The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-04
ARRESTS OF SOLDIERS ComH nder Fullam Acts 4 Quickly. L -RICAN NEGRO BEATEN .ticaraguan Troops and Policemen
 Brutal1y Maltreat Black. Was Attacked by Drunken Man in Uni- form Who Carried Machete,
 and When He Resisted
 was Pounded.

 Correspondence of Associated Press)
 Porto Cortez. April 2s. via Mobile. | Ala. May 3.-About 5 o'clock on the evening of Saturday, April 27, ne-
 gro man formerly from Boyce Station, La. named General Davis. a fruit in- spector for the Thacker Brothers steamship Line, was standing quietly near the railroad station at La Laguna where the shops of the railroad are | situated, talking with three or four oth- CT negro companions.
 A drunken Nicaraguan, armed with | a machete. approached the party and without any provocation demanded to know what they were talking about. Davis answered that 1t was none of his business, whereupon the Nicaraguan soldier drew his uiachete and raised 1t | over Davis. who clasped his arms around the man and finally took away
 the weapon, threw 1t upon the ground and went to house near by. A companion of the Nicaraguan sol- dier ran to cuartel and police sta- tion and squads of police and Nica- raguan soldiers surrounded the house and dragged Davis out of the house and were carrying him toward the cu- arteL As no attempt had been made
 
 wis asked the squad why they did not | arrest the Nicaraguan. In reply the party cursed and punched him with the butts of their guns. then knocked him down with their rifles. When on the ground both Nicaraguan soldiers and policemen beat him bruta1ly over the
 head and body until Davis was uncon- | scious.
 Taken to Quartet. The soldiers and police carried his
 body to the cuartel finding tho blood flowing from the nose mouth and ears.
 Believing that Davis was dying they carried the body back to the spot where they had knocked him down and threw
 it upon the ground The negro com | panions of Davis asked the soldiers to permit them to carry him out of the sun and lay him in the shade until medical assistance arrived, but they were cursed and told to let him lay | there.
 By teiphone Major Burke at the port was advised He notified MT. He1lan
 of the Thacker Company. who called Dr, F. T. Hustin and Dr. Mayors of the Marietta, who in ten minutes were
 in the Laguna. They examined Da-
 vis's contusions and found him badly bruised on the head and body and un- conscious.
 Within ten minutes the blue jackets of the Marietta under Ensign Ror-
 sach were on the spot. Commander Fullam's orders were
 sharp and decisive.
 Arrest the chief of police and the policemen engaged in the assault. put
 them in irons and send them aboard
 ship-arrest the Nicaraguan officers and men engaged in the assault and hold them for orders. .'
 It was thought possible that an att tempt would be made 10 release the | -11A "A.
 blue jackets. so men were landed from the Paducah to occupy the La Guna
 and additional men were landed from
 the Marietta.
 The Paducah moved to a position fronting the Nicaraguan cuartels while
 the Marietta covered the Cuartels In
 the port.
 Everything has been very quiet for several days so General Estrada. com manding the Nicaraguan forces and the commandant commanding the Hondu ran forces, were absent on a pic mic" visiting the old historic Fort of Omoa. The soldiers taking advantage of this had been getting liquor and many i'm | toxicated soldiers were seen. Ignored Authorities. Captain Fuller, finding that the civ Il authorities were incapable of main
 taintng regulations or orders, that the government of Tegucigalpa was a mere provisional agreement of certain lead CTS that so far gave no evidence of stability, decided to ignore the author ities here and recognize the only or
 ganized and disciplined force here un- der General Estrada, commanding the Nicaraguan forces who had in the meantime returned to the port.
 The NicaEaguan officers and men ar rested were delivered by Captain Full lam's order to General Estrada, who
 was advised that they would be held responsible. Also notice was served on the Honduran and Nicaraguan au- thorities that reparation would be de- manded and punishment should be in- hicted upon all of the perpetrators of the brutal outrage
 The American negroes at Puerto Cor tez have been the victims of brutal as saults at the hands of Honduran police for years.
 Made Negroes Bury Dead. The favorite method was to cite them to dig graves and bury the dead When they refused they were unmercifully clubbed and thrown in jail and finally ten of the best workers were expelled. from the country by General Bulnes l but ordered back by Minister -Comhes from Guatamala and protected by the American Consul Johnson, Davis was an excellent negro, quiet. nara WOEhluSt Iclidpit, never known IO engage in brawls. He has been uncon- scious since the assault. but Doctor Austin says that he is suffering from concussion of the brain and that Davis may recover.
 Commander Fullam of the Marietta says If Davis dies the perpetrators will be tried for murder, presumably by court martial. and the guilty ones hung at the yard arm in front of the port The Paducah was ready to sail for Ceiba and Truxillo but willhow remain here for the rfesent.
 Captain Fullam has placed Captain Winterhalter fin command of the land forces and he is conducting a vigorous investigation of all the details of the Davis affair. Over twenty-five wit nesses have been called to the consu late
 At six o'clock last night General Els trada peremptortlly ordered all the Honduran soldiers to be taken from the port and Major Burke sent them to San Pedro on a special train. General Estrada and Commander Fullam have arranged details for