The evening Republican., 1902-09-08
HAITIAN SHIP SUNK.
The German Gunboat Panther
Takes Decisive Action.
Was UNDER ORDERS FROM BERLIN.

Crew of the Firminist Warship
Given Fifteen Minutes to Leave
Their Vessel - Fire Her
Before Departing.
CAPE HAITIEN, Haiti, Sept. s.
The gunboat Crete-a- Pierrot, which
was in the service Of the Firminist
party, has been sunk at the entrance
of the hafbor of Gonaives by the Ger
man gunboat Panther. Details of the
occurrence are lacking. The crew of
the Crete-a- Pierrot left her before she
went down.
The German gunboat Panther ar
rived here Sept. and received instruc-
lions from the German government to
capture the Firminist gunboat Crete
a-Pierrot. She left Immediately for
Gonaives, the seat of the Firminist
government.
The Panther found the Crete-a- Pier
rot In the harbor of Gonaives, and the
commander of the German gunboat in<
formed Admiral Killick, on the Crete
aPierrot, that he must remove his
crew and surrender his vessel in five
minutes time,
Admiral Killick asked that this time
be extended to fifteen minutes. This
request was granted on the condition
that the arms and ammunition on
board the Crete a. ierrot should be
abandoned when her crew left her.
The crew of the Crete-a-P ierrot left
that vessel amid great disorder At the
end of fifteen minutes the Panther sent
a small boat carrying an officer and
twenty sailors who were to take pos
session of the Firminist gunboat.
When these men had arrived at point
about thirty yards from the Crete-a-
Pierrot, flames were seen to break out
on board of her. She had been fired by
her crew before they left her.
The Panther then fired on the Crete
'a-Pierrot until she was completely i'm
mersed. Thirty shots all told were
fired.
There is much feeling here against
the Firlninists, and their cause is con-
sidered to be bad one. Soldiers are
leaving here to attack St.. Marc. Port
au Prince is calm.
The present revolution In Haiti
started in the month of April OF this
year, and General Tiresias Simon Sam,
president of the Haitian Republic, re-
signed his office and left the island in
May. For the last two months Amer
lean interests in Haiti have been
looked after by the United States gun
boat Machias, Commander McCrea. 1t
recently developed that at least six
European nations had confded the pro-
lection of their interests in Haiti
wholly to the United States naval force
in Haitian waters.
Admiral Killick recently declared
Cape Haitien to be blOckaded but this
blockade was admitted to be inef-
hcient and was abandoned by the adj
miral after Commander McCrea had
made certain representations to him
concerning it. In a letter to the Fir
milist admiral Commander McCrea in
formed him that he was charged with
the protection of British, French, Ger
man, Italian, Spanish, Russian and
Cuban interests as well as those Of the
United States and that he would pre-
vent a second bombardment of Cape
Haitien without due notice.
In reply to this letter Admiral Kill
lick wrote Commander McCrea proms-
ing to observe the usages of civilized
warfare in case it became necessary to
back with his guns the military forces
operating near Cape Haitien and
called his attention 70 decree order
ing the port of Cape Haitien in state
of blockade. Commander McCrea
communicated the fact of the block
ade of Cape Haitien to the foreign
consuls there and advised them to
make a formal protest, which they did.
1t then became apparent that the
blockade was Intellectual, as an Amer
lean schooner had come in, reporting
no blockade.
When this fact has been established,
Commander McCrea proceeded to Ca
gnette, found the Crete-a-Pierrot in
that port and sent Admiral Killick a
letter. in which he said that the gov
crnmcht Of the United States consid-
cred the blockade of Cape Haitien not
effective even as q de facto blockade
and that the United States denied him
admiral Ililsick) the right to search or
visit any American or foreign vessel
attempting entrance to the harbor of
Cape Iiaiticn.
TO this communication Admiral Kill
lick replied TINT he appreciated the
conditions and admitted the incfiicen-
CIV of the blockade, which he abaE-
doned.
The blockade Incident was thus
closed, and the Machias sailed Aug. 30
from Gonaves for Boston.
The Cretca-Pierot stopped the Ger
man steamer Markomannia, sent an
armed force on board and took posses
sion Of the war munitions she carried
after Commander McCrea had told
Admiral Killck that he had no right
to visit or search any foreign vessel at
tempting to enter Cape Haitien and
after the admiral had admitted his
blockade to he Intellectual.
Roosevelt and the Cowboy Race.
.nEADWOOD. s. d.. Sept. a.-presi-
Ib,,s.n,.,It t,InurI hip,S,.1f