The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-24
EVACUATED BY REBELS
BOCAS DEL TORO OCCUPIED BY
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT TROOPS.
Insurgents Were Given Twenty-FOur
Hours to Get Out of the Place,
and They Lost No Time.

WASHINGTON April 2S.-Secretary
Long has received the following cablegram
from Commander McCrea, of the gunboat
Machias, dated Colon, to-day:
"Bocas del Toro, Colombia, has been
evacuated, and the former government
peacefully re-established. Forces have
been withdrawn; their duty was very well
done Shall await usual condition before
returning to Colon"
COLON, Colombia, April 23.-The German
steamer Hercynia, which left this port for
Bocas del Toro several days ago with
Inducements of government troops on
board returned here this morning and re-
ported that Bocas del Toro, which was
captured by the insurgents April Is, is
again in possession of the government.
The timely arrival of the reinforcements
on the Hercynia and threat of bonn
bardment on the part of the government
gunboat General Pinzon impslled the In
surgents to capitulate to the government
forces.
Shortly after the arrival of the United
States gunboat Machias at Bocas del Toro,
April A. the captain of the gunboat. Lieu
tenant Commander Henry McCrea, notified
the Liberals located at Old Bank a settle
ment on an island about two miles from
Bocas, that the gasoline launches and the
barges belonging to the United States Fruit
Company must be returned TO their owners
within thirty-six hours. Before this speci-
fed time had elapsed. and by means of the
launches and barges in question, the Liber-
al forces at Old Bank effected a landing at
Bocas. This occurred early in the morning
of Thursday, April IL. The Liberals i'm
mediately attacked the intrenchments of
the government troops and a stubborn
fight ensued. which lasted all day.
In the evening the government forces
finding they were outnumbered by the LID
erals, and that they had only 5000 rounds
of ammunition left, decided to surrender
They handed the town of Bocas over to
Lieutenant Commander McCrea. who had
it policed during Thursday night. He
handed the town over To Colonel Ruendia
the following morning
Previous reports of the number Of men
killed in the Bocas engagement are exag-
gerateu. IL now appears that on both sides
only twenty-five men were killed and thir-
ty-five wounded. The government lost eight
men killed.
Upon the arrival Of the government gun
boat General Pinzon off BOcas del Toro on
Saturday notice was given that her COM
mander intended TO lombard the town at
the expiration OF twenty-foUr hours. 1t is
reported that Lieutenant Commander Nc
Crea endeavored to have this period pro-
longed TO thirty hours but General Gomez,
the military bONtInOT OF 1OlOn ana IN conf
mand Of the Pinzon, declined TO extend the
specified time. AS the Liberal forces were
without cannon and unable 10 hold BOcas
they finally agreed TO surrender the town.
Under the terms of the surrender thirty
six hours were given the Liberals to retreat
TO Chiriqui Grande with the arms and am
munition they had brought with them. bu'
they were not allowed 10 take what the
had captured at BOcas. The capitulat0'
further set forth that the revolutionist-
must evacuate Chiriqui Grande twenty-five
hours after arriving there. Prior TO tho
expiration Of the thirty-six hours in which
the reVolutionists were TO evacuate Bocas
they left the town in the launches and
barges belonging to the United Fruit Com
pany.
II is reported that when the government
forces entered BOcas yesterday they found
that money had been taken from the treas
ury building. II is further reported that
the property OF Chinese merchants at Bo-
cas- had been looted The government au-
thOrities are quite dissatisfied over the
terms of the capitulatiOn Of BOcas.
The Pinzon has left BOcas for Chriqui
Grande 10 effect the evacuation OF the revo o.
lutionists IN that quarter. The Machias IS
stin at Bocas She is expected to return
TO Colon shortly.