The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-03-26
Honduras Capital Falls Under Short
Conflict Bonilla Flees.
WAR IS VIRTUALLY ENDED
Casualties Have Been Comprehensively
Li@ht,--Three States We're Involved.

Washington, March 25.-senor Co
rea, the Nicaraguan minister, tonight
received a dispatch from President
zelaya OF Nicaragua, announcing the
capture and occupation Of Tegucigal-
pa. the capital OF Honduras.
The fall of the Honduran capital TO-
day was predicted by the Nicaraguan
foreign office yesterday, following the
capture of Choluteca, the most strong
ly fortified town in that country, and
the flight of President Bonilla Of Hon
duras. Only the bare announcement
of the capture of Tegucigalpa was re-
ceived.
The capture of Tegucigalpa. the
capital of Honduras, by the Nicarag-
uans, coupled with the recent defeat
of the forces of Honduras and Saliva
dor at Choluteca, and the flight of
President Bonilla of Honduras, vir-
tually ends the Central American war.
1t is now probable that Nicaragua will
install another president at the Hon
duran capital in lieu Of President Bo-
nilla, and that she will then withdraw
her troops to her own territory.
4. The conflict has been short and
Judging from the reports which have
been received here, none Of the en-
gagements have been serious. The
casualties have been comprehensive.
ly light, four OF five hundred in the
most important engagement reported
the fight at Choluteca.
Honduras has been helped in this
war by Salvador, with whom she had
an alliance, and she has had to con
tend with a rebellious outbreak of her
own people This was also the case
in Nicaragua, revolutionists in each
country taking advantage Of the diff
culties of the government to further
their own cause. Three Central Am
erican states became involved, Costa
Rica and Guatemala remaining neu
tral.
The United States sent gunboats te
both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts
and marines we're landed at two o.
three noints on the northern coast O
Honduras for the protection Of Amer
ican interests. These ports were il
the possession of the enemies of th'
Honduran government at the time ant
the government of Honduras approved
the action.
EARLY in January, the trouble be
tween Honduras and Nicaragua al
peared to be becoming acute. Mex
|ico and the United States endeavore
to avert an open conflict, but in spit
of the fact that the presidents of bot
countries assured President Roosevelt
peace would be maintained, hostilltle
broke out early in February Th
United States then permitted the figh1
ling to go on, but stood ready to put
stop to it the moment it threatene
seriously to endanger foreign 1nte
ests.
Setting aside the mule that tn
Nicaraguans are alleged to have sto
en- in the frontier town of Las Manc
one night, the cause of the conflict al
parently is founded on the ambition
President Zelaya Of Nicaragua, to sc
as chief executive of Honduras,
man who would favorably consider tn
claims of Nicaragua in the matter
determining the boundary line D
tween the two countries. A posslb
underlying motive is President u
laya's far-reaching ambitions. he
credited with desire to bring apo'
federation of the states of Centr
, America, and Honduras stood in q
way. On the other hand, it is assel
ed in some quarters that Preside
Bonilla brought about the trouble I
the purpose of avoiding disaster
: the hands of the revolutionary part
: which was daily growing stronger
Honduras.
A feature of the conflict has be-
that each country has disavowed
Isponsibility for the war.
The engagements of the past we
have been leading up to the taking
It Tegucigalpa, and with the routing
1.-THE forces protecting the approaches