The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-23
WANTAYANKEE SHIP
Americans in Bluefie1ds
Urge Uncle Sam to Send
Them a Man-of-War.
STATE OF SIEGE RAISED
Spanish Soldiers Attack Repulscd,
and They Are Beaten Nearly
to Death.

PRovINcETowN, Mass, March 90, 1884
A letter has been received by resident of
this town from friend in BIuefields, Nicar-
augua, regarding the state of affairs at that
place. The letter is dated March 10, and
states:-Times have been very lively here
since last wrote you. On the 18th
of last month, at two o'clock A. M. 400
Nicaraguan soldiers, under the command of
General Cabeza, seized the town, deposed
allsthe officers of the Mosquito Reserve, took
charge of all public buildings, declared the
town in state of siege, and proclaimed
martial law The Americans asked again
for warship from the United States. but
up to date we have heard nothing from
home Mosquito asked England to protect
them, and the Cleopatra arrived here two
weeks ago, and it is well for us Americans
that she came as soon as she did. The Sun
day she arrived the Spanish soldi were
driving women and children into the houses
at the bayonet's point.
ENGLISH STOP TROUBLE.
The commanderAof the English ship com
PEELED the Spanish General to raise the siege.
The Spanish Commissioner agreed to form a
provisional government and send his soldiers
away to Greytown on the British warship.
They sailed the 9Th inst. Lieutenant Col
more of the Cleopatra, with seventy-fve
men, was left here, seven miles from
town, in case of further trouble After
the ship had sailed it was found that all
of the Spanish had not departed, as
numbers were seen on the streets. AT about
2 Pm. myself, in company with twenty
Americans, was on the street when the
Spaniards attempted to make arrests. One
of them drew a revolver and fired three
shots into crowd of natives, but the latter
got the revolver away from the Spanlard
and beat him nearly to day.
FRIGHTFUL RIOT.
Things then quieted dowu until eight P.
M, when frightful riot began between the
Spanish soldiers and natives The streets
were full of armed men and great excite
ment prevailed. We Americans, with the
other foreign residents, dispatched a boat to
Lieutenant Colmore and he promptly came
to our relief. He took charge of the town
and put stop to further rioting and has
held the town since. During the
melee about forty shots were fired.
Two soldiers and one native were
killed and several wounded The
ship returned on the 9th and put more
men ashore. The English now have 10
men in the town. If it had not been for the
British protection many lives would have
been lost. A large amount of firearms and
ammunition, 400 rifles and about $4,000
rounds of cartridges have been found hidden
in the bush, where the Spaniards had con-
cealed them, intending to come back when
the warship went away, and sack the town.
We have asked she captain of the Cleopatra
to stay here, and he has promised to stop I'M
til he is relieved by another ship.
AMERICANS WANT PROTECTION.
Where is our ship?
Have they all met the fate of the Kear-
sarge, or what has become of thems
tell you if it had not been for our Brit
ish cousins things would have gone hard
with us and with all foreign residents, as
well, for if the Spaniards had got the upper
hand they would have spared no one All
bnsinefs Is at standstill. and no one knows
what an hour may bring forth.