The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-04

Nashville got under way and patrOlled
with her along the water front close in
Shrapnel fire. The ColombianS sur
rounded the building of the railroad
company almost Immediately after we
had taken possession and for about
one and half hours their attitude was
most threatening, it being seemingly
their purpose to provoke an attack
Happily our men were cool and steady
and while the tension was very great
no shot was fred. At about 3:15 D. m
colonel Torres came into the building
Tor an interview and expressed himself
as most friendly to Americans. claim
Ing that the whole affair was a mis-
apprehension and that he would like
to send the alcade of Colon to Panama
to see General Tobal and have him di-
rect the discontinuance of the show of
force. A special train was furnished
and safe conduct guaranteed AT
about $50 D. m. Colonel Torres made
the proposition of withdrawing his
troops to Monkey hill, if would with
draw the Nashville's force and leave
the town in possession of the police I'M
til the return of the alcalde on the
morning of the 5th. After an interview
with the United States consul and
Colonel Shaler as to the probability Of
good faith in the matter. decided to
accept the proposition and brought my
men on board, the disparity in numbers
between my force and that of the Co.
lombians, nearly ten to one, making me
Q0S4IOuS OIL avoiding d CONNECT so long
as the object in view, the protection of
American citizens, was not irnperiled
1 am positive that the determined at
tltude or our men. their GOODNESS and
evident intention of standing their
ground, had most salurary and de-
clslve effect on the immediate situation
ana was the initial step in the ultimate
abandoning of Colon by these troops
ana their return to Cartagena the fol-
lowing day. Lieut.. Commander Witzel
IS entitled 10 much praise for his ad-
mlrable work in command on the spot
feel that I can not sufficiently
Strongly represent to the department
the grossness of this outrage and the
insult to our dignity. even apart from
the saVagery of the threat.
Very respectfully,
JOHN HUBBARD,
Commander, U. S. N, Commanding.
The Secretary of the Navy.
Navy Dept, Washington. D. CO.
The Facts in Detail
In his letter of November Com
mander Hubbard set forth the facts
more in detail:
u. s. S. Nashville, Third Rate, Porto
Bello, U. S. Colombia, November 8,
1908.
Sir: 1. 1 have the honor to make
the following report of the occurrences
which took place at Colon and Panama
in the interval between the arrival of
the Nashville and Colon on the evening
of November 2, 1903, and the evening of
November 5, 1903. when by the arrival
of the U. S. S. Dixie at Colon I was
relieved as senior officer by Command
er F. H. Delano, u. S. navy.
80. At the time of the arrival of the
Nashville at Colon at $50 p. m. on No
vember everything on the isthmus
was quiet. There was talk OF proclaim
ing the independence of Panama, but
no definite action had been taken and
there had been no disturbance of peace
and order AT daylight on the morning
of November it was found that a
vessel which had come in during the
night was the Colombian gunboat Car
tagena carrying between 400 and 500
troops. 1 had her boarded and learned
that these troops were for the garrison
at Panama. Inasmuch as the Indepen-
dent party had not acted and the gov
eminent of Colombia was at the time
in undisputed control of the Province
of Panama, I did not feel, in the alb
sence of any instructions, that I was
! justified in preventingNt the landing of
these troops, and at $50 o'clock they
We're diSembarked. The commanding
officers, Generals Amaya and Tobal.
with four others, Immediately went
over to Panama to make arrangements
/ for receiving and Quartering their
troops, leaving the command in charge
of an officer whom I later learned to
be Colonel Torres. The departments
message addressed to the care of the
! United States consul received at 1920
a. M; it was delivered to one of the
ships boats while 1 was at the consul's
| and not to the consul as addressed. The
message was said to have been received
at the cable office at $50 a. m Immed-
lately on disappearing the message 1
went on shore to see what arrange
nents the railroad company had made
for the transportation of these troops
! to Panama, and learned that the com
pany would not transport them except
on request of the government of Pana-
ma, and that the project at Colon and
| the officer left in command OF the
! troops had been so notified by the gen
eral superintendent of the Panama
Railroad company. I remained at the
company's office until it was sure that
no action on my part would be needed
| to prevent the transportation of the
troops that afternoon, when returned
| on board and cabled the department
the situation of affairs. At about-5:30
D. M 1 again went on shore, and re-
ceived notice from the general superin-
tendent of the railroad that he had
received the request for the transpor-
tation of the troops and that they
would leave on the a. m train on the
following day. I Immediately went to
see the general superintendent and
learned that it had just been announced
that a provisional government had
been established at Panama-that Cen
erals Amaya and Tobal, the governor OF
Panama, and four officers, who had
gone to Panama in the morning, had
been seized and were held as prisoners;
that they had an organized force of l.
500 troops and wished the government
troops in Colon to be sent over. This
7 declined to permit, and verbally pro-
hibited the general superintendent from
giving transportation to the troops of
either party.
''It being then late in the evening, I
sent early in the morning of November
4 written notification to the general
Superintendent of the Panama railroad,
to the project of Colon, and to the Off
Ger left in command of the Colombian
troops. later ascertained to be Colonel
ANAMN~ -