Evening star., 1901-09-19
DEFEAT OF THE ALLIES
REFUSED BY COLOMBIANs IN SUB
URBs OF LA HACHA.
Gen. Echeyerria Taken PrfsOner-Ths
Town I'm n State of TcrrOr-AH
Leaving Who Can.

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao, September 1S.-
The Dutch cruiser Sommelsdtjk arrived last
evening from La Hacha, where she left at
s pm. September 16 She brought num-
ber of Dutchmen who were desirous of
leaving La Hacha. The refugees say fight
ing of the Colombian liberals and the
allied Venezuelan troops against the CO.
lombian government troops occurred Sep
tember 13 and IA in the suburbs of La
Hacha, and that the Venezuelans and CO.
lombian liberals were defeated. especially
in the engagement of September IA at a
place called Curuzuo, near La Hacha The
number OF casualties and prisoners cap
tured is not known, out is reported to be
considerable. The refugees also say that
the Venezuelan general Echeverria, COM
manding the four Venezuelan gunboats
which had been cruising along the coast
from Maracatbo, who landed on the coast
with troops few days before the engage
ment, was taken prisoner at Curuzuo with
number of other Venezuelans. 1t Is not
known whether there We're any other off,
GERS among them. 1t is further reported by
the refugees that General Echeverria and
certain others were threatened by their CO.
lombian captors with death by shooting.
Ihe passengers of the Sommelsdiik say
that after the engagement at Curuzuo. Da-
via, the Venezuelan who proceeded to La
Hacha by sea from Maracaibo. with a
thousand VeneZuelans, September 4, is re-
turning with his followers from the Guar
Jira peninsula to Venezuelan territory,
probably to Maracaibo This is further evi-
dence of the Venezuelan defeat. 1t is also
reported that Davila was wounded
All the persons able to leave La Hacha
nave done SO. The town is in state of
terror and disorder. The Venezuelan gun
boats did not lombard La Hacha. The
refugees say the General Pinzon formerly
the Namouna) is without ammunition for
her larger guns, and that, consequently.
he a1rt,
boats
The Colombian general, Castillo. is chief
commander OF the liberal forces on the
peninsula.
Minister silva's Advices.
DR.. Martinez Silva. the Colombian min
lister at Washington, has received the fol-
lowing cablegram from the Colombian min
lister for foreign affairs:
BOGOTA, September 1s.
1.-THE prospect of war with Venezuela
grows more remote each day. We do not
want to go to war with Venezuela, but an
attack or invasion would be promptly met
and repulsed. Invaders of Goajira defeat
ed. Attempt to take Rio Hacha frustrated
Ecuadorfan frontier quiet. The Colombian
minister to Venezuela left Caracas of his
own volition. The new Chilean minister
has been presented at Bogota."
Dr. Silva places absolutely no credence in
the news dispatch from Wilemstad to the
effect that La Hacha has been evacuated
by the Colombian troops. He points out
the fact that if La Hacha was able to sus-
tain the first attack there is no likelihood
that 1t would be abandoned now, as the
Colombian troops who occupied that place
have since been reinforced.
South American diplomats here are con-
hdent that great deal of the confusion in
the designation of the bands of troops in
their movements about the isthmus and in
Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador is at
tributabe to the striking similarity in the
national standards of these three countries
The flags of Colombia and Ecuador ex-
actiy similar in their predominating color
bars and their arrangement, each having
yellow bar on top, covering half the en-
sign, and the other half divided evenly
between blue and red. The Venezuelan flag
has three even bars of yellow. blue and
red, in the same order the flags of the
other two countries. Thus, it is pointed
out, the flags cannot be distinguished apart,
even at short distance.
Believe Revolt is Crushed.
The Colombian legation officials express
the view that the Colombian insurrectton is
practically crushed. In support of this
statement they say that the insurgents do
not hold single village or position in all
Colombia. although some bands of maraud-
ers are giving trouble, and that those on
whom the rebel forces had counted for
allies are unlikely to give further material
aid. Curacao press advices to the legation
allege that many Of President Castro's sup
porters in the interior of Venezuela are
protesting against his anti-Colombian ag-
gressiveness. According to the legation, |
the defeat of Nicaraguan force recently
will likely estop further hostile movements
from that quarter Members Of the lega-
ton say they understand that the Mic |
araguan government has given assurance
to the American minister that 1t would not |
wage war on Colombia. President Plaza Of |
Ecuador, who has recently assumed Office |
has frequently pledged neutrality toward |
Colombia. The Colombian minister DIR. |
Silva, says that reports he has just re-
cefved say that the Colombian troops un- |
der arms numbered G5 900 last July and |
that the force since has been considerably |