The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-23
THEY WILL FIGHT.
Colombian Troops Are Rushing
Rapidly to the Front.
AN ARMY LOCATED bY ATLANTA
Officers Farley on the Beech and
the Colombian Commander
Hands the Americans
Written Protest.


United States cruiser Atlanta, Com
mander VIM. H. Turner, returned
there Thursday night from the Gulf of
Darien. She discovered December Is
a detachment Of Colombian troops,
numbering usually about 500 men,
but. according to their statements,
totaling l,500 or 1000 men, at Titu-
matt, 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 conyersed
with the Colombian commander. The
latter 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 po-
litely request the Atlanta to leave the
gulf because it belonged to Colombia.
Commander Turner ignored the re-
quest and the. Atlanta returned to
Colon to report to Rear Admiral Cogh-
Ian. The Colombians are clearly busy
with protective and strengthening
measures. Although they treated the
Americans courteously they decidedly
resented the presence of the Atlanta S
landing party. The Colombian force
was composed partly of the men landed
recently at the Atrato river by the Co.
lombian cruisers Cartagene and Gen
eral Pinzon.
Early in the morning Of Dec. Is the
Atlanta sighted a small schooner in
the centre Of the Gulf of Dar;en and
followed her to the western shore,
where the schooner attempted to hide
behind an inlet. Lieut. Harlan P.
Perrill of the Atlanta was ordered to
board her and thereupon whaleboat
was lowered and pulled towards the
schooner. Through the courtesy Of
the naval officers the correspondent of
the Associated Press accompanied the
party. 1t was found that the schooner
had on board 100 armed Colombian
soldiers, commanded by Gen. Rafael
Novo, who said Gen. Daniel Ortiz,
commander-in-chief of the Colombian
forces Of the Atlantic and Pacific, had
a large camp mile away on the
mainland. Gen. Novo requested Lieut..
PerriIl to land and confer with Gen.
Ortiz. After temporarily returning
to the Atlanta, Lieut.. Perrill went
back TO the schooner, and IN the
had taken up position off
a beach within a small bay. Great
excitement prevailed among the Col
ombians on the Whaleboat's approach.
There were repeated cries of Viva
Colombian" and there was sudden
concentration of about $50 Colombian
soldiers on the beach. For some mo-
ments the situation appeared danger
Gus and had the appearance Of an am
buscade. Gen. Otiz appeared on the
beach when Lieut.. Perrill went ashore,
the whaleboat in the meantime lying
close by. Gen. Otiz insisted that
Lieut.. Perrill should fly the Colombian
flag at the bow of the whale boat, or
lower the American flag at her stern,
because she was in Colombian waters.
Lieut.. Perrill replied that he did not
have a Colombian flag and refused to
lower the Stars and Stripes. Gen.
Ortiz did not insist upon his so doing,
but he protested in writing against
the presence Of the Americans in Col
ombian waters. Lieut.. Perrill accept
ed the protest and conveyed it to Com
mander Turner, who handed it to
Rear Admiral Coghlan on his arrival
here.
During the conference with the Col
ombians ashore, Lieut.. Perrill was
surrounded by Gen. Ortiz staff, while
inland, a few PAGES, there was semi
circle of armed sentinels. The beach
in both directions was also lined with
sentinels. Gen. Ortiz did not permit
Lieut.. Perrill to leave the point Of the
beach where he landed. While Perrill
was awaiting the Colombian protest,
First Lient. Edward B. Manwaring,
commanding the marine guard of the
Atlanta, rowed up in a cutter for the
purpose of communicating with Lieut..
Perrill and to gain certain military in
formation. Lieut.. Manwaring went
ashore and the cutter joined the whale
boat off the beach.
The Colombian camp appeared to
be permanent, was well provisioned
and probably destined to be used as
base of operations Gen. Ortiz and
others freely expressed the determlna-
tion of Colombia to fight to the bitter
end in case Gen. Reyes visit to Wash
ington is not successful and Panama
is not returned to Colombia.
A Fair Sample.
The Columbia State says: Gov.
Odell's more active participation in
the politics of New York city has re-
suited in the selection of one Charles
II. Murray as president Of the Repub-
lican county committee. Murray is