Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-04
POLICE PLACED IN IRONS
Officials Of Puerto Cortss Arrested BY Blue
Jackets from Gunboat Paduosh
AMERICAN NEARLY BEATEN TO DEATH
Captain FuIIiam Takes Prompt steps
to Protect Him and May Try
Assailants by Court
Martial.
AMERICAN NEARLY BEATEN TO DEAF

PUERTO CORTEz, April %, via Mobile,
May 3-The chief Of police and several
policemen OF this place are I'm irons aboard
the American gunboat Paducah charged
with murderous assault and face a trial by
court martial and possible hanging from
the yardarm OF the Paducah They were.
arrested on orders issued by Commander
Fullam Of the Marietta for attacking
Louisiana negro named General Davis here
on April 2 and perhaps fatally injuring
him. A number Of Nicaragua officers and
men were also arrested in connection with
the affray. These were delivered to the
custody Of General Estrada, who was ad-
vised by Commander Fullam that he would
be held responsible for their safe keeping
Davis, who is an inspector for the Thacker
Brothers steamship line, was talking with
some negro companions today when he was
threatened with a machete by a drunken
soldier. Davis wrested the weapon away
from the man and went into a house
nearby. Soon a squad Of police and sol
diers arrived and arrested him. While being
dragged to the cuartel Davis was beaten
into insensibility. Thinking Davis was dy-
ing they took him back to the place Of his
arrest and threw him down on the ground
refusing to allow his companions to remove
him into the shade. Physicians arrived and
found him perhaps fatally hurt.
Police Placed in Irons.
Within ten minutes the blue jackets Of
the Marietta, under Ensign Rorsach, were
on the spot.
Commander Fullams orders were sharp
and decisive:
ARREST the chief of police" he said, land
the policemen engaged in the assault, put
them in irons and send them aboard ship.
Arrest the Nicaraguan officers and men en-
gagged in the assault and hold them for or
ders"
II was thought possible that an attempt
would be made to release the soldiers and
police captured by the blueiackets and addi-
tional men were landed from the Paducah
and the Marietta, The Paducah moved to
a position fronting the NicaraEuan cuartels,
while the Marietta covered the cuartels in
the port
Commander Fullam, finding that the civil
authorities were incapable OF maintaining
/ regulations or order, and that the govern
ment of Tegucigalpa was a mere pro
visional agreement of certain leaders thai
so far gave no evidence of stability, decided
to ignore the authorities here and recognize
the only organized and disciplined force
here. that under General Estrada, com
manding the Nicaraguan forces, who had
/ in the meantime returned from an outing
Reparation VIII BE Demanded.
| Notice has been served on the Hondurar
and Nicaraguan authorities that reparatior
would be demanded and punishment shout
/ be inflicted on all of the perpetrators of tn
/ outrage.
Commander Fullam says IL Davis die'
the perpetrators will be tried for murder
presumably by court-martial. and thu
guilty ones hung at the yard-arm in from
Of the port. The Paducah was ready t
sail for Ceiba and Truxillo, but Will remain
here for the present.
Captain Fullam has placed Captain Win
terhaIter in command of the land force
and he Is conducting a vigorous investga
ton Of all OF the details of the Davi
affair