The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-15

| tered upon The scene ana pinyod IT'S RI.
markahle little drama
William Walker hailed from Ten
| nessee. where he was horn IN 1874 of n
Scotch father, who four years before
cmigroted 10 this country, and a
native mother. Nature did not
deal lavishly with Walker either as a
boy or man. Arrived at maturity. his
weight was not over one hundred and
thirty pounds nor his height over nve
! feet and half HIS figure was slight
has hair HIGHT ana scant and his face
exceedingly plain. gave for strikingly
fine pair NJ gray rycs and Il large
rounded forehead. His disposition was
evidently rcstleps. rowing ono and
his ambition, Judging from his actions.
was Overwhelming Before his TWEEN
tieth year 10 bad tried three profess
sions. viz, medicine law and Journal
ism. AZ thirty we lind him pruclaming
himself President of Sonora small
Mexican state bordering upon Califor-
MIA, His rule here was short. however.
and terminated In trial ia the last
mentioned state for n violation OF the
neutrality laws.
Acquitted of this, he resolved to
become military man Nicaragua
offering him commission ns general
III hfr army, he purchased an old brig
and in the spring Of ldi5 sailed away
for that country with hfty-siY follow
crs and lofty dreams Of future power.
Nearly month and a half later
Walkers crazy little vessel the Vesta
by name, arrived at her destination, the
port OF RealeJo. The provisional direc-
tor gave his new allies warm wei
come, and at once formally accepted
them into the military service Of Me
sragua. They were organized as a
separate corps, and termed La Pa
lange Americana or the American
Phalanx. and ordered to proceed with
out delay TO kivas. a city upon the
shore Of Lake Nicaragua. which was
held by the Legitimists with them
went about q hundred native recruits.
In six days the attacking party, num-
ber!ng In all one hundred and sixty
FIVE, stood before Hiyas and debated
their plan OF assault. The city con.
tanned eleven thousand Inhabitants,
and was gsrrisoned with six hundred
soldiers. In the hght which followed
walker and hls command did nobiy,
and had their native assistants nor
proved Themselves poltroons by run
ming away, the victory would have
been on the side Of the besiegers But.
as II turned out, the odds were too
compelled to retreat and make their
way to San Juan del Sur
During the summer ten of the orig
NAL nfty-six fen IN battle. but Walker
received many recruits, so that In Oc-
tober he found himself at the head OF
two hundred and fifty natives. Then
II was that ne resolved upon a bold
and telling stroke. He seized the
Transit Company steamers at Virgin
Bay sailed with his four hundred and
nifty men TO Granada and captured that
city. utterly outwitting the enemy.
who were awaiting him at Rivas. forty
miles away.
Walker during these. months OF per-
petunl struggle, had grown in popu-
lariiy and power, and his capture OF
Granada, that city so dear 10 the
Legitimist cause, put him in a position
to negotiate terms with both friends .
and foes The upshot was that a treaty
was made between the two contendlng |
PARTIES the Liberals and the Legitim- /
lists, and a new government, selected
from both sides, was constituted Don
Patricio Rivas was made President pro 1
tenn, and Walker was appointed gem 4
eralissimo OF the army
In February, 1856, five months later, |
Costa Riea. alarmed at the growing ,
strength or foreign power In NIcara- 1
gaA her Reighboripg state. DECLARED