The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-07
CRISIS IN COLON
 MET BY AMERICANS
4 Few Men Take Desperate Chance With CoIombianS
DECISION SAVES THE DAY
First Detailed Account of the Recent Events on the lsthmus Shows Part Played by Uncle Sam's Ves-
 sels During Revolution.

Colon, Republic Of Panama, November 23.-There were two days at Colon when a few Americans under the command of Lieutenant Commander Witzel. |. S. N., faced desperate chance and looked 1t calmly in the face and, although this is the custom of our sailors and soldiers the world over, and although the terse press dispatch and the formal and modest re- port given out at Washington by the navy department covered the happenings here on November 1 and ,. Still the few men who met dangerous situation with unflinching courage and faced the possi- bility of fight against great odds with never a quver, deserve that their &C., tions be recorded more in detail and fair ly presented to the people at home.
 On November 2 the United States gun boat Nashville, Capt John Hubbard, came into Colon. Her presence was well come on both sides of the lsthmus to every man concerned in the brewing secession movement, but the surface ob- server of affairs saw nothing to make her coming necessary; there was apparently
  Panama railroad did not appear to be threatened.
 Cartagena Appears.
 The next morning. Tuesday, November B. the Colombian gunboat Cartagena un- eXpectedly steamed into Colon with 450 Colombian troops on board. This news was flashed over the wires to the other side and the whole sthmus walked up. Al fbarp wa mi at Panama; young men carried messages hurriedly through the streets: secret con- sultations were held; wild plans were dis cussed; some of the conspirators were for quitting, declaring there was no chance of success with 450 Colombian soldiers in Colon, and that the oppor- tunity had been lost, while others in- sisted upon instant action. The arrival of the Cartagena was forcing the hands of the secessionsts. Those who advo- cated action finally prevailed, however, and Tuesday. November 3, is now known as the day of the independence of the republic of Panama"
 With the gunboat Cartagena came two Colombian generals, Amaya and Tovar, and Colonel Torres. The generals were ignorant of the headway of the secession movement on the isthmus. They landed from the gunboat early on Tuesday morn- iils anu Apph lit O U tlOth lIdln TOT Gan- anna, forty miles away, confident they would find all quiet there and suspectng nothing. Later in the morning the 45O soldiers were landed in Colon and took up their quarters In the old railroad pas senger station, Colonel Torres being in command.
 Colombsns Arrested.
 Late Tuesday evening Generals Amaya and Tovar and Senor Oba dis Colombian governor of Panama. were arrested and placed in jail the declaration of Panama g independence was made and the direct- ing council or junta composed of Senors Arango Ariss and Boyd, was duly apt pointed. This decisive action was ac- complished quickly and easily and 1t was undoubtedly hastened by the pres ence in Colon of the Cartagena's troops, who constituted the dangerous factor L., the problem, which must at once be dis posed of. The news of the arrest of Amaya. Tovar and Obeldia was not gen erally known in Colon until Wednesday morning.
 On Tuesday, shortly after the two gen. erals had left for Panama Colonel Torres requested the Panama railroad to trans port his men across the isthmus. Now the railroad company Is obliged. accord ing to Its contract with the Colombian government, to transport Colombian sol- diers: but, before this can be done an order to that effect must be given to the railroad by the governor of Panama. Torres telegraphed for such an order and the railroad officials had train made up in readiness to move the soldiers as soon as it should be received. This meant delay at which Torres chafed but there was nothing he could do as the train could not be dispatched without proper from Panama.
 Order Finally Received.
 The order was finally received but by this time 1t was too late to send out a train that night The next morning, We'd nesday, Captain Hubbard, acting upon the obligation of the United States to pro- tect traffic across the isthmus, gave ord CTS that no troops whatever be moved over the railroad, This deprived Colonel Torres of all chance of going to the relief of his leaders and the question of dis posing of his 450 men, still the menace in the situation. had to be settled here.
 On Wednesday morning the news of the arrest of Amays and Tover was brought to Colon by the morning train arriving at 10:45. The 450 men at once became res tive, but at this moment PorfiTo Melen- deg, then agent of the Panama Junta and later governor of Colon, appeared upon the scene. He approached Colonel Tor res and tried to negotiate with him for the quiet withdrawal of the troops of his command, but his efforts were futile. The Columbians would not agree and shortly before noon they threatened to attack Colon and kill every American here unless Generals Amaya and rover were liberated by o'clock that afternoon. This at once put a very serious aspect upon the situ- aton.
 Other Events Transpiring.
 In the meantime other events were transpirng in Colon. The caption of the Csrtagena wanted fresh water for his boil ed the head of the firm in Colon which supplies this demand The head of the firm told the captain he certainly could have water; but, as the Colombian gov ernment owed him then about s6Oo0 gold for water supplied upon previous occa- sons, he was sorry he could sell no more water other than on a cash basis. The captain of the Cartagena had no money, neither did the Colombian prefect of Co., lon. The captain saie the governor of Panama. Senor Obaldia. would pay for the water. The head of the firm looked the captain squarely in the eyes and said;
 But, Captain, there IS no governor of Panama
 The Captain. who had not yet heard the news. was astoundeo.
 What" he exclaimed, mo governor of Panama?
 Iution and Governor obadia is a pris- oner."
 The captain spoke never word, but turned and walked to. his gunboat. which was ed to a pier ready to be con- nected with the water tubes. He cast