Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-17
MARAUDERS BUSILY At WORK
Outlaw Bands Rove Volcano-swept Districts
in Quest Of Plunder.
PEOPLE TAKE UP ARMS IN SELF-DEFENSE
Many Are Killed and Their Property
Destroyed-New Eruption is Re-
ported North of Mont
PeIee.

Copyright, 1902, by Press Publishing Coz
ST. MARIE. Martinique, May 15.-(New
York World Cablegram-Special Telegram.)
BY courier to Fort De France, Marti-
nique May 16, via Parls.-"In company
with Ferdinand Clark, millionaire
planter. l travelled across the island of
Martinique today. We had special relays
of horses and carriages and covered sixty
miles in the northern and eastern portion
of the island.
I'VE were the first persons to visit the
regions since the eruption at Mont Pelee.
St. Marie is on the eastern side of the
island and about fifteen miles east of st.
Pierre. The distance is twice that by
road.
THE country through which we travelled
Immediately after leaving st. Pierre is not
policed and bands of negro robbers are
terrorizing the natives, burning and pillag
ing All persons are going armed to pro-
tect themselves from the robbers, who
have committed numerous assaults and
have no fear OF legal punishment. Men
have been killed in several places, cane
fields and plantations have been burned,
and houses that have been deserted by the
owners have been looted by the robbers.
I'VE have hundreds of refugees and are
iootShAhb W IOlI De ue
itants OF the region east and north Of ST.
Pierre fear another eruption Of Mont
Pelee and are hurrying to safety. Every
one expects a repetition Of the outburst OF
last week.
People Not Destitute.
I'm sections of the island south of st.
Marie and east of Fort De France the in
habitants were going about their usual
Tntfta
tion. A slight coating OF ashes was notice.
able everywhere. The ashes resemble Port
land cement and a chemical analysis shows
that they are practically the same.
THE wave Of FIRE that Mr.. Clark men
tions was so sharply defined that a bull on
the edge OF the track was roasted on one
side and not a hair was singed on the
other side Of the animal. walked for half
mile through the ruins Of st. Pierre
yesterday and saw. not less than 1000
dead bodies. They plainly showed the ef-
fects of the burning as If surrounded by
gas flames.
THE cyclonic fury of the flood Of fire is
shown by the uprooting of trees, some OF
which are turned upside down. / noticed
lamp post that had been torn up bodily.
witnessed the cyclone that devastated
Porto Rico in 1899 and nowhere did / OBJ
serve effects OF the wind greater than we
found in St. Pierre.
"a man named Lasserne was approaching
st. Pierre when the explosion came. He
was with companion In a carriage drawn
by mules. The mules we're killed and the
carriage overturned. Mr.. Lasserne and his
companion were thrown from the carriage
and badly burned. The coachman escaped
unhurt.
New Volcano North of PeIee.
'"sT. LUCIA. May 16.-(special Cable. u
passed Martinique yesterday on the steam
ship Wear. Evidently a new volcano has
broken out to the north OF Mont Pelee.
In following the usual steamboat course
from Dominica to st. Lucia we could see
the mountain sending UP dense black smoke,
through which red glow that extended to
the waters edge could be seen. shower
OF sand and ashes and a sulphurous smell
caused the captain to change the course
of the steamer and we went FIVE miles to
avoid the gas. The captain and helmsman
who remained on deck, complained of feel
ing sick. After we ran out OF the smoke
and gas we changed our course and ap-
prosch St. Pierre. Mont Pelee had
thrown out large quantities of lava since
/ saw 1t g few days ago. The appearance
Of the country was changed. Old ravines
had been filled and new crevices appeared
in many places. The desolation is inde-
scribable, and on near view of St. Pierre
l found it more CHASTITY than ] thought it
last Friday. w. P. LoUGH."
Wider Area Than Martinique.
KINGSTON, Island OF St. Vincent (Thurs-
day afternoon), May 15.--A correspondent
OF the Associated Press has Just returned
here from a visit on horse back to the
devastated district of this island, during
which he travelled fifty miles and pene-
trated to within FIVE miles OF the Soufriere
crater. The ash-covered area Of St. Vim
cent exceeds, that of Martinique. which the
correspondent has also explored
The most conservative estimate OF the
death rate here now places the number at
1,700. About 1900 bodies already have been
inferred. The entire northern part OF the
island is covered with ashes to an average
depth of eighteen inches. varying from
thin layer at Kingstown to two feet or
more at Georgetown. The crops are ruined,
nothing green can be seen, the streets OF
Georgetown are numbered with heaps OF
ashes resembling snow drifts and ashes
rest so heavily on the roofs that in several
cases they have caused them to fall in.
There soon will be 5000 destitute persons
In need OF assistance from the govern
ment. which i already doing everything
possible to relieve the sufferers. There
are 100 injured people in the hospital at
Georgetown. Gangs of men are searching
for the dead or rapidly burying them in
| trenches. and all that can be done under
the circumstances is being accomplished.
The British cruiser Indefatigable brought
twenty-five tons OF supplies here and re-
turned TO the island OF Trinidad today for
more.
The governor of the Windward islands
Sir Robert Llewellyn. is here, supervising
the work OF the authorities.
Great DestitutIOn Among People.
While the outbreak OF the volcano on the
| lJland OF Martinique killed more people
outright, more territory has been ruined in
ST. Vincent, hence there is greater destitu-
| tion here.
Rude cofhns are being made to receive
| the remains OF the victims. The hospital
here Is filled with dying people. Fifty
! injured persons are lying on the floor OF
that building. as there are no beds for
their accommodation, though cots are being
rapidly constructed of boards.
It is estimated that the sea has en-
croached from ten feet to two miles along
the coast near Georgetown and that a sec
| tIon on the north Of the island has dropped