The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-24

Soledad, Venezuela, Monday, July
20-7 p. m.-The fight from 1 o'clock
this afternoon has been horrible m
at his hour the only places which
still resist the onset Of the government
troops are the Jail and the capital.
Early in the afternoon $500 govern
ment troops stormed and captured the
"Zamora'' called the Ze~bastopol Of
Cludad Bolivar. Ninety-four dead re-
bells were found in side, among them
being General Azanza. n of the rev
o%lutionary leaders whose head has
been blown off by a shell. It is i'm
possible to render an idea Of the con-
hict which occurred at this point.
The escape of the revolutlonists after
the capture of the capitol which is in
evitable seems impossible. They must
either surrender or die. At Z O'Clock
tonight. the custom house vas taken
after a ten hours fight. The Associat
ed Press representative counted sixty
killed a. a result Of this fight.
The Dalton block where the Ameri-
can consulate and most of the foreign
business houses are located was cap
tured at 5 o'clock. The reVOlutiOniSts
are Without provisions and water, the
supply pipe having been cut yesterday.
Their situation is considered desperate
and hopeless. The shops are being
pilaged.
CUIDAL BOLIVAR WAS CAPTURED
Caracas, July 21.-A messenger who
arrived here by steamer n train
from Cuidad, Bolivar, says the city
was captured by the government troops
at S:55 his morning CTuesday).
Since the last dispatch was sent to
the Associated Press at 3 O'Clock yes
terday afternoon the battle between
the revolutionary forces 2 Cuidad, Bo-
livar and the Venezuelan government
army commanded by General Gomez,
has ragged madly. Block after block
was disputed, the government troops
entering the city slowly. The city ap-
pears to have been struck by a cyclone.
At 3 o'clock in the morning the
inhabitants of the commercial and for
eign parts of the city, neal the Ala
media, saw the advance of the govern
ment troops, they al! abandoned their
homes and sought refuge in other parts
of the city, crossing the streets amidst
a hail of bullets and shells.
Many men in trying to protect the
women fell, struck by bullets, in the
middle of the streets. The government
troops, however, acted With humanity,
especially the forces OF General Rivas,
who, fighting bravely was the first TO
order the attacking force to be merci-
full. The government troops soon after
captured the north side Of the Alameda,
the public park of Cuidad Bolivar,
which has been defended by a double
row of barbados. Behind one of these,
were found more than thirty dead SOL
diers lying on top of each other, while
wounded men were seen on all sides.
The soldiers on both sides have had
no food for two days, no ambulances
are being used and the fighting still
continues.
The Dalton block, the property of
the United States consul, where all the
leading German and French firms re-
side, is now being attacked.
The Jail is the cenIer of a terrible
resistance. All the defeated revolution
iSctS have concentrated there. 1t is
estimated that more than 200 men have
been killed in that vicinity. The CAPT.
tOl is still in the hands of the revolu-
t~ionists but the complete success of
the government forces is assured.