The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-22
ALL QUIET AT COLON
LIBERALS ARE BEHAVING VERY
DECENTLY.
SITUATION VERY TICKLISH.
GOVERNMENT TROOPS HOLD PANA-
MA NEAR BY.

Liberals Prepare to Take Over Gov
ernment of District-More Men
Killed in Attack Than Was First
RepOrted-United States Gunboat
Machias VIII Protect Foreign In
terests and Prevent Interference
pected shortly.
Colon, Colombia, Nov. 21.-The city of
Colon was perfectly quiet all yesterday
and last night. 1t is claimed in behalf
of the Liberals that there has been no
unseemly behavior. Foreigners are
being respected and protected. and
transit across the isthmus is uninter-
rupted.
The postoffice, all the other govern
ment offices and nearly all the COM
mercial houses were closed yesterday.
Col. Ba1Tera, commander of the Lib
eral forces, asserts that he has notified
the district representative of the De-
partment of the Interior and other
former officials of the government that
he has appointed a commission to take
over their offices, formally to-day.
Senor Espriella, a prominent lawyer
and counsel for the Panama Railroad,
is a member of the commission.
The feeling of the community cannot
be regarded as antagonistic to Liberal
ism. The existing conditions have Gre
ated no panic, but it is recognized that
the fact that the Liberals hold Colon
while the Conservatives are in possess
sion of Panama, creates a state of af-
fairs which cannot possibly continue.
Col Barrera. admits that the govern
ment troops here numbered little less
than 120 men. 1t was at first reported
that twelve or more men had been
killed and that about thirty wounded,
but the bodies of more dead men have
since been discovered.
Gen. Zaldana commands 200 Liberal
troops at Gatun railroad station, about
six miles from Colon.
The Liberals claim to be in posses
sion of all the railroad stations be-
tween Colon and LasCascades, which is
nearer to Panama than to Colon.
No immediate attack on Panama is
contemplated. Col, Barrera is await
ing the arrival at Colon of the Lib
eral chief, Domingo Diaz, who is ex-
pected in a day or two. When Diaz
reaches the city definite plans will be
formulated.
The United States gunboat Machias
it is understood, will not interfere with
any of the fighting, but will protect
the railroad and foreign interests.
A few armed Liberal troops left Co.
lon by train this morning for Gatun.
The government at Panama is still
busy erecting breastworks in the vicin-
ity of the railroad property in the di-
rection of which the Liberal attack is
expected.
A Conference at Panama.
United States Consul General Gud'
ger. Capt. Perry, of the United States
battleship Iowa, and the secretaries o1
the government held conference a.
Panama yesterday. The latter claimed
that the conductors of the trains should
not have allowed armed Liberals tc
embark on the train at LasCascades
Capt. Perry replied that the govern
ment should protect free transit or
the isthmus and ought to have pre-
vented the embarkation of the Liber-
ais. Subsequently a letter was sem
to the Colombian authorities by the
American officials with reference to fu'
ture action. 1t is not improbable thai
the Iowa will shortly land force tc
protect transit.