Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-07-18
ESCAPE OF A REFUGEE.
Under the Stars and Stripes He
 Fled From Salvador.
ALMOST CAPTURED ON A STEAMER

General Pou Tells How the Plans of His
 Enemy, President E1eta, Went Amiss.
 Now the Outcast VIII Go to Paris and
 Plot a New Revolution For Spain.
 NEW YORK. July 1s-General Geronimo Pou, formerly Salvadorian minister to Mexico and until three weeks ago In com mand of the military department of Son. sonate, Salvador, arrived here from that republic by the Colombian line steamer Alamo and is at the Hotel Espanol in West Fourteenth street. He tells the story of his escape from Salvador and how a repeti- tion of the Barrundia affair on an Ameri- can steamer was narrowly avoided.
 General Pou, who is about 40 years old. dark, of slight build and with a pointed beard, is a Spaniard by birth, and until 1888 was an infantry officer in the Spanish army. He, with other officers, favored the republican cause under the leadership of Rutz Gorilla, and when this became known to the government he was forced to flee from Spain to escape Imprisonment. He went to Salvador in 1888, and becom- ing favorite of President Carlos Ezeta, was placed In command of the military de partment of Sonsonate, one of the largest in the republic.
 Tt was while was stationed at Sonson- ate, toward the close of June that Presi- dent EZeta became my enemy" said Gen eral Pou, flor reasons which l am not at liberty to explain at this time, but had sufficient proof to convince me that Ezeta intended to seize me and that my fate would be death. 1 therefore determined to flee the country at once. This was made possible because the steamer Colima, on her way from San Francisco to Pana- ma, was due at the Salvadorian port of Acajutla, about 66 miles by railroad from Sonsonate, on July 1. On the night of June 30 I quietly left Sonsonate and went to Acajutla.
 Photographed to EEeta.
 The news of my departure was at once | telegraphed to Ezeta I knew that this would be done and made my arrangements | accordingly. The time at which passen- gers were to go on board the Colima was in | the afternoon as she was to sail that even | ing. The authorities. no doubt, counted on my also boarding the ship at that time, but knew better than to do that. Instead | l put off in a small boat and was on the vessels deck under the American flag be fore the commandant of the port and his aids knew it. They were chagrned enough | promise you, but they quickly tele | grRphed the news to Ezeta An order was returned to demand from the captain oi the steamer that should be delivered uE | to the government authorities.
 "On reaching the vessel had told the | captain about my situation and asked him | to permit me to hide until the vessel left l port so that the commandant and his mer could not find me. He declared he was un | able to accede to my request. Then begged him not to consent to my surren | der when the demand should be made | The captain no doubt had in his mind tht Barrundia incident, and replied that h. could do no more than remain neutral. l Fortunately there were among the pas | senEers some of my Compatriots, Spani | ards, who were not afraid to die in an at tempt to save the life of a countrymRn | They promised to join me in forcible re sistance to the soldiers. and if necessary kill or be killed before allowing me to b' | taken from the ship.
 Sure enough. during the afternoon tn Commandant and a boatload of soldier came on board with the intention of talk ing me away. The commandant showed
 the captain his authority and asked that
 be surrendered to him. The captain tolt the commandant he intended to remain en tirely neutral, The commandant pleaded most earnestly. but in vain.
 All Ready to Fight.
 I ly enough. It was a moment of suspens
 for everybody. With our fingers on tn
 triggers of our pistols Eny friends and re | nailcd in the main cabin. fortified as wei
 as was possible, and awaiting the attack 0
 the commandant and his men. The office
 was eager to get possession of me and ben
 on carrying out the presidents orders. bu
 am fully convinced that was not treate
 as was Barrundia, simply because tn
 president knew that in such an event tn affair would create so much common throughout the world that the investigs tion which would follow would disclos
 the motive of having me put out of th
 way. not to speak of possible complies
 tions with Spain. .~
 At last the commandant iHd his me
 left the ship and returned to shore. Soo
 afterward the Colima sailed for Panama.
 Speaking about his plans for the immt
 diate future General POu said:
 II sail for Paris on Saturday, where
 shall join my former chief, Gorilla, an
 interest myself in the course of lthe Spar
 ish Republican party. That a revolutio
 by the Republicans will take place in Spai
 is, believe, a certainty. If it does nc
 come this year it certainly will in 1894"