ou tue udleDa Wnlle tUe
goods were being unloaded caused myself
and Connor's rearrest on the wharf and had
| shot been fired at Preston's men at this Juno
ture we would certainly have paid the penalty
with our lives. Mr.. Connor and myself were
then again marched to the calaboose.
On the 3lst of March, at 2 45 A. NJ. we
were taken from our quarters and led like
criminals to the outpost of the rebel forces,
and placed under guard in hut. We had
hardly been there half an hour when the gov
ernment troops attacked the outpost and soon
bullets were flying thick and fast. Ny
guards, whom | told to run. did run, and
escaped in the confusion, as did Connor in
another direction, and we met on the Galena
Capt. Dow, whose story is voluminous,
justifies its length by desire to put Mr.
Copror and himself on record as demanding
through the nited States government from
Columbia for treatment received.