The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-26
where Thief
RE|GNS KING.
Honduras a Paradise for Men
Who Committed Crime.
THEY RULE the LAND, IT'S SAID
Officials Protect Outlaws, and Il Is
Dangerous TO Melest Them.
UNSAFE FOR AMERICAN DETECTIVES.
Stuy Of Man Who Was Commissioned 10
Engage In a Hunt for One Of the Nest
Dangerous Eastern DsfauIters.
UNSAFE FOR AMERICAN DETECTIVES.


galpa Is the odd name of the capital OF
the republic of Honduras, the least ad-
vanced of the so-called republics of Cen
trail or South America.
Honduras is curious mixture OF jungle
and gigantic forest, OF cocoa and OF rub
ber trees. of bugs. vampires. snakes and
crocodiles--of all manner OF things that
creep and crawl and sting and bite.
\ region where life in the daytime is
mockery, and at night one feels as though
sleeping I'm red pepper.
IL was to this land of revolutionists-
this rendezvous OF criminals and law
breakers from all over the world, who flee
here because. standing alone among all
other countries I'm the world, Honduras
neither makes nor recognizes treaties,
or the written and unwritten law of ma
tions--that | was commissioned to engage
I'm a man hunt, for one OF the most no.
torious OF eastern defaulters.
Not only was the man TO be found. but,
IL possible, he must be induced to return
part OF his booty. and. falling In this, an
attempt was TO be made TO induce the au-
thorities TO see that IL would be for their
good financially and otherwise, TO set
him across the border. This was the ar
duous and delicate task set for me i'm
innumerable hardships and countless dan
gers.
l went by steamer from New Orleans TO
Puerto Cortez. on the Caribbean sea.
Here Ii was ascertained that the only
way TO reach the capital on the Pacific
coast, was muleback, and the trip was
estimated, without stops, at nine days
ride.
True, there Is railway part of the
hpt for ,f,sfxr .,,H
the running time Of the one daily train
was four hours. This railway extends to
San Pedro Sula. and was built at cost
to foreign investors of over s2s.Oo0 900. the
interest on which has not been paid since
1872
At the time this road was buiICi an in
ter-oceanic railway was projected from
Puerto Cortez to the Pacific coast. dis
tance OF 1is miles hut II turned out TO
be a colossal fizzle, and Honduras was
left with this debt on its hands. an army
of despoiled stockholders. and only this
thirty-seven miles of bad road for it's
experience. This road Is twice as long
as IL should be. and so full OF curves and
gpades and turns that IL would cause an
honest engineer to weep.
GOODNESS OF A DEFAULTER.
After a two days journey over swamp
land and mountain, along the edge of
precipices where "A misstep would land
you thousand feet below. over slippery
paths and through rivers filled with ali-
gators. We reached Santa Barbara,
where IL was expected the man sought
would be found. He was there--a verita-
bic monarch among the natives.
1t was not at all necessary TO hunt him
up. as he took upon himself that task.
He wanted TO know every foreigner who
came To the place Introducing himself
he inquired what business brought me TO
Honduras. IL was soon explained. Tho
fugitive listened patiently. and then ex-
tended an invitation to dine at the Plazo
restaurant.
After the meal cigars were lighted. and
walk suggested. In order to talk over
matters he course OF the street carried
iS down BY bridge, CT ,ssins the Lung
pen river. sluggish, dark stream. which
reminds one of the Ganges IN IrdIa.
At the bridge the lefl Iltcr PAUSED,
called nv attention to an old grandfather
cf an alligator, who was taking "A siesta
on n little Island. Hc was about eight
cen feet long. and covered with scales
certainly an inch thick.
Leave me alone" he said Go about
your business, and don't attempt 40 'y-
terfere with me. or you will be food for
one OF those boys. Not word now. You
go back to New York and say am here.
won't settle either. so that ends IL"
On returning to the hotel I concluded
the best thing TO do was - advise with
General Louis Bogran. cx-rrc sldent of
the republic. He was for some years an
exile, but Is now permitted To remain H.
his native town. He ~ vorv handsome
man, with fine presence apd great dig
nifty Of manner After listening courte-
ously, he replied I'm good Englis al.
fSpnOr N hn IN
ras turn up amCng the missing-an arm,
on severed leg may be washed un IN
the bank OF the river-they are food fer
tho fishes. See that you do not meet
this fate. Suppose inquiry Is ma le. as
sometimes is. The alciade will mold n
court of investigation. In tventy-nine
years the finding has always been the
same, Left the country or CALEB by
Cod"
FIRED At DEFAULTER's FRIENDS.
IL has been made perfectly plain to me
that my man was fixed so far as Hon
duras was concerned, and had money TO
call any ante which might be named and
start was made early the next morning
| for Seguaca. twenty miles distant
As is customary when n stranger is an
unwelcome guest. the men OF the place
followed us out of town for some two
| miles. shook hands and exchanged cigl-s
and separated with compliments and cx-
pressions OF high esteem. We myself
and my guide) had not gone on our way
over ten rods after leavir4 this courteous
| party before Zip. Zip. Zip" was hea rd.
as three bullets went whizling by our
| heads
| our friends had stepped into the bushes
and were swallowed up by The net work
| VI vines. on seeing their efforts TO XIII
were unavailing. The journey was then
continued west.
Through Comyagua. the second largest
| city In the republic. IL was only a days
| Journey 10 Teguciealpa. The telegraph
| wire which extends across Honduras.
| swinging from trees. and piercing long
| stretches of palm and jungle. had warned
| ths residents Of our coming
/ Some Of them rode cut 70 givc us greet