The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-05
Department promptly and fully in

/
force on the Isthmus about 500 men.
Their official promised support revolu-'
| ton Fire Department, Panama, AL,
| are well organized and favor revolution.
Government vessel, Cartagena, with
| about 400 men, arrived early today with
! new commander in chief Tobar. Was
| not expected until November 10. To
bars arrival is not probable to slap
| revolution.
| This cablegram was received at 2.35 p.
M, and at $40 p. m. Mr. LOOMS sent
| the telegram which he had already pre-
pared to both Panama and Colon. APP
parently, however, the consul general at
Panama had not received the information
embodied in the Associated Press bulletin.
| upon which the Assistant Secretary OF
State based his dispatch: for his answer
was that there was no uprising although
the situation was critical. this answer
being received at 8:15 p. m. Immediate
| ly afterwards he sent another dispatch.
which was received at $50 D. m. saying
| that the uprising had occurred and had
been successful, with no bloodshed. The
Colombian gunboat Bogota next day be
gan to shell the city of Panama, with the
result of killing one Chinaman. The con-
sui-general was directed to notify her to
stop firing Meanwhile, on November a.
Commander Hubbard notified the Depart
ment that he had landed a force to pro-
tect the lives and property of American
citizens against the threats of the CO.
iombian soldiery.
| Before any step whatever had been talk
en- by the United States troops to restore
order, the commander OF the newly landed
Colombian troops had INDUCED in wanton
and violent threats against American citi-
zens, which created serious apprehension.
As Commander Hubbard reported in his
! Letter OF November 5, this officer and his
troops practically began war against the
United States, and only the forbearance
and GOODNESS of our officers and men pre-
vented bloodshed The letter of Command
er Hubbard il o: such interest that it
deserves quotation in full and runs az
| followa
| U. s. s. Nashville, Third Rate,
Colon, IT, s. Colombia Nov 5. 1908.
| Sir: Pending a complete report of
| the occurrences Of the last three days
! in Colon, Colombia, I most respectfully
| invite the Departments attention to
| those OF the date of Wednesday, No
vember 4, which amounted to practically
| the making of war against the United
| States by the officer in command or
! the Colombian troops IN Colon. At 1
| O'Clock y. m. or that date ] was sum-
moned on shore By n preconcerted sig
nal. and on landing met the United
States consul, vice consul, and Colonel
Shaler the general superintendent or
| the Panama Railroad The consul in
formed me that he had received notice
| from the officer commanding the Co
lombian troops, Colonel Torres, through
! The project of Colon, to the effect that
If the Colombian officers, Generals Tobal
and Amaya, who had been seized in
Panama on the evening of the Sd of
November by the Independents and held
as prisoners u were not released by
| o'clock D. M, he, Torres, would open
fire on the town OF Colon and kill every
| United States citizen in the place, and
my advice and action were requested.
/ advised that all the United States citi-
zens should take refuge in the shed of
the Panama Railroad Company, stone
building susceptible of being put into
good state for defense, end that 7
would Immediately land such body OF
men, with extra arms for arming the
citizens as the complement of the shin
would hermit. This was agreed 10 and
I Immediately returned on board. ar
irving at 1.f5 D. m. The order for
landing was Immediately given, and at
100 D. m. the boats left the ship with
a party of AZ men under the command
OF Lieut. Commander H. NJ. Witzel, with
Mdshipmen j. p. Jackson as second in
command. Time being pressing l gave
verbal orders to Mr.. Witzel to take the
building above referred to, 20 put it
; into the best state of defense possible
and protect the lives of the citizens
assembled there--not firing unless fired
upon. The women and children took
refuge on the German steamer Maroon
ana and Panama Railroad steamer City
of Washington, both ready to haul out
from dock ii necessary. The Nashville
i got under way and patrOlled with
her along the water front close in and
ready to use either smali-arm or shrap-
mel Are. The Colombans surrounded
the building of the railroad company
almost Immediately after we had taken
possession, and for about one and q
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 10
shot was fired At about 3.15 p. m
Colonel Torres came into the building
for 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 alcalde of Colon to Panama
to see General Tobal and have him d.
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 prop
osition of withdrawing his troops to
Monkey Hill if 1 would withdraw the
Nashviles force and leave the town
in possession Of the police until the
return of the alcalde on the morning
of the 9TH 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 be
tween my force and that of the Colon
bans, nearly ten to one. making ne
DESTROYS of avoiding a conflict so long
as the object in view, the protection
of American citizens, was not imperiled.
am positive that the determined
hat. a1ol