The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-04-01
STATE OF ANARCHY
Life and Property in Venezuela
in Peril.
BATTLE FOUGHT NEAR CARACAS
The Insurgents 0utnumbered Three to One
and Defeated.

They Were Successful at First, But Were
Finally RepuIsed with Loss of 300
The Revolution is Spreading Prisons
Are Crowded and the Newspapers Are
NIuzzIed-The Government is Preparing
for n Desperate Defense.
PANAMA, April IA French steamship
which has arrived here brings authentic
news of the uprising in Venezuela against
President Palacio. The officers say that
the country is in an anarchistic condi-
tion and that life and property in the
vicinity of Caracas are in constant
peril
The rumors Of a recent battle between
President Palacio's troops and the insur-
gents under General joaquin Crespo are
confirmed.
The battle was fought near Caracas
and lasted for three hours At first
Crespo's forces were successful and drove
the government troops steadily back on
the road to the city. Reinforcements
for Palacio's arms arrived as the retreat
was becoming rout, and the govern
ment troops made q stand on wooded
hill
Crespo's men were outnumbered al
most three to one, the government having
$500 troops to their 5000. They tried
to storm the position on the knoll three
times, but were driven back with a loss
of 800. The government troops then
took the offensive and followed the in
surgents, who retreated, leaving 300
dead on the field.
The insurgents retreated toward
Eastern Zamora with the intention of
joining another insurgent army which is
said to be g. 600 strong Detachments OF
the government troops went in pursuit,
and several skirfaishes took place in
which the revolutionists repEisGd Pala-
clos men,
The revolution is spreading and the
| insurgent forces are augmented daily.
In Eastern Zamora the people are
taking sides with Crespo, and many sol
diers have deserted the government
Crespo, the French officers say, has the
reputation yI being the best general in
VenezuclH. i,p % a brave fighter, but
his policy at present is to remain inactive
while his forces are swelled by deserters
from Palacio's army and by discontented
citizens
Even the most loyal citizens have been
rendered restless by the despOtic meas
ures to which Palacio has resorted tt
suppress the rebellion. Spies of the
Government are everywhere, and hardly
a day passes without the arrest of some
conspicuous man for utterances supposed
to reflect on the Government The
prisons are crowded and the newspaper
are muzzled.
Large quantities of arms have beer
landed recently on the coast near Ca
bello. They are of American make and
are known to have been distributed
among Crespo's troops. When he shall
have recruited aud armed his forces suf-
fclently for long campaign, Crespo is
believed to intend to march at once on
Valencia, the capital of Carabobo, ol
upon Caracas.
The Government is preparing for q
desperate defense of both cities. The
garrison in each has been doubled anC
men are at work night and day throw
ing up earthworks. Extraordinary sup.
plies have been stored in the Govern
ment buildings in both cities, and the
roads have been fianked for distance OF
30 miles with small detachments Of sol
diers.
The Government has an overhowing
treasury and is supplied with an abund-
Bnce of small arms and considerable
number of cannons The insurgents
have comparatively few field guns.
Both Valencia and Caracas are already
governed as if in a state of siege.
Government spies are in every
place of public resort and have
made their way into many private house
holds. Arrests are made without appa.
rent cause and men are held prisoners
without examination or trial. Conspicu-
GUS men not in full sympathy with the
government fear to go alone in the
streets at night for fear of being seized
and locked up on false charges. Many
have left the city to escape such a fate
after having been warned that the gov
ernment spies were-watching them.
The French officers say that the cause
of the revolutionists is the popular one
and that in case of two or three victories
for Crespo, the great majority of tn,
people would throw off the semblance o
loyalty and join their fortunes with his
The government has more money ant
better drilled troops than the revolu
tionists, and the issue of the conflict il
therefore uncertain. At all events, they
say, the struggle will be long one,
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