Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-01-04
SECOND LETTER DETAILS
INCIDENTS OF TROUBLE.

In his letter Of Nov. Commander Hub
bard sets forth the facts more in detail:
''C. 8. s. Nashville, Third Rate. Porto
Bello. U. 8. Colombia, Nov. 8, 19U3-Sir:
4. have the honor to make the following
report OF the occurrences which took place
ut Colon and Panama in the interval be-
tween the arrival of the Nashville at Colon
On the evening of Nov. 2, 1903, and the
evening of Nov. g. 1903, when by the ar
rival of the e. q. s Dixie at Colon I was
relieved as senior officer by Commander
+. Fl. Delano. U. 8. N.
2. At the time of the arrival Of the
Nashville at Colon at $40 p. m. on Nov.
everything OH the isthmus was quiet.
There was talk Of proclaiming the indie
pendence of Panama, but no definite &C.
ton had been taken and there had been no
disturbance of peace and order. At day
light on the morning Of Nov. it was
found that a vessel which had come In dur
ing the night was the Colombian gunboat
Cartagena carrying between 400 and 500
troops. ! had her boarded and learned that
these troops were for the garrison at Pan
ANA. lnasmuch as the Independent party
had not acted and the government Of Co.
lombia was at the time IN undisputed con-
troll Of the province of Panama, l did not
feel In the absence of any instructions,
that was justified In preventing the land
Ing OF these troops, and at $50 o'clock
officers, Generals Ama!a and Tobal, with
four others, Immediately went over to
Panama to make arrangements for receiv.
Ing and Quartering their troops, leaving the
command In charge Of an officer whom l
later learned to be Colonel Torres The de-
partment's message addressed to, the care
Of the United States consul / received at
1890 a. M; it was delivered to one of the
ships boats while I was at the cousul's
and not to the consul as addressed. The
message was said 20 have been received
at the cable office at 9:3O a. m. Immediate
~ on deciphering the message I went on
shore to see what arrangements the rail-
road company had made FOR the transpor-
tAtion of these troops to Panama, and
learned that the company would not trans
port them except on request Of the gov
ernor of Panama. and that the project at
Colon and the officer left In command Of
the troops had been 80 notified by the gen.
eral superintendent OF the Panama Rail-
road company. remained at the COM
pany's Office until 1t was sure chat no ac-
ton on my part would he needed to pre-
vent the transports tfon Of the troops that
afternoon, when 4 returned on board and
cAbled the department the situation of af-
fairs. AT about $50 y. m. ! again went on
shore, and received notice from the gen
eral superintendent sof the railroad that
he had received the request for the trai.s-
p0rtation Of the troops and that they
would leave on the 8 a. m train on the
following day. ] Immediately went to see
the general superintendent. and learned
that 1t had Just ebeen announced TINT a
provisional government had been establish
ed at PanamA--ttat Generals Amaya and
sTobat the governor Of Panama. and four
onlcers. who hsd gone to Panama In the
morning. had been seized and were held
o. prisoners: that they had an organized
force of 1850 troops and wished the goy-
eminent troops In Colon to be- sent over.
pFohthited the generas superintensent frem