Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-19
IPANAMA'SDAYOF TERROR
COMMANDER KANE MAKES HIS
REPORT TO WHITNEY.

A Threat BY Preston to XIII Captive
Americans the Explanation of the
Naval Officers Apparent Failure TO Act
Fire and BIOOdshed Sweeping
Through Aspinwan simultaneously.
WASHINGTON, April 1S.-Commodore
Walker, Chief OF the Bureau of Naviga-
ton to-day, received the following tele-
/ gram from Commander McCalla ut Pan
anna:
The force from the Atlantic station was re-
! lleved yesterday. have just passed over the
/ line of railroad. The political condition of
! the isthmus is chaotic. II transit is to be
| Kept open short stay must not be con-
/ templated. The entire naval force now at
! Asplnwall and Panama should remain for
| Vhe present. The situation at Panama - un-
| settled. The example set at Aspuwau viii
| be precedent for the dsanected for some
! time TO come.
KANE'S EXPLANATION.
Commander Kane, of the United States
! steamship Galena, has made report to
! Secretary Whitney, under date Of April 8,
| relative to the burning of Aspinwau by
| Jhe insurgents on the afternoon of March
/ 81, and the part taken by his command for
the protection OF American citizens and
/ their property. Mr.. Kane's report ex-
| plains what appeared at that time to be
! besltancy or dilatOriness on his part in
! taking action for the protection OF the
! property Of American citizens from
seizure by Preston and his rebels. Two of
his officers who had gone on shore to in
vestgate. two OF the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company's officers and United States
! Consul Wright aud his clerk We're in the
| hands of Preston. who sent word to Com
mander Kane that these men would all
be shot if Kane interiered in any way
with his revolution" or if his demand
Tor the arms in the cargo Of the steamship
Colon was not complied with. Until the
release had been secured of his officers
and the other Americans Commander
Kane was obliged To act cautiously.
After that he made himself master OF the
situation with bis sailors, marines and
Gatling guns. Commander Kane says:
BOARDING OF THE COLON"
About 1890 O'Clock in the afternoon Of
March 80 it was reported to me that the
American steamer Colon had o small Amori-
can nag 40 the tOreuplOn down, ana that thcy
| were signalling from her that the steamer
| WAS being seized 10y insurgent troops. ! I'M
medlately sent boat 20 the Colon IN charge
| oi Lieut.. Judd. OF she United states Navy, to
sec what the trouble was. This ship was at
the time lying at anchor about 800 yards from
abreast OF the northern wharf OF the island,
and the steamer Colon was mo0red at the Pa
| cihc Mail steamship COmpany's wharf, hav-
ing arrived that morning from New YORK.
! Lieut.. udd returned IN about half an hour
bringing with him United States Consul
| wright, AMI informed me that there were
| arms and ammunition on board the Colon,
| and that Preston, chief OF the insurgent forces
| here, had demanded the delivery Of the arms,
| that the Aspinwall agent of the Pacific Mail
| Company was under arrest, and that Preston
| had prOmisednOt to interfere with the steamer
| before 2 O'Clock in tine afternoon, when the
| general agent Of the Pacific Mail steam
ship Company, Capt. Dow, would ar
rive from Panama, provided the Galena put
| no force ON board the steamer In the mean
| time.
SEIZURE OF THE AMERICANS.
At2:45 O'Clock in the afternoon sent Lieut.
| Judd who was accompanied by the United
! states Consul and Naval Cadet Richardson,
| to meet Capt Dow, and direct him not 70 de-
| liver any arms without my order, and also to
| communicate with Preston and say that de-
| sired an interview with him. Lieut.. Judd
met Capt. Dow at the steamship Office at the
! head of the dock, where were also Preston
\ and some OF his aids. Lieut.. Judd com
! municated my instructions. and Preston at
| once called in some OF his guards and arrested
| Lieut.. Judd, the United states Consul and
| Capt. Dow, and ordered them taken TO prison.
As the party passed the United states Con-
sulate the Consul spoke to his clerk Casanova,
/ an American citizen, and the insurgents inn
mediately entered the Consulate and f0rcibly
removed Casanova, ana joined him to the
| party.
Naval Cadet Richardson was permitted to
| return to his ship to bring news Of the arrest
| He was also informed OF the threat of Preston,
| il would be fred upon, and that if she fired
gun the whole party would be shot.
RELEASE OF THE PRISONERS.
The insurgent guards were now assembled
on the wharYes in force, and had thrown up
| a barricade on the northern pier OF the har-
| Dor TO resist our landing. sent a demand TO
! Preston for the immediate release Of the
| whole party, hut Lieut.. judd returned on
| hOard and the demand was not delivered.
/ Lieut.. Judd and party were held as priso-
/ ners for nearly two hours. and only released
/ when the United States Consul had given hls
consent for the delivery Of the arms. This
promise was exacted under penalty OF death
! for the entire party. During the absence OF
| Lieut.. Judd the Galena had been dropped
/ down within 100 yards Of the COl0n's wharf,
and every preparation was made for selzing
that vessel.
TIRE "COLoN'' SECURED.
After Lieut.. Judd's release ! succeeded in
| getting the United States Consul from the
| Colon 10 this ship, but could not get hold OF
| the two agents Of the Pacific Mail Steamship
! Company. ] now determined 10 wait no
| longer and so ordered all the armed boats
/ manned, and, under command Of Lieut.. Judd,
! the Colon was taken possession Of, the insur-
] gent troops retiring uD the wharf and taking
I with them the two steamship agents as prison.
The Colon was hauled out into the stream.
and the Gaena dropped IN alongside Of the
! wharf. After securing the ship and posting
! all the necessary guards on the wharf, made
| a demand on Preston for the release Of the
! TWO agents OF the Pacific Mail steamship
/ Company, ana received q verbal reply that be
would answer me IN the morning.
ESCAPE OF THE TWO AGENTS.
ht7 o'clock the next morning, March 81, !
! landed battalion, consisting OF twelve ohicors
/ and ia sailors and marines with three guns.
/ under command Of Lieut.. Judd, and made
/ preparations 20 release the two agents by
/ force IL my demand WAS not complied with.
/ While these preparations were being made on
/ the wharf Capt Dow and Agent COnn0r ap-
/ peared and informed nae that they had cs-
capped from Preston's forces, who had taken
/ them from prison about 3 O'Clock in the
| morning and out about three miles on the
/ line OF the railroad. TO point whore the IN
! surgent troops had met the government forces
from Panama, and that after % slight engage
ment the insurgents retreated towards town.
GUARDING AMERICAN PROPERTY.
Having now under my protection all the
] Americana who had been arrested, ana hear
] inRthc firing OF the government troops from
( Panama who were drawing the ineurgent
/ forces before them intO their uarrcadc in the
/ town. ordered Lieut.. Judd with his force 10
/ leave sufficient men 20 protect the Offices OF
/ the Pacific Mail Company and then Co take
4 possession OF the United states Consulate and
/ Offices and the stOrehouscs Of the Panama
| Railroad Company, and 20 uso DIS force FOR
the protection Of this American property.
! THIS was done.
FIGHTING IN THE STREETS.
The firing between the Insurgents and gov-
/ ernment troops increased rapidly and thc
l street fighting WAS kept up for about three
1 hours. All Of The insurgcnt tr0Opshad sought
1 shelter behind their barricade, which was
I soon surrounded. About 1890 o'clock in the
afternoon the prison situated within the bar