The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-30
His March through the Country Has Been One
Of Triumph, the People Supplying Him
Generously with Food and Money.
Villages Raided by Bands ofFreebooters
Who Call Themselves ReyolutiOnists.
Starvation Staring the Residents of the Be-
lssgured City In the Face-Threats Of Presi-
dent Palacio and the Rebel General.
The Rebels at the Outskirts of the Capital
General Crcspo's March.

The Rebels at the Outskirts of the Capital
General Crespo's March.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
AsPINwALL, April 29-The steamship
AmeriQue, with twenty-nine passengers.
arrived here from Laguayra to-day. They
report that General Crespo is marching on
Caracas with eighteen thousand infantry
and two thousand cavalry. The revolu-
tionIsts are we'll armed. OF the infantry
eight Thousand are armed with Man
lieher small- ealibre repeaters and six
thousand with Martini-Henry rifles.
of the latest model. Most of these
guns are of Austrian manufacture.
and have been smuggled In from Hamburg
steamships The cavalry is we'll mounted.
having had the pick of the horses in tho
country through which Crespo marched.
The army is accompanied by thousands of
camp-followers, who have risen to join the
revolutionsts. and are ready to fight as
soon as arms can be found for them. Crespo
10 welcomed in all the villages along tho
line of march. and money and food are sup
piled him from all sides.
Before beginning his march. General
Crespo detached several thousand in
fantry to make q demonstration against
Victoria for the purpose of diverting the
attention of tho government generals. and
giving hum an oppor tunity to get we'll in
could discover his intention to capture
Caracas. The force detached 10 make tho
feint is said to be commanded
by General Mora. Half of tho
government force was sent ont -
intercept tho revolutionists General
Crespo at once broke camp and FASTENED
by forced marches toward the capital.
There are but $500 or 1900 troops In Cara
cas-. as the city was deprived of most of its
garrison to supply men for the decisive bat
tie, expected by Palacio to be fought near
CrespO's camp on the southern shore of
Lake Valencia. Many of the troops in
Caracas. moreover. are suspected of dis
loyalty. The garrison is infested with in
formers, and upon their accusations SOL
diers are being arrested daily for conspir.
aoy against the government
The fall of Caracas is said to be certain
unless Palhcio's army can be united and
pushed in pursuit of the revolutionlsts
with hunpreeedente ted speed. The govern ment
oalvalry is poorly mounted. however. an d
It is thought Impossible for Is TO overtake
the revoiutionists. The ipfantry is in bad
condition for forced marches. as the army
stores are low and the people of the
country conceal or destroy their provisions
" -.
The condition OF the country through
which the opposing armies have marched
is desperate.
FREEBoOTERs AT WORK.
The revolution has detnoraiized a large
part of the population. Bands of piundeF-
ers and bighwaymen calling themselves
revolutionists infest all districts. They
make raids on the villages, burn the houses
and rob the shops. Dozens of wealthy men
have been kidnapped and held for ransom
There is absolutely no trade in the
region thus afflicted. Business men
are fleeing with their money
to the seaport towns. The province of
Tachira suffers especially from the opera
tions Of the raiders. The national military
hands are too full to allow it an Opportnni-
ty to punish the free hooters. aud the le-
gitimate followers of Crespo do not inter-
fere. as they derive benefit from the CON-
plete Generalization of the population.
1t was reported jnst before tho sailing of
the Ameriqne that 0 recruiting company
from PaIaclo's army was surrounded and
massacred by the people of q country town
in Tachira.
1t Is reported from Laguayra that, on
April 26. General Crespo and on advance
BODY OF his troops, numbering six thousand
men, were within thirty-six hours march
Of the city. The rest of the army was then
abont one days march behind and is was
thought that Crespo would wait for them
to join him before attacking the capital.
Crespo has captured Casanas, Palacio's
Minister of the Interior. He has warned
PRlaoiO that should further cases of cruelty
toward suspected revolutionists in Caracas
occur, Casanas will be taken out and shot.
Panic prevails in the capital. Govern
mont troops are throwing mp earth works
before the city. and citizens have been
compelled to WORK day andnight with pick
and shovel. Cattle are beipg driven into
the city. and the garrison has been proyis.
ioned for six wceks Most of the shops are
closed. and the price of food is so exhorbi-
tant that the poorest people are starving to
death. Arrests have almost ceased as the
the prisons are full. Spies are in almost
every house, however. and men suspec ted
of disloyalty are under the surveillance of
military and police. The attack of the
revolutionlsts, IL 10 said, would be made
within two or three days. 1t is believed
that Palacio Is preparing to fee, as the
main body of his army 10 too far distant to
succor him before the attack and the
garrison 10 too weak to offer pro-
loDged resistance. The capital is full
OF rumOrs as to plots against PalaciO's life.
and on last Sunday night four men were
arrested and charged with o conspiracy to
blow up the palace with dynamite. AS
thore has been no trial or execution ont
side of prison walls nothing is known as to
the foundation for the accusations. Despite
the accommodating evidence of his approach
ing fall il Is believed that PnlaelO will de-
fer his light to the last moment