The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-08-10
NEST indies WARRIORS
Comic Opera Armies at nayt
and Santo Domingo.
4 COUP BY GEN. JIMENEZ
Anecdotes Of Some Queer Doirr7 Of
the West Indian Soldiers sr5 Ma
rinee \ Bit Of German HuMor-
Novel Ways Of Collecting Debts
In Santo Domingo and Hsyti.


The last revolution in Santo Domin-
20 against the government of Presi.
deat Yves y Gil is only one of many
which have taken place in that un-
happy country since the assassination
q President Heureaux in 1899. Hour-
saux was an iron.hearted, heavy-hand.
- tyrant who kept the public peace
hy the simple expedient of hanging
- shooting all the turbulent charac-
ters he could lay his hands upon. Since
his death nobody has arisen strong
enough to preserve order among the
unruly Dominicans.
Jiminez became President after the
death OF HeureauI. He was deposed
By his own Vice President, Vaquez
vho, in turn, was kicked out by Wos
Oil, against whom the present revo-
k9tien is directed. Jiminez is a
wealthy man, having made several
Millions of dollars as merchant in
Anto Domingo. When in power he
discouraged the development OF his
os~ntry by American capital, and that
vaa the main cause of his downfall
naturally he 10 well liked by the
Americans who 1.-Two in Santo Domingo
sr have pecuniary interests there. AS
Dominican politicians 60, he Is able
~ enlightened, but he is not a good
doh&sr-A fatal drawback for man
u his aspirations. He generally stays
b Now York when out of power, puts
- the money and let's other people
- the nghting
9Ae stories told of the comic opera
armies Of Hayti and Santo Domingo
ne mostly true. An Englishman had
contract to supply coal to the steam
- which called at the port of Santo
Domingo City. Three or four hundred
Oominicans worked for him. carrying
he coal on their heads in baskets
rom the wharf to the steamers. For
this work they were paid - cents n
hy. One day one OF them asked for
'eview of the troops.
"You are one of the soldiers. then"
asked the Englishman.
"No, senor," the halfnaked mulatto
"eplied. 81 am a general, and have
o lead my brigade at the review
The navies Of Hayti and Santo DO
ningo are even queerer than the
srmies. The writer was once invited
board the Haytian flagship Crete-a-
ferrot, which was destroyed by the
tevman gunboat Panther at Con
ives. The main de.k was literally
. farmyard. Pigs, Gnats, fowls and
logs ran about in the widest con-
usion. Coal was stacked on deck,
nd the engine room would have driv-
n McAndrew or any other good
cotch engineer frantic--it was SO
overed with dirt and rust But the
lack and mulatto officers on the quar-
erdeck atoned for all shortcomings
hey were gorgeous to behold, in their
informs of white, blue, Grim r,n. vel
w. silver and gold. Some of them
ere real horse Marines" wearing
eautifully polished lTessian boots
nd spurs!
The foreign residents Of Portau-
rince tell "A story OF Ilayti's great
It naval engagement. 1t happened
}veral years ago, before the building
the Crete-a-Pierrot. Hayti's navy
zen consisted Of three leaky, rusty
tramp steamers, armed with few
ncient cannon, which were far more
angerous to the gunners than to the
1emy.
Germany, having dunned Hayti In
ain for an indemnity owing on &C.
,unt Of outrages committed on Ger
an subjects during a revolution, at
st sent a squadron of three ships to
'llect the money. The German com.
todore delivered his ultimatum. You
ust pay the money before noon," he
lid. 'or l shall take your ships"
The President and his Cabinet were
ehant. They felt sure that their
ave admiral and his sailors could
anguish the enemy with horrible
'saughter.
Punctually at noon the shores of
ne harbor were lined with people
'Ait'hg 10 see the glorious victory.
resently they saw the German ships
'utting out to sea, chased by the in
incible armada of Hayti. Patriotic
-athusiasm was at boiling point. But
hat was this? The gallant admiral
.ad his heroic men were observed
amping over the sides of their
alps into the sea and swimming TO-
ard shore. A glance through Dhc
elescope revealed the horrid truth. !
he Haytian vessels were not pursu-
ing. They were being towed out to
ga!
When the admiral landed, with his
l,ne plumage bedraggled and spoiled, !
'.a said that the Germans had boarded
is snip unawares and captured It
ShAe ne was mapping out his plans
n the glorious victory, He didn't
think 1t was fair.
The President and his Cabinet had
10 run, hot foot, to the German Min
.ster and promise to pay the inLem-
aity at once II he would call the ships
yQa nd ha 1ao rt,.