The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-17

i Colon, Dec. 1.-THE United States
cruiser Atlanta, Commander William
FL. Turner, returned here last night
from the Gulf of Darien. She discov-
cred Dec. Is detachment. of Co
lombian troops, numbering about 500
men, but according to their state
ments totaling 1880 or 1000 men, at
Tituma, on the western side of the
gulf, just north Of the mouth of the
Atrato river.
The commander Of the Atlanta sent
ashore an officer who conversed with
the Colombian commander. The lat
ter protested energetically against the
presence of American warships in
Colombian waters, in so much as war
between Colombia and the United
States had not been declared, and
politely requested the Atlanta to leave
the gulf, because it belonged to CO.
lombia.
Commander Turner ignored the re-
quest and the Atlanta returned to
Colon to report to Rear Admiral
Coghlan. The Colombia are clearly
busy with protective and strengthen
ing measures. Altho they treated the
Americans courteously they obviously
resented the presence of the Atlanta S
landing party = "a
The Colombian force was composed
partly of the men landed recently at
the Atrato river by the Colombian
cruisers Cartagena and General Pin
zOn. s..-r.- .-.s-'
Schooner Sighted.
Early in the morning of Dec. 1t the
Atlanta sighted a small schooner in
the center of the Gulf of Darien and
followed her to the western shore,
where the schooner .attem pied to hide
behind an islet. Lieutenant Harlan
P. Perrill of the Atlanta was ordered
to board her and thereupon a whale
boat was lowered and pulled towards
the schooner. II
It was found that the schooner had
on board 100 armed Colombian sol
diers, commanded by General Rafael
Move, who said General Daniel Ortiz,
cOmnander-in-chief of the Colombian
forces Of the Atlantic and the Pacific,
had a large camp a mile away 1.-THE
I mainland. General Novo requested
Lieutenant Perrill to land and confer
with General Ortiz.
After temporarily returning to the
Atlanta, Lieutenant Perrill went back
| to the schooner, wfrich%in the mean
! time had taken UP a position off a
i beach him q srlaai ssHy. Great ex-
citenle14 t. prevailed among the Colom-
.hianss on the Whaleboat's approach.
There were repeated cries OF viva
COLOMBIA" and there was den
concentration of $50 Colombian SOL
diers Ongthe beach.
Looked Like Ambush.
For some moments the situation ap-
peared dangerous and had the APP
| pearanee of ambuscade. General Or
tiz appeared on the beach when Lieu
| tenant Perrill went ashore, the whale
boat meanwhile lying close to-. the
beach. General Ortiz insisted that
Lieutenant Perrill should fly the Co
lomb ian flag at the bow of the whale
boat or lower the American flag at
her stern,@ because she was in Colon
bian. waters. a Lieutenant Perrill re-
piled that he did not have q Colon
bian flag and refused to lower the
stars and stripes. General Ortiz did
mot insist upon his So doing, but he
protested; in writing against the pres
ence Of the Americans in Colombian
waters Lieutenant Perrill accepted
the protest and conveyed it to Com
mander Turner, who handed it tc
j; Rear Admiral Coghlan on his ar.
|. rival here. .!>#-
During the conference with the Co,
lombians, ashore, Lieutenant PERIL
was surrounded by General Ortiz.
staff, while inland a few PAGES there
! was a semicircle Of armed sentinels
The beach in both directions was also
lined by sentinels. General Ortiz die
not permit Lieutenant ,Perrill to leave