The herald., 1897-05-12

ISTHMUS WAR
Little Nicaragua Grows
Very Bold
STARS AND STRIPES FIRED ON
xN AMDRxcAN SHIP BOARDED
AND sEARCHED
STARS AND STRIPES FIRED ON
An UncomArmed Report That the
, American Consul at Port Cortez
IL Has Been Shot
Assoc,atsd Press Special Wire

Chronicle from New Orleans says: The
steamer Rover. plying between this por.
and the ports of Spanish Honduras, was
1lred on by the Nicaraguan man-of-war
on May while four miles from Port
Cortez, and narrowly escaped being hit
amidships. The Rover, which came In
tonight, also brought the information
that It was rumored In Omoa and other
kovernment points that the American
consul at Port Cortez, Mr. Alger, had
been shot, but no particulars had been
obtained. The fact that his flags were
not flying when the Rover left port Is
taken as an indication that this Is really
10, and possibly Port Cortez has passed
into the hands Of the government, al
though 1t is also said that the revolution
lists at that place are principally Amer
leans and Englishmen, well armed and
vastly superior to the force Of the Hon.
durian government.
The story Of the affair as told by Capt.
Reed Of the Rover is as follows:
Upon arriving at Port Cortez on the
morning Of May 9Th. Captain Reed OBJ
served that the flags Of the American
consul were not flying and there seemed
to be something amiss in the town. He
decided not to anchor his ship, but in
stead remained of shore, waiting to be
boarded by the customs officials. After
waiting for some time and no one put
ting in an appearance and noticing that
the town seemed to be in state of agita-
tion. Captain Reed concluded 1t was not
safe for him to remain in port and head
ed his ship for Omoa. When the river
was about four miles distant from Port
he fv10 h.,
served heading for the steamer.
When the two vessels were about half
q mile. apart. to the astonishment and
idismay of the American captain and his
icrew, a puff Of smoke was observed to
and the next moment there followed q
report and a solid shot struck the water
a few hundred yards ahead Of the bow
The engines of the Rover were stopped
at once and there then followed another
shot from the Lucy B. which dropped
into the sea about fifty feet from the side
of the American ship in direct line with
her amidships.
The Lucy b was at this time within
hailing distance and an officer in uni
chor. She was then boarded by the off,
/ Ger and six of her crew followed. The
! officer turned out to be Gen. ]. p. Reyes
OF the Nicaraguan government and he
demanded to see the Rovers papers
which were given him. He then search
ed the vessel and apparently finding
everything to his satisfaction. gave Cap
tain Reed permission to load fruit at
coast ports.
Captain Reed protested earnestly TO
Reyes against firing upon the Rover
when she carried the American flag at
fer masthead and was told by the Gene
raj that he ought to consider himself
lucky that he (Reyes) did not sink the
Rover and that Captain Reed could pro-
test As much as he liked, it made no dif~
ference to him, as the American consul,
Aleer. was at the head of the revolution
ut Port Cortez.
The Rover then proceeded on her way
WAR IN HONDURAS
NEW YORK, May ia dispatch to
the Herald from Panama says: The Her
aid correspondent in Tegucigalpa, Hon
4uras. telegraphs that after a fierce bat
tie yesterday the government troops sue
ceeded in recapturing the town of Puer-
to Cortez, a seaport, from the rebels. In
the engagement which took place In the
city large number Of insurgents were
killed and few of the government
troops lost their lives. The rebels had
many wounded and forty of them were
taken prisoners. When the leaders of
the rebellion. who were in Puerto Cor
tee. realized that they would be unable
to hold the city, they deserted their
ItroOpS and escaped to Guatemala