The Washington herald., 1907-03-25

met With decisive defeat at the fldliaS OF
the Nicaraguan troops, and President
Bonilla, Of Honduras, Is in fight and
about to take passage on the first steamer
available for foreign parts. senor corea's
information, which comes from Senor
Gamez, the minister Of foreign affairs. Is
TO the effect that the town OF Choluteca
has been captured by the Nicaraguans
after a hard-fought engagement.
To Intercept Fleeing President.
The dispatch states that President
Boniua, who has been leading the Hon
duran forces Ia person, IS hiding in San
Lorenzo, a minor port on the Pacific side,
and has with him only a small detach-
ment cf 300 men. Il IS supposed that he
intends to reach Amapaia. port on
Tiger Island. where Pacific Mail and other
steamers stop, and that he intends TO fee
from the country,
San Lorenzo IS only ? short distance
from Tiger Island. and it would be posi-
bic for him to reach Amapala IN small
skif or sailboat. In order TO intercept him
President Zelaya has ordered TWO Of the
Nocaraguan gunboats TO Tiger Island.
In fact, the victorious NicsNaguans hope
10 be able 10 make the President Of Hon
duras their prisoner
HOnduran Capital May Fail To-day.
The dispatch adds that Tegucigalpa viii
be captured to-day. With the engage
ments during the past week IN the vicin-
ity of the Honduran capital, and the
forces which we're guarding the city ia
rout. it is believed that the Nicsraguans
viii be. successful in their march upon
the town.
Another dispatch, which Senior Corea
received to-day from Senor Ramierez. the
postmaster general of Nicaragua. states
that iu his opinion the war is practically
al an end. that Bonilla has fed from
Choluteca. and is about TO leave the couR-
EFy on the frat steamer.
Fear GuatemzIan interference,
The Nicaraguans believe that they vii
be able to maintain the advantage which
they have gained in the struggle unless
there Is an open alliance on the part Of
Salvador and Guatemala with Honduras.
In which event they maintain the Hondu-
rams would De Encouraged TO hold ont
longer and continue the war. To prevent
this they are anxious that the United
States and Mexico should intervene TO the
extent OF obliging Salvador and Guate-
nlala to maintain neutrality. There is lit
tie or no doubt, now. however. that the
Salvadorians have been actively CO
operating with the Honduras forces. and
have sent soldiers 10 join that country
In its contest with Nicaragua, but thus
far Guatemala has not been actively in
terested, although her sympathies are
with Honduras against President Zelaya-
Negotiating TO End Conflict.
It Is not regarded as likely. however.
that the war viii continue, as the steps
which the United States and Mexico are
taking, it is expected. will soon bring
about a cessation OF hostiIities. The uegO-
! tiations to that end are now being con-
Quoted through the Mexican Ambassador
to the United States. senor CreeI. These
two countries have been waiting for a
| decisive engagement before renewing their
good offices to bring about a settlement
Now that it has been fought It is be-
lieved that they viii step in and insist
that the struggle shall not be continued
further.
The State Department had no advices
yesterday from Central America, and the
only information received at the Navy
| Department was r dispatch from COM
mander Fulltm. Of the Marietta, az Ceiba.
stating that everything wax quiet there
News Reaches Managua.
Managua. Nicaragua. March 2i.-Choiut-
| eca, the most strongly fortified city in
Honduras IS reported to have fallen be-
fore the victorious NtcaTaguans. and Hon
duran revolutionists. and President Bo-
niila is said to be fleeing for safety in a
steamer. Several Nicaraguan gunboats
are pursuing the fugitive head of the Hon
duran government Santos Ramierez, the
director general of telegraphs here. made
the announcement OF the victory to-day
and he expressed the opinion that the
fall of Choluteca and the flight of Bo-
Hiila viii end the war
1t was at ChoIuteca that President Be-
niIla had ordered all the available Hon
duran and Salvad0rian troops to eoncen-
trate. and for several days it has been
rum0red that in all probability the big
battle of the war would take place there
as the Nicaraguans and their revolution
ist allies were marching toward the same
place.
Yesterday it was reported that the
Nicaraguans had inflicted a severe defeat
on the Honduran troops near Choluteca
and had captured their positions with the
aid of artillery. The government Of
Nicaragua has not yet received details Of
the fail Of the city. but expects 20 hear
from the victorious generals shortly.
AGED WOMAN CUT TO DEATH.