The herald., 1896-06-02
TROOPS LAND At C0R|NTO
But This Time No Fault Will Be
Found
ENGLISH AND YANKEE TARS
Fight Side by Side Against q Drunken
Mob
Attempted Lootlng Of Private Property by
Honduras Revolutlonists Prevented by
Marines from Foreign Warshlps
Associated Press Special wire.


Marines from Foreign Warshlps
Associated Press Special Wire.
MANA0UA. Nicaragua, May IA
Copyright 1896. jim view of the fact
that the government controlled the wires
at the time, the correspondent of the As
ISOLATED Press here has been compelled
to send by mail the following account OF
the landing, on May I'd, at Corinto. of a
force Of about one hundred American
and British marines from the United
States steamer Alert and the British
cruiser Comus, who. acting in the most
perfect harmony, occupied that port
and protected. until May 4th. the prop
erty of foreigners In the custom house
and at the railroad station, subduing q
riotous and drunken mob which threat
ened to cause the most serious disturb
ances.
During the recent revolution in Mica
ragua there were remarkable instances
of the lawless manner in which So
called ministers Of provincial govern
ments can act when they have the op-
portunity. For instance, about March
18th, Samuel Mayorga, who was minis
ter for the treasury In the Baca, or revo-
lutionary government, made demand
on Mr.. H. s. Harding, an English sub
ject, controller of the branch at Leon Of
the London bank of Central America.
for q loan of $4,000 or about $33, 900 OF
Nicaragua bonds of doubtful ownership.
threatening to withdraw protection from
the bank II the demand was not COM
piled with within a given time.
Mr.. Harding succeeded in staving the
matter off until he had letters delivered
secretly to Commander Franklin Han
ford of the United States steamer Alert,
then the only warship at the port Of
Corinto, and to the United States con-
sular agent at Corinto, Mr.. Henry Bala-
zio. Commander Hanford Immediately
assured Mr.. Harding that he would re-
sist any effort to take by force the prop
erty Of citizens Of the United States or
Of subjects of foreign governments In
friendly relations with the United
States. Commander Hanford sent this
letter by the United States consular
agent, who took prompt action and sue
ceeded In saving the money Of the Eng
lish bank from the Nicaraguan officials,
while at the same time clearly showing
eigners could not be interfered with.
But. upon April 18th, Minister May
orga issued decree in the name Of the
revolutionary government, declaring
that the officers and books Of the Gus
tom house at Corinto were to be at once
removed to Leon. the capital Of the re-.
volutionary government, situated about
thirty-five miles in the interior, adding
that, lowing to the fact that the troops
Of Honduras (sent to assist the army of
President Zelaya )might at any time
overthrow the small force of Baca's
troops at Corinto and seize the millions
Of dollars worth of merchandise in the
custom house belonging to the citizens
OF Nicaragua and to foreigners as they
had robbed private dwellings and stores
in the town of Ell Viejo, twenty-five
miles from Corinto.' he. Samuel May
orga, minister Of the treasury, has come
TO Cortnto with railroad trains in order
TO remove the merchandise belonging
largely to foreigners. from the custom
house Of Corinto to Leon. 1t was evil
dent, however, the real object of May
orga was to obtain possession Of this
property and hold It as security for a
war loan. The foreigners protested to
Commander Hanford and to Captain
Henry H. Dyke Of the British cruiser
Comus, which had arrived at Corinto
about April 5. The American and Brit
ish commanders decided that they would
not allow the insurgents to take possess
sion of the property of foreigners in the
TO. as the latter buildings, being within
800 yards Of the guns of the two war
ships, were at least as safe as if the
property was at Leon.
This enraged Minister Mayorga SO
much that he caused the arrest of ali
native males In Corinto between the
ages OF seventeen and seventy wears.
on the plea that a great battle was immi.
nent at Momtombo. After OBTAINING
them on the railroad cars for a few
hours, Mayorga released all of those who
could pay him from $10O to $3.50 in cash.
ana returned to Leon with the other
unfortunate Inhabitants of Corinto
without giving any receipts for the
money collected, but declaring he would
return again to Corinto This he did on
May !, with his party disbanded. and
sought safety in flight with considerable
sums OF money extorted from the peonIe
OF Nicaragua. They escaped to Guate-
ers of the American and British war
sh1ps having no authority to arrest
them. But their flight showed the neces-
sity OF protection for foreigners to he
better than ever.
The chiefs of the insurgent party suc-
ceeded IN escaping. a great number of
o.acers ana soldiers of the insurgent
rtnto In the hope of getting out of the
country, but failed, owing to lack ~
means The disappointed soldiers he
came reckless after their leaders de-
serted them, began drinking and riotinr
some OF them succeeded in crossing the
estuary and made for the woods. Others
commenced robbing houses and threat
ening the lives of everybody of the law
Ind order class at Corinto. Women were
!nsulted and an attack upon the custom
house was planned The native com
mandants and the handful Of police at
the port were utterly impotent. and
aDout o'clock in the morning of Nav
"a the cOmmandants, at the request of
the peaceful residents, sent a. commit
tee to Chinandega with a letter to Man
oei Bonilla, vice-president of Honduras.
VINO was In command of the troons ~
that republic.
Senor Bonilla was at Ell Viejo and when
ne received the request from Corinto to
send q force to protect that port he prom
lsed to comply. There was considerabla
delay and the policemen sent did NOT
reach Corinto until 1880 p.m,. which
would have been too late to save tha
custom house and It's contents, although
shinandega is only about % miles from
Corlnto.
While the committee was away the |
most serious disorders broke out at |
Corinto. The disbanded soldiers seemed |
insane with drink, robbed houses, vio- |
ated women and young girls and began
gathering about the custom house.
Palmer, the commandant of the custom |
louse. hurried written request for pro- |
ection to Mr.. Henry Balazio. the United |
States consular agent, requiring the |
American to appeal. for heln to the, com
nanders Of the British and American
in port. and asking them to /
and men and take charge of the port L
md protect the persons and property |