Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-01-04
CRITICAL CONDITIONS At
FL COLON ON NOV. 4 LAST.

.ts,t
CRITICAL CONDITIONS At
PA COLON ON NOV. 4 LAST.
~. s. 8. Nashville, Third Rate, Colon,
q. 8. Colombia. Nov. s, 19O3.-Sir:
pending a complete report of the &C.
currences of the last three days In, Colon,
Colombia, / most respectfully invite the
departments attention. to those of the
date of Wednesday. Nov. 4, which amount
ed to practically the making Of war against
the United States by the officer In COM
mand Of the Colombian troops In Colon.
At O'Clock p. m. on that date i was sum-
moned on shore by preconcerted signal,
and on landing met the United States con-
sui. vice consul, and Colonel Shaler, the
general superintendent Of the Panama rail-
road The consul informed me thpt he
had received notice from the officer COM
manding the Colombian troops, Colonel
Torres, through the project Of Colon, to
the effect that II the Colombian officers,
Generals TOhal and Amaya, who had been
seized In Panama on the evening Of the
Sd of November by the Independents and
held as prisoners, were not deceased by 2
O'Clock p. 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 citizens should take
refuge in the shed of the Panama Rail-
road company, stone building susceptible
Of being put into good state for defense,
and that I would Immediately land such
body Of men, with extra arms for arming
the citizens, as the complement of the
ship would permit. This was agreed to
and I Immediately returned on board, ar
irving at 1:15 p. m. The order for landing
was Immediately given, and at 100 p. M
the boats left the ship with a party Of
forty-two men under the command of Lieu
tenant Commander Fl. M. Witzel, with
Midshipman ]. P. Jackson as second In
command. Time being pressing bave YER
bal orders to Mr.. Witzel to take the build
Ing above referred to, to put it into the
best state Of defense possible, and protect
the lives of the citizens assembled there
not firing unless fred upon. The women
AND children took refuge ON the German
steamer Marcomania 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 small-arm or
shrapnel fire. The Colombians surrounded
the building Of the railroad company almost
Immediately after we had taken posses
sion, and for about one and q half hours
their attitude was most threatening, it be-
ing seemingly their purpose to provoke an
attack. Happily our men were cool and
steady, and while the tension was very
m. Colonel Torres came into the building
for an interview and expressed himself as
most friendly to Americans, claiming that
the whole affair was Misrepresentation
and that he would like to send the alcalde
Of Colon to Panama to see General Tobal
and have him direct the discontinuance of
the show Of force. A special train was fur
nished and safe conduct guaranteed. At
about $50 p. NJ Colonel Torres made the
proposition of withdrawing his troops to
Monkey hill, IL I would withdraw the
Nashville's force and leave the town in
possession of the police until 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 prob
ability Of good faith In the matter, de-
cIded to accept the proposition and brought
between my force and that Of the Colon
bfans, nearly ten to one, making me de-
sirous Of avoiding a conflict so long as the
object In view, the protection of American
citizens, was not fmperiled.
II am positive that the determined atti-
tude Of our men, their GOODNESS and evi.
dent intention Of standing their ground,
had most salutary and decisive effect on
the Immediate situation and was the initial
step In the ultimate abandoning Of Colon
by these troops and their return to Carta-
gena the following day. Lieutenant Com.
mander Witzel Is entitled to much praise
FOR his admirable work in command On
the spot.
II feel that can not sufficiently strong.
ly represent to the department the gross.
ness OF this outrage and the insult to our
dignity, even apart from the savagery of
the threat.
very respectfully, JOHN HUBBARD,
Commander, u. S. Navy, Commanding.
''The Secretary of the Navy, Navy Depart
ment, Washington. D. c."