The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-13
AMERICAN LEADS
WAR ON SALVADOR
Is Now Prisoner in Artillery
Garrison at the
Capital.
INVADING FORCES BEATEN
LAST STAND is BEING MADE AT
ACAJUTLA.
INVADING FORCES BEATEN

Mexico City June 12-Salvador with a
force Of regular troops today defeated a
body Of reVOlutiOnists and Nicaraguans,
who yesterday captured the port of Aca-
Julia and who later attempted TO move
on the SalvadOrean capital. The invading
forces were driven back TO Aeajutla and
are now making a stand there.
The battle was fought near the town
of Sonsonata, which the invaders endeav-
Ored TO capture. SonsOnata. which is well
garrisOned. is about twelve miles from
Acajutla the Salvadorean railroad,
which connects the port of Acajutla with
the capital of the republic. AS soon as
the invading force entered the harbOr they
easily took possession of the town, which
was poorly defended. they then seized a
train which happened to be at the ter
minus of the road at the time, and swift
ly moved on to Sonsonata.
Meanwhile President Figueroa had heard
of the capture of the town and ordered an
immediate mobilization of the Salvadorean
army. number of troops were rushed
by train from the capital to Sonsonata.
During the night the invaders surround
ed the town. attacking it this morning,
with the result above stated.
Led by An American.
Not the least interesting part Of the
whole incident is the fact that an Ameri-
can citizen is said TO have been the pro
mOter and leader Of the move He is
John Moissant, a wealthy sugar planter,
who formerly resided in San Francisco
Cal. and who is now a prisoner in the
artillery garrison at San Salvador. II is
said he will later be tried by the Saliva
dOrean government. MOssaut is one OF
four brothers who, beside owning one OF
the richest sugar plantations in Central
America. possess considerable property in
San Francisco.
The home of the Moissants in that city
was at 1850 Fulton street, now occupied
by Burton Aw. Weyl. bTOther-in-law.
Fred Moissant. another brother, is presi-
dent of the National Bank of Salvador,
and up to this time has never been arrest
ed by the SalVadoTean authorities About
a month ago John and George MOissant
are said to have entered into conspiracy
with General EScalOn. a brother of for
mer President Jose Escalon. whereby A
revolution was to be started with the idea
of making General PetrerO EscalOn pres
ident According to the story. widely cur
rent i'm Salvador. the officers of the gar
rison at SOnsonata We're bribed and on
the day set for the capturing Of the town
the coffee given to the troops was doc
tOTed.
The Moi5sant plantation is but ten miles
from Sonsonata. and here were secreted
800 stands of arms. large quantity OF
ammunition and fifty men. this force be-
| ing considered sufficient. inasmuch as the
troops were TO be disabled and the off
GERS bought off On the appointed day
one of the bribed officers notified the
president of the plot and a regiment Of
soldiers was rushed from the capital to
SOnsonata. George and John MOissant
were captured and imprisoned as were
their followers. a search of the plantation
disclosed the arms which were confiscat-
ed. Through the efforts of the brother
who heads the national bank. and VINO
threatened to ask the aid of the United
States. the men were finally released.
Junta in This Country.
Later the salvadorean government
3 g. fnffarr
they declare was composed of a United
States consul. the MOissant brothers. Col
onei Felipe Fernandez. NiCaTaguan SPY,
an agent of President Ielaya and numer-
Gus eXileS from the various central Amer
| lean republics
John Moissant. it is alleged. endeavored
/ to become mayor and commandant or
/ SOnsOnata out. failing in this he was ap-
pointed American vice consul The Amer
/ lean consul who appointed him IS no long
er in the service. having been charged
/ with aiding Felipe Fernandez, member
Z of the alleged junta, TO send messages
/ to President Zelaya Of Nicaragua Since
/ the Unearthing Of this alleged evidence
I by the government the whole Moiss2nt
/ family. including two beautiful girls, have
/ been kept under the closest surveillance
/ 1t is said the sisters have been trying
/ to leave tha country for their home in
! the United States. but as the SalYadOrean
government claims to have evidence that
/ they are also in the alleged revolutionary
[ plot they nave not been allowed to leave
/ the country.
! The alleged evidence against the sis
| tiers consists in the charge that they al
lowed their brothers to make over their
vast holdings to them Just before the
/ first attempt was made to overthrow the
! government.
/ The last movement made against this
/ American family was in the nature Of
suing the national bank owned by f
/ MOiSSant. which movement failed.
An intimate friend of President Fig
ueroa, who is now in this capital. de
/ clares that while this latest movement
/ has been checked it has not beer crushed.
/ for everyone in the country realizes il
/ is but the tOrerunner of well thought
out plan. the ultimate aim is the sea-
/ ing in the presidential chair Of a man
! of President Zelaya's choice.
Must Divide His Army.
Within a few days. it is believed. Pres
/ forces in three bodies. General Toledo
! the Guatemalan will pass through Hon
duras and cross the SalVadOTean border
/ near the Guatemalan frontier. Further
south General AlfarO Zelaya's choice for
| the presidency of Salvador, viii cross
/ the border, and at GoleScOr on the Pa
/ cific coast, the NicaraSuan general, SER
IA. will appear with force of 1000 men
| and will attack the port OF l-aUnion. later
] endeavOring to capture the inland town Of
| San Miguel in order 10 join forces with
/ General Rivas. defeated in tOday's bat
/ tie No secret has been made of these
plans, so sure are the invaders Of sue
! cess.
! in General Sierra's army are two young
1 Americans. aged. respectively. ? and IS.
/ They are from New Orleans and are
paid by Zelaya. who has made them
/ colOnels. commanding two respective reg
iments of this expedition. One of the
! young men is said to have attended West
/ Point.
/ Today at the state department the news
/ of the capture of Acajuta was officially
confirmed There it was claimed that
the treaty of Amapala was in operative.
inasmuch as formal notifications between
| Nicaragua and Salvador had never been
| exchanged Sub-Secretary Algara said
\ Mexico's attitude would be that Of a
neutral unless events demanded other
/ Meanwhile the Guatemalan question Will
remain al a standstiIl SO far as this gov
! eminent is concerned.
MAYOR IS DROWNED.