The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-03-05
Costa Rica Notes by Fannie Ward-Patriots
Epitoph-The Troubleso ONE william Wal
ker-How His Adventures Ended-The
Central American Soldier.

hanging the street and red TILED roof slanting
several feet beyond the front wall. The bal
cony Is broken by lofty arched gateway.
before which hungry-looking sentnels are
pacing up and down night and day. They are
clad In ragged cotton and sandals of untanned
ox-h1de and each carries musket on his
shoulder, knife or pistol in his belt, and
rusty sword bangles by his side. Notwith-
standing the barracks look cheap and faded,
their one redeeming feature being the sala de
Banderas, hall OF flags" In the latter apart
ment the most interesting things to North
American travellers are naturally the relics
aud trophies Of the famous flibuster war. A
large glass case, handsomely gilded and pan
eled, contains the torn and sooty fragments
OF the nag that waved over Fort Castillo when
held by the brave little band Of Costa Ricans
On one OF tho panels the following inscrip-
tlon appears In golden letters: ION tho 10TH
OF February, 1857, the rational flag, which
hoated over the walls of Fort Castillo during
the siege, together with the name of the su-
perior officers who defended it, were deposited
IN this urn, by order of his excellency, the
president of the republic, Don Jose Rafael
Nora. Eternal honor to the heroes who de-
fended the castle of san JUAN -.
Patriots Epitaph.
The opposite panel bears these words: ION
the 18th Of February, 1857, 400 filibusters,
under command of the so-called Colonel
Titus, attacked the castle of San Carlos, which
was in dilapidated state and garrisoned only
by thirty seven men. But, animated by the
brave Colonel Don George F. Canty and the
worthy commandant Of the fort, Colonel
Faustine Montez de Vica, the little gar
rison heroically resisted the enemy until the
10th Of the month on which date twenty
seven rif1emen, under command Of Captain
Jesus Alvarado and Don Joaquin Ortiz, who
had been sent to the relief of the fort, fell
upon the flibusters with so much bravery
that they dispersed them in an instant COM
pelling them to throw away their clothes SO
that they might fly with greater ease. This
brilliant feat of arms. planned so admirably
by General Don Jose Joaquin Mora, decided
the happy issue of the holy war, which was
sustained by the Central American repub-
lies against their INVADERS"
Unfortunately history does not corroborate
all this surprising statement, as any school
boy knows. though a vein Of truth runs
through it. Everywhere along these coasts
traces may be found of the buccaneers of the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, who
ravished the land and robbed the treasure
ships of Spain. No little port Is so INSIGHT
cant that 1t has not some petty traditional tale
OF horror pertaining to those stormy times.
and in this portion of Central America re-
minders of modern filibusters from the United
States are quite as common.
The Troublesome William Walker.
This was the favorite tramping ground of
that notorious young adventurer, William
Walker, who created such a sensation here
about forty years ago. Every Indian here
abouts has some tale to tell of hair breadth
escapes from Los Americanos malos-"those
bad Americans" Walker and his followers.
Poor Walker, who met with q violent death
90 early in his career, was doubtless more
Of crank than villain. His boyish imagina-
k1on was drst fred by pernlcious literature
of the "Wild West" order, and his mental
balance became unhinged with desire to rival
his favorite heroes, from 1vanhoe down to
BILLY, the Kid He was a Tennesseean by
birth, and while yet in his twenties, organl-
zed armed expedition for the conquest or
the Mexican state, Sonora. For a long time
he was unable to evade the vigilance OF the
local authorities, who were determined to
enforce the neutrality laws of the United
States but in October of 1853 he managed to
sail with small band of fellow spirits, and
landed at La Paz, on the southeastern shore
of the Mexican territory, known as Ba1a
Qower). California. Though he received con-
siderable re-enforcements from time to time,
and for several months kept up an immense
furore among the restless element. Which
is always ready for any expedition that
promise loot and excitement, lack OF funds
compelled him to dispense his party before
anything of account. had been accomplished.
Returning to the United States, he sur
rendered himself to the authorities, and was
tried for violation Of the neutrality laws.
But, in spite of section 5,286 of the revised
statutes, about which we heard so much in the
Itata affair during Chili's late unpleasant
in the United States begins or sets on foot or
proposes the means for any military expedi-
ton to be carried on against any country with
which our own Is at peace shall be liable on
conviction to a fine Of $4,000, and imprison-
ment for three years." Walker was, strangely
enough, acquitted. .-
HOW His Adventures Ended.
The very next year, 1866, undaunted by
previous hard experience and the spirit Of
adventure still strong within him, he sailed
for Central America, with only sixty-hvs
men. His first objective point was Nicaragua,
where he determined to take advantage OF
the internal troubles then distracting that
poor, little state.
So it was with several later expeditions, or
ganized Immediately after the termination
If the war between the United States and
Mexico, to operate in tho latter country, and
those recently set on foot to assist the rebel
lion in Cuba; but doubtless the real object
II William Walker and all his predecessors
was their own amusement, glory, and pecu-
,iary profit by re-enacting the role OF the
original Spanish conqueror, slightly modi-
led by the changed conditions OF three or four
centuries; For more than TWO years walker
Ind his impecunious crew managed to sus-
ain themselves In Central America and were
inally expelled only by the union Of all the
little republics against them. Finally Walker
was captured In Honduras, tried by court
martial, and sentenced to be shot, and the
sentence was carried into effect at Truxillo
.Honduras) Sept. ~, 1860, when its victim was
only SO years of age-
The Central American Soldier.
The Central American soldier Is unique in
many respects among the armies Of the earth.
In Costa Rica the rank and file are mere
boys, dressed In Jackets and trousers of blue
luck, wearing caps, but without shoes or
stockings and armed with modern breech.
nading rifles with bayonets attached. The
officers wear much betrimmed and brass
buttoned uniform Of blue cloth and seem tC
,utnumber the privates.
The city is policed almost wholly by boys
who wear blue uniforms and ungainly caps
ike those used in the Dutch army. These
,dolescent officials are organized militarily
with a frst commandante.a second command.
ante, six sergcants. and eighty gendarmeS
zach provided with Q small club Of hardwood
md silver button. which; ~ ddsatAS liz 90