The record-union., 1898-01-01
Old Glory No Longer Floats Over
Clipparton Island.
Lowered by Mexican Marines and Replaced
by the Republics Emblem.
Complaint of Americans Employed
or the Island by a Company to
Take Charge of Guano Which
Was Stored in Warehouses
Mexican Version of the Inci-
dent.

SAN DIEGO, Dec 31-The steamer
Albion arrived to-day from a months.
cruise down the coast, and her passen-
gers tell of a rather high-handed pro-
ceeding on the part of the Mexican gun
boat FL Democratic, being no less than
the hauling down of the stars and
stripes by an armed force landed for
that purpose, and in spite of the pro-
tests of the men there employed, and
the raising of the Mexican flag. The
story told is as follows:
Our trip down the coast as far as
Santo Domingo was void of any par
1icular incident" said Roscoe Howard.
''On our return we took on a sailor al
Acapulco, and from him / learned that
he had been brought to that port by
the gunboat Ell Democratic from Clip
perton Island. He, with two other
men, had been employed by guano
company to take charge of about 4,OUO
tons of guano that was stored in the
warehouses on tie island, and When
they were landed there some nine
months ago they hoisted the American
flag and had notified the Secretary OF
State of their actions. On December
14th the FL Democratic dropped anchor
a distance from shore, and sent boat
crew of marines to the island, but on
attempting to land the boat was dashed
against coral reef and suffered con-
siderable damage.
Finally the marines were landed,
and after an official ceremony the
stars and stripes were hauled down
from the flag pole that had been erected
by the Americans. and in its place the
Mexican flag was hoisted. Having.
taken formal possession of the island,
the marines withdrew and notified the
men who remained on the island not to
allow anyone to take away the guano,
under penalty of violating the Mexican
laws.
THE island is about 800 miles off the
Mexican coast, almost due west of
Acapulco. and is known as coral rect.
1t is about four miles in circumference,
with a large-sized lake in the center.
Two palm trees constitute the sole
vegetation on the island, which is the
home of millions of sea fowls. Thou-
sands of tons of the richest guano Is
to be gathered on the island, and TINS
represents it's sole worth, apart from
the value of the coral. When the ma
rines landed to take possession or the
island in behalf of Mexico they were
fully armed and prepared to do battle
with whatever resistance might be Of
fered.'
MEXICAN VERSION OF THE AS
FAIR.
CITY OF MEXICO, Dec. 31.-Of1cial
Intelligence received from Mazatlan
shows that when the Mexican gunboat
FL Democrata arrived at Clpperton
Island. which is thirty miles west OF
Acapulco, it was found that party
of Americans had raised the American
flag and had coolly appropriated all
the guano beds, which they were oper-
ating. They had built houses and per-
manently established themselves.
The Ell Democra ta had very stormy
passage, and found the island very diff
ficult of access, and a boatload of ma
rines was upset in going through the
surf the men losing their rifles and
swords. They saved themselves by
swimming. and a Mexican flag was car
rjed ashore by Julian Santos, stoker
Of the gunboat, who ran the risk of be-
ing devoured by sharks that abound in
those waters.
Captain Genesta ordered the Ameri-
can flag hauled down and the Mexican
flag raised. there being little protest on
a guano exploring company This for
,nality having been accomplished, the
eunboat returned to Mazatlan-
There are about 10000 tons of guano
on the island. valued at S5o0.ooo lii
gold. Representations showing that the
action of the guano company Is one OF
mere usurpation will be made.
Ctannerton Island is undoubtedly in
Mexican territory. although not settled
by Mexicans. There has been no ex-
citement over the matter.
Pedro Fscuero, who was Minister of
Justice during the Empire OF Maximil-
ian and who was the autnor or the
civil Code. one of the most eminent or
Mexico's jurists, died to-day at the age
of 80 He was a native of Yucatan-
one OF the most eminent services of this,
iurist was in connection with the reci-
nrocity treaty with the United States.