The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-09-14
UNCLE SAM
TO PROTECT
AMERICANS

Washington, Sept. 14-There is good
reason to believe that the state depart
ment has. perfected plans for sending a
warship to assist William l.. Merry,
United States minister TO Costa Rica II
Nicaragua, in securing satisfaction from
the Nicaraguan government. which now
holds William s. Albers. an American
citizen. together with his brother, In
prison at Ocotal on charges believed by
the state department TO be thoroughly UNI
founded
Oootal Is a small place in the province
of Segovia. Nicaragua. a few miles from
the Honduras line. Albers has been in
jail there for many weeks on charges Of
resisting the authorities. defaming the
executive and threatening 10 shoot some
officials OF the government who went TO
his place OF BUSINESS 10 u~njustly carry
away a season , crop OF tobacco.
The Albers case has been before the
state department for several weeks and
has now assumed somewhat serious pro-
portions. 1t has not been established that
This country proposes TO make a naval
demonstration 10 secure the release Of
Mr.. Albers, but 1t is believed that a war
ship will be sent TO a Costa Rican port,
where Mr.. Merry will be taken aboard
and set down as near as possible 10 Oco-
tai on the Nlcaraguan coast, from where
he will travel overland to the two Amer
leans imprisoned. Ocotal is about 20
miles from the coast. IL this plan Is
carried out the gunboat Princeton. now
at Panama. will probably be selected for
the mission.
Mr.. Merry Is now at San Jose. the capi-
tai Of Costa Rica, and from there he has
been conducting ar investigation OF the
Albers case. The state department re-
fuses 10 make public Mr.. Merry's report
on the Albers case, and absolutely moth
Ing is forthcoming concerning what this
government intends TO do about the mat
ter. 1t has been pretty we'll established,
however. that the two Americans are IN
jail for nothing more than baking the
plans OF certain government officials in
terested especially in the government to-
bacco monopoly. Albers refused TO &C
cede 10 certain demands on the part of
these officials OF their hirelings and the
matter was carried to President Zelaya,
entirely misrepresented TO him, and the
arrest OF Albers resulted.
PROTECTED HIS OWN PROPERTY.
Much light was thrown on the Albers
case by a letter which became puolic here
today from an American traveller In Cen
trail America, who looked into the case OF
Albers and wrote to a friend In Balti-
more OF IL. Following is the text, in
part. the letter. which may receive full
credence:
1T appears that in March, 1904 a com
pany OF armed men, led by one claiming
10 be a lieutenant In the Nicaraguan
army. and alleging that they were sent
by the government tobacco syndicate. de-
manded OF Albers that he permit them TO
enter and carry away his stock OF to-
bacco for the season.
"Aibers replied that ne had no contra
band ~tobaccos. that he had paid the gov
Inns In full; that he held regular of
ncial receipts for all tobacco In his stores.
He furthermore said that the first man
who tried TO enter his store would be
shot, but that he would permit the lieu
tenant to go through with one man and
inspect the tobacco in order that his
assertions might be proved. This was done
and no c~ontraband tobacco was found.
1T will be observed IN this connection
that Nicaragua is n country overburdened
with government monopolies, the tobacco
monopoly being one of the most unpopu-
lar and profitable. In this and in the
liquor monopoly 1t is freely stated that
high officials are largely concerned; hence
they are naturally interested in protect
ing them.
Following the search OF the Limon
company's premises. the executive at
Inagua, the capital of Nicaragua, issued a
decree ordering that anyone holding to-
bacco in stock should obtain a permit:
should he fail 10 do this his tobacco
would be confscated. Whereupon several
Americans holding tobacco applied for
permits were refused them. These Amer
lean holders thereupon arranged 10 sell
their tobacco to the syndicate. with the
exception OF Albers. who had in his place
American employees. who could have en-
forced his threats If necessary. This
caused the syndicate managers TO mis-
represent and exaggerate the action of
Albers when they reported 1t to the presi-
LAS a result charges of resistance TO
authority and violent abuse of the execu-
tive (Which is a serious offence in many
American countries) were made at
the court OF the district. situated at Oco-
tai. judicial warrants of arrest were is
sued and both the Alberses were taken
into custody, while peaceably walking the
street near their place OF business. They
were k TO Ocotal. where. as far as Is
now known 10 me, they are held In Gus
tody pending the verdict OF the court.
which 1t may be safely assumed will con-