The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-17
ARMY. IS FOUND.
Officers of Cruiser Atlanta Dis
cover Armed Force
Near the Mouth of the Atrato
River.
TO LFAVE.
Colombian Commander Protests
Against Cruisers Presence.
Says She Has No Right TO Be in
Colombian Water.

cruiser Atlanta, Commander William
H Turner, returned here last night
from the Gulf of Darien. She discover
ed December Is a detachment of Co
lombla troops, numbering virtually
about 500 men, but according to their
statements totalling 1,500 or 1000 men
at I1tumati, 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 con-
Versed with the Colombian commander.
The latter protested energetically
against the presence of American war
ships 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
/ Colombia. Commander Turner ignored
the request and the Atlanta returned
70 Colon to report to Rear Admiral
Coghlan.
The Colombians are clearly busy with
protective and Strengthening measures
Although they treated the American
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 Colombian
cruisers Cartagena and General
! Pinzon.
Early in the morning of December
10, the Atlanta sighted a small schoon-
er in the center of the gulf of Darien
and followed her to the western shore
where the schooner attempted to hide
behind an inlet. Lieutenant Hartman
Perr1ll, of the Atlanta, was ordered to
board her and thereupon a whale boat
was lowered and pulled toward the
schooner. Through the courtesy of the
naval officers, the correspondent of the
Associated Press accompanied the
party in the whale boat. It WAS found
/ that the schooner had on board a hun
dred armed Colombian soldiers COM
manded by General Rafael NOvO, who
said General Daniel Ortiz, commander
in-chief of the Colombia forces of the
Atlantic and the Pacific, had a large
camp a mile away on the mainland.
General Novo requested Lieutenant
Perril to land and confer with General
Ortiz. After temporarily returning to
the Atlanta, Lieutenant Perrill went
back to the schooner, which in the
meantime, had taken up position off
beach within. a small bay. Great ex-
citement prevailed among the CoIoIn-
bians on the whale boats approach.
There were repeated cries of sfViva Co
lombia' and there was a sudden con-
centration of $50 Colombian soldiers on
! the beach. For some moments the sit
uation appeared dangerous and had
the appearance of an ambuScade-
WANTED FLAG LOWERED.
General Ortiz appeared on the beach
when Lieutenant Perrill went ashore,
the Whaleboat in the meanwhile lying
close to the beach. General Ortiz in
sisted that Lieutenant Perriu should
fly the Colombian flag at the bow of
the whaleboat. or lower the American
flag at her stern, because she was in
Colombian waters. Lieutenant Perrin
replied that he did not have a Colorn-
bian flag and refused to lower the
stars and stripes. General Ortiz did not
insist upon his so doing but he pro-
tested in writing against the presence
of the Americans in Colombian waters.
Lieutenant Perrill accepted the protest
and conveyed it to Commander Turner
who handed it to Rear Admiral Cogh-
Ian on his arrival here.
During the conference with the
Colombians ashore Lieut.. Perrill was
surrounded by General Ortiz's staff,
while inland a few PAGES there was
semicircle of armed sentinels The
beach in both directions was also lined
by sentinels. General Ortiz did not
permit Lieut.. Perrill to leave the point
of the beach where he landed. While
Perrill was awaiting the Colombian
protest First Lieut.. Edward B. Man
waring, commanding the marine guard
of the Atlanta, rowed up in a cutter for
the purpose of communicating with
Lieut.. Perrill and to gain certain mill
tary information. Lieut.. Manwaring
went ashore and the cutter joined the
whale boat off the beach.
Lieut.. PelriH returned to the At
lanta at o'clock in the afternoon.
Lieut.. ManWaring before returning
pulled in the cutter along the coast
observing the Colombians' camp. Later
in the day General Ortiz requested the
Atlanta to leave.
The Colombian camp appeared to be
permanent was we'll provisioned and
probably destined to be used as a base
of operations. General Ortiz and 9th
ers freely expressed the determination
of Colombia to fight to the bitter end
in case General Reyes visit to Wash
ington is not successful and Panama
is not returned to Colombia.
AMADOR FOR PRESIDENT
Panama, Dec. 1.-THE junta's de-
cree fixing December %, as the date for
national convention has been received
with enthusiasm in the towns in the in
terror of the republic. There is no
doubt that public opinion favors the
canal treaty with the United States
and the candidacy of DR.. Amador for
the presidency.
LANDED AT GORGoN.
Washington, Dec. 17.-In a cable
gram from Rear Admiral Coghlan
/ commanding the naval force in Allan
tic-isthnian waters which reached the
navy departmen over night the land
ing of the battalion of marines from
the Prairie at Gorgon is recorded. The
battalion will go into camp at that
place, the n10Q1cal Officers having re-
ported that the health. conditions there
are fairly satisfactory. Gorgon is some
distance above the sea level and it is
hoped the men will be free from tropi-
cal illness. The battalion of marines
have encamped at Empire. Care viii be
taken that all the American force On
the isthmus shall drink only distilled
water and the Prairie will be kept
there for the purpose of distilling an
adequate supply. In a cablegram re-
eeived from Rear Admiral Glass today
the .sitilatinr On both. sides the ist laraal1s