The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-03-29
TROUBLE AT BLUEFIELDS
AMERICAN RESIDENTS SAVED BY
THE BRITISH GUNBoAT.
The Spanish Soldiers Were Determined
to Sack the Town and Would Prob
ably Killed Ali the Ameri-
can Residents.

NEW ORLEANS, March 23.-The con-
dition of affairs in Bluetields, Nlcar
sgua. is as unsettled as ever. The
English are still in control OF the po'
lice protection of the city and are in
fact in practical control of the entire
reservation. La Cayo remains at Blue
fields and refuses to vacate, but his
position is not recognized and the
Americans continue to ignore his de-
mand upon them for payment OF the
shipping dues.
Late last night the steamship VIM.
G. Hewes, of the Southern Pacific inc,
arrived from the southern seaport
town with the latest news. The COM
mittee of three Nicaraguans and the
two natives of New Orleans, who
we're appointed to arrange some pro
visional government, had held several
meetings, but having come to no
agreement disbanded. There now
seems to ue no attempt whatever 10
bring about a peaceful government.
The commander of the Cleopatra, be.
sides being the commander OF the
notice protection of the city, has as
sumed control OF the government TO d
certain extentand this Is all the gov
eminent there Is in the city. Com
missioner La Cayo remains in the
CITY and refuses to go out OF the bound
aries of the reservation. The Cleo
natra still lies at anchor off the Blue
fields, but is expected to leave very
shortly.
On Friday night last British bat.
tie ship came in sight OF the bluffs OF
Bluefields, and during the afternoon
came to aLGhor near the Cleopatra.
This vessel is expected to remain at
her present anchorage and the Cleo
patra will travel for the Northern
seas.
several days ago La CayO received
q letter from the president OF Nicara>
qua instructing the commissioner to
nlace i'm the streets of Bluefields 50
armed men to serve al patrol, and
1000 would he sent ashore az reinforce
ments il they are wanted. This letter
was shown to the commander of the
CLEOPATRA ard La Cayo wao advised
that if he wished to preserve peace in
the reservation to decline to receive
the men and to dismiss those troops
who still hung around Bluetields. La
Cayo took this advice ana the follow
inc day the remnants of the original
hOny which took the town some
weeks ago were sent by boat to Rama
LETTER FROM A RESIDENT.
PROvINCETowN, Mass March 23.-
A letter received here today from
Capt. f. f. Rider, formerly OF this
place, contains this interesting iaot
concerning the situation at Bluefield,
Nicaragua, where he now resides. he
reviews affairs at Bluetield previous to
the arrival of the British Warshp
Cleopatra and says that If it bad not
been for her coming all Americans
and foreign residents of the place
would have been killed.
Captain Rider continues: Aher
the formation of the provisional gov
eminent the commander of the Cleo
Satra compelled the Spanish troops to
retire to Greytown, and they sailed
or that place on the Cleopatra on the
5th inst. Lieutenant Coleman of the
,hip and % marines were left to pre-
vent further trouble. After the vessel
sailed it was found that some OF the
Spanish soldiers remained behind.
That afternoon some 70 Americans
and my seIf we're on the streets when
the Spanish soldiers commenced to
make arrests One soldier drew re-
yolyer ana fired three shots int @
crowd of natives. They attacked him
and nearly beat him to death. That
night q frighttul riot commenced be-
tween the Spanish soldiers aud the
natives. The streets were filled with
armed men aud the greatest excite
ment prevailed.
About 40 shots were fired during the
riot, two folders and one native being
killed aud several seriously wounded.
The foreign residents sent for Lieuten-
ant Coleman, who was encamped
short distance down the rive. end
came to our relief, and has since re-
manned in charge of the town. The
Cleopatra returned on the 9Th and in
creased the number ashore to l25.
Yesterday, March 8, 400 rifles and
IS, 900 rounds OF ammunition were
found in the brush near the town, and
today IA 900 more cartridges were dis
covered near by, all of it having been
concealed by the spanish soldiers. 1t
is believed they intended to return
when the war chip went away and
sack the town.
The Americans have asked the COM
mander of the Cleopatra to stay here
and protect them as we see no relief
coming from home, and he has prom
ised to stay until relieved by another
ship. Have all our ships gone on
Roncador reef, or what has become of
them? II it had not been for our
British cousins God only knows what
would have been the fate of us'Amer-
leans. All business is at a standstill
and no one knows what an hour may
bring forth"
NMrerly IN the KatV