The age-herald., 1901-09-27
President Castro is Holding Troops in Case of
 an Attack
HE HAS BROTHER WOUNDED
Six Hundred Killed or Wounded In
 Guajira Engaeements-Pan- f anna in State of fefaseA Terror.

Willemstad. Island of Curacoa. Septem- | Der 26. via Hayten Cable.-The Venezue- | Ian gunboat Restaurador, formerly the American yacht Atlanta arrived here last night coaled and returnd to Marai- 1 cabo today. An emssary to President 1 Castro from an influential Venezuelan l firm passed through here tonight. The emissary is charged to persuade President Castro to refrain from taking aggressive action on the frontier, but to hold the troops on the Venezuelan side ready to repel aColombian advance should any be made This plan is strongly en- dorsed by certain conservative Venezue- Ian officials at Maraicabo and Guajira, where hopes are entertained that Presi- dent Castro will be persuaded to adopt the suggestions made.
 It Is reportd here that Venezuela is ac- lively recruiting in the state of Carabobo and that the Venezuelan authorities in- ! tend sending 5000 men with arms and ann munition to guard the frontier on the Guajira peninsula.
 Further details received from a Colum- bian official regarding the Guajira en- agreements are to the effect that the bat talion of Venezuelan troops, forced to | fight against their will. deserted from the | Venezuelans to the Columbians during the fight at Coroseua, September 14 and 1 began fighting on the side of the Colom- l bians. The officials say also that Colom- 1 bia had 1200 men in the Guajira engage ments. Reports received here say that 300 Venezuelans and four cannon were cap- tured and that 600 men were killed or wounded, or are missing. It is said that a brother of President Castro was wound | ed.
 Panama in Unsettled State. Colon, September 26.-Panama for a week or m ore has been terribly unsettled owing to the apparently well founded reports brought by incoming steamers and received from other sources which | assert that an expedition numbering be- l tween 15O and 200 men under General Domingo Diaz, which sailed from Corfnto. Nicaragua, two weeks ago. effected safe landing at a place called Chamek. about fifty miles South of Panama.
 Chamek offers splendid natural facili- ties for resisting attack, and the expedi- ton is said to be well armed and equip
 
 guns.
 A noteworthy feature of the present situation Is the fact that the Colombian rebels under General Patino. who a month ago, daily and nightly pilaged most of the defenseless railroad stations, have not been heard of recently It is supposed that the troops under Victor iano Lorenzo. who were recently in the vicinity of Panama have already effected a junction with Patinos troops and are now near Chorrera, only one days jour ney from Panama. Probably they are awaiting union with the Nicaraguan con- tingent under General Diaz in order to m ake combined assault upon Panama
 Government on Alert | The government Is the alert and ] has already dispatched force of 200 | troops to Malcachin station, the nearest point on the railroad leading to Chorrera-
 Fully alive to the fact that Venezuela, 1 Ecuador and Nicaragua are openly aid- 1 ing the liberal or insurgent cause, the l Columbian authorities are making | strenuous efforts to maintain sovereignty | by large importations of rifles, guns and | ammunition. They have also purchased | in Europe two additional war vessels. | The state of Antioquin always patrioti- cally conservative and loyal, has offered l to supply 17,0OO men in case of an emer- gency, Other states will doubtless fol- low this example
 The recent decree of the Mayor of Panama enforcing military conscription has met with but little success It Is | rumored that three hundred persons of the prescribed age. but having insurgent 1 sympathies, are missing, and the sumption Is that they have joined the l liberals.
 General 'Alban Returns. General Alban since his return from Bocas del Toro, has been engrossed by affairs at Panama His energy is tiring. He directs and supervises all im- portant matters and many that are not important, often coming into collision with the heads of departments and al- ways contrivlng to have his own way.
 The foreign warships now at Panama are the iowa, representing the Unfted States, the sloop Icarus, representing Great Britain and the second class cruiser Protet representing France. At Colon are the United States gunboat Machias and the French cruiser Suchet- This dispatch was delayed by the censor.