Evening star., 1902-08-30
Minister Powell's Report Of
the Revolution.
SITUATION CRITICAL
PETIT -GoAVE, AND ST. MICHEL
GIVEN TO THE FLAMES.
Permanent Organization of the Con-
gress Expected-Fear That Pierre
Might Be Elected to Presidency.

Under date OF Port au Prince, Hayti, Au-
gust 20, United States Minister Powell has
made an extended report to the State De-
partment on the events connected with the
revolutionary movement in that island. He
describes the destruction of ST. Michel by
General Juneau, who burned the place to
prevent it from falling into the hands of
the government troops. Juneau was de-
feated in a small battle.
At the date of the report the situation in
the north was very critical, with about
5000 men each side confronting each
other, and, in the minister's opinion, the
impending battle would not be decisive.
If Gen. Alexis prevailed over Gen. Jum-
eau, then the former would undoubtedly
march his army to the capital and demand
the presidency, while If Juneau succeeded,
then Gen. Firmn's revolutionary army
would soon appear before the capital city,
which would thus be menaced from both
sides.
Towns Given to the Flames
On the 18th instant the government
forces had almost surrounded Gonaives and
St. Marc, and it feared that in case
Gen. Juneau was defeated, both towns
would be given to the flames, as were Petit
Goaye and st. Michel The condition of the
people remaining in Petit Goave was most
distressing, the women and children being
almost without food or raiment, and many
We're hiding in the mountains without shei-
ter. The wife OF Gen. Chicoye, who set his
house on fire in the retreat and was con-
Sumed IN 1t, escaped with her children, but
two Of them died from exposure, and she
was compelled 10 dig their graves and
bury them with no helping hand.
Fifty men were exled from this place on
a Dutch steamer for Curacao on August IT,
A
Crete was pursued few days before by
the ID Assas but made his escape into shOal
water where he could not be followed. He
was lying in wait to intercept the Paloma
but Minister Powell prevented this by
wiring to Commander McCrea to protect
the boat, which consequently arrived and
departed safely. The government was en-
deavOring to prevent KilIick from obtaining
coal
Effected a Permanent Organization.
Congress has at last passed upon all Of
the election cases, and effected permanent
organizat ton, Mr.. Pierre having majority
of the chambers, without trouble occurring
a was expecteS. The next step is the
election Of members Of the senate, and an
effort is being made to prevent this by
breaking a quorum and thus preventing
the success of the Pierre party, which
would result in his election to the presi-
dency.
Ihere were fearS or grave trouble When
the two houses were to meet In joint session
to choose a president, and an attempt was
on foot to reach an agreement between the
various partisans to secure a postponement
until the conflict with F'irmin was ended.
Meanwhile things were in hopeless tan
gle. and there was no prospect of an imme-
date election and mercantile business was
suffering.
Misery at Petit Goave.
Attached to the minister's report is a COM
munication from United States Consular
Agent kampmeyer at Petit Goave, who de-
scribes the destruction of that place, and
said that misery reigned all over. Relief
was brought by the French cruiser D'Assas
whose commander distributed 800 rations
among the suffering people and Transported
number of them to Port au Prince. All of
the political refugees We're in the French
consular agency. MIR. Kampmeyers pri-
Vate house was burned down and he was