New-York tribune., 1891-08-31
PRICE THREE CENTS.
COWED THE SALvADOREANS
PLUCKY BEARING OF CAPTAIN WHITE. or
THE CRY OF PANAMA
THE HOT WATER HOSE COUPLED on TO swEEE
THE cK-UNsUccEssFUL ATTEMPT TO RE,
PEAT THE BARRUSDIA AFFAIR IN
THE HARBoR OF LA LIBERTAD.
ny TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUsEI

San Francisco. Aug 30.-A letter received py
aThe Chronicle to-day from San Jose de uua'c.
mala throws some new light on the seizure OF
the Pacific Mail steamer City of Panama by the
Salvadorean authorities. Ii shows coneluslVeiy
that the attempt to seize Salvadorean refugees
was an exact repetition of the Barrundia affair."
except that Salvador in this latest case was the
aogressor and desired to do precisely what sno
protested against Guatemala doing in the case
of Barrundia The correspondent says:
"The steamer received at Gorinto, Nicaragua.
as passengers for Guatemala, Oeneral Le'oh"s
General Hernandez SenoB Ayala and Rivas and
p. p Brannon. They bought tickets for pan
lose de Guatemala General Letona was one
of the most popular generals in Salvador,
millionaire bnt had been in exile for nearly nso
years President Ezeta, of Salvador, pro'ery
hated Letona, because in 1885, when Lco"ns
was Commander-in-C Chief of the Savadorean arihys
and Ezeta was only a private Ezeta was de'ec'e.
in stealing and by Letona's orders was glVeu ono
hundred lashes.
Letona has spent his exile in Honduras ana
Nicaragua, but he has known that Ezeta "oui"
rive a large sum to secure his capture on SaiVa-
dorean soil, and that his life would not DC WORM
a cent if he fell into Ezeta's clutches. IL"
had perfect confidence, however, in captain Whi'e.
of the City of Panama, and, as events pro'eu'
this commence was Hob ilioPiN"eN-
is also an exile who has spent his time In Nj
caragua Ayala is the legally elected President
of Salvador, but was deprived of his office by
the intrgues of Ezeta and his brother. RivaS
was a colonel in the Salvadorean army ana
nephew of General Rivas, who captured the
Salvadorean capital last year while Ezeta was
preparing to repel the attack by Honduras Geh'
eral Rvas was defeated and Ezeta had him shou
and his body exposed for three days at the caption
as a warning to all ambitious aspirants TO the
Presidency. Brannon is a railroad contractor OF
Scranton, Penn, to whom the Salvadoreah uo'ern-
ment owes large sums for railroad work lie
was prescribed because he mixed In poltcs.
1t will thus be seen what strong motives Ezeta
had for desiring to secure possession of each OK
these refugees When the steamer reached La
Union the Commandant and four officials came on
board. One official, named Portocarrero, Is
notorious character who was Concerned IN the
poisoning of President Nelendez and in the kllln2
of two men at San Miguel This fellow tried 10
get into an argument with Rivas and Brannon ana
pick q quarrel but they suspected his design ana
retired to their cabins. few hours later the
Commandant notified TO Captain White that ne
would not give an order for the dispatch of the
steamer until he had heard from Ezeta. Shortly
after Captain White was surprised to see the Com
mandant leave the ship in furious rage, swearing
that he would not dispatch the vessel till Letona
was given up This Captain White again refused
to do saying that he was under the protection OF
the American fag and he would defend Letona To
the last extremity.
A launch with soldiers was left alongside, and
at 8 o'clock no attention having been PAID to
the ships warning whistle, the steamer left for
La Iibertad without papers. There she was
seized by the Salvadorean Government. ostensibly
/ because she left La Union without the neccs-
oOrTssSpOndeuca Iha
Commandant at La Libertad came on board and
told Captain White that he had orders to take
charge of the ship. At the same time a report
came from the shore that Ezeta was soon ex-
pected with strong force Of troops to take
the refugees at all hazards. The paan, 1t was
reported, was to attempt the arrest OF Ietonas
which they knew would De resisted ,li ana tnea
Purser Garland held consultation ana then enc
captain ordered the COmmandant to go ashore.
All hands were aimed, and the hot,water nose
was coupled ready to sweep the deck IN case
of an attempt of the Salvadoreans TO board the
vessel The C0mmandant left the vessel hurrledy,
evidently impressed with the preparations Tor
fight. =,
All hands were on guard that night. The fol-
lowing day reply was received rpm the cap.
tain's message, to the Paclnc Mal orncef az
Panama, and there Is strong ground for Suspicion
that this message held hours on shore. l6
gave orders to proceed, and the steamer left inc
port at once for San jose where the reIpgees s
touch at Acajutta because the captain feared
that Ezeta would be there and make an attack.
AS the vessel steamed by train was seen 70
leave the town for the interior with troops on
board, that fact showing the wisdom OF the cap
tain's course There great rejoicing at San
Jose over, the American captains pluck: it Is
understood that Minister Pachec0 has received
| the strongest instructions from Mr. Blaine oe-
mandng that inquiry into the delay OF the YES
sci be prosecuted with vigor, and that SALVADOR
| be made to furnish an ample apology.