The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-12
ON BY A WAR SHIP
AMERICAN VESSEL ALMOST HIT by
A NICARAGUAN GUNBOAT.
RumOr that the United States Consul
at Port COrtez, Mr.. AIger,
Has Been Shot.

CHICAGO, May ia dispatch to the
Chronicle from New Orleans says: The
steamer Rover. plying between this port and
the ports of Spanish Honduras, was fired on
by a Nicaragua man-of-war May 6 while
four miles from Port Cortez, and
narrowly escaped being hit amidships. The
Rover, which came III tonight, brought the
information that it was rumored in Omoa
and other government points that the
American consul at Port CorteZ, Mr.. Alger,
had been shot, but no particulars were OBJ
tanned. The fact that his flags were not
flying when the Rover left the port is taken
as an indication that this is really so, and
that possibly Port Cortez has passed into
the hands of the government, although it
is also said that the revolutionists at that
place are principally Americans and Eng
lishmen, well armed and vastly superior to
the forces of the Honduranian government.
News was received in this city several
days ago that the tugboat Lucy B., con-
verted into a gunboat by the Nicaraguan
authorities, had left Bluefelds under the
command of General Reyes, armed with
two unmounted cannon, and manned by
fifty banana cutters whom Reyes had
pressed into service by taking them from
the plantations on the Rama river. Reyes
left for Port Cortez with the avowed inten-
ton, it is said, of assisting the government
of Spanish Honduras in the task of recap
turing Port Cortez, operating in c%onJunc-
ton with the Honduranian forces, which
were supposed to be advancing upon the
port from the direction of Omoa. 1t was
the Lucy B. that fired on the steamer
Rover, and without prOvocation, while the
Rover had the American flag flying at the
masthead.
The story of the remarkable audacity of
Reyes in defying the American government
and attempting to assert the supremacy Of
the ~Nicaraguan government upon the high
seas. all opposition to the contrary, is as
follows: She left New Orleans April 20 for
Port Cortez, arriving at the latter port on
the morning of May =. Captain Reed OBJ
served when a few miles from the anchor
age that the flags of the American consul
were not flying and that there seemed to
be something amiss in the town, and decid-
ed not to anchor his ship, but instead re-
manned off shore waiting to be boarded by
the custom officials. After waiting for some
time and no one putting in an appearance,
and, noticing that the tow seemed
to be in a state of agitation,
Captain Reed concluded it was
not safe for him to remain in the
port and headed his ship for Omoa. When
the Rover was about four miles distant
from Port Cortez the tugboat Lucy B. was
observed heading for the steamer. When
the two vessels were about a half mile
apart. to the establishment and dismay of
the American captain and his crew, a puff
of smoke was observed to clear the sides of
the Nicaraguan vessel, and the next mo-
ment there followed a report and a solid
shot struck the water a few hum
dred yards ahead of the Rover. The
engines of the Rover were stopped
at once. and 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 by this time
within ha4ling distance and an officer IN
uniform ordered the Rover to come to an
Choir. She was then boarded by this officer
and six of his following. The officer turned
out to be General ]. p. Reyes, of the Nicar-
aguan government, and he demanded to see
the Rover's papers, which were given
him. He then searched the YES
sci and, apparently finding everything
to his satisfaction gave Captain Reed a per-
NIT to load fruit at coast ports. Captain
Reed protested earnestly to Reyes against
the firing upon the Rover when she carried
| the American flag at her masthead and was
told by the general that he ought to con-
slider himself lucky that he Reyes) did not
! sink the Rover and that Captain Reed could
protest as much as he liked, it made no
difference to him, as the American consul,
Alger. was the head of the revolution at
Port Cortez. The Rover then proceeded on
bar waV