The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-20
LOOT To REWARD
HONDURAN VALOR
Sinister Significance Of PrOcIa-
nation in Soldiers Hands
To SACK CAPTURED CITIES
Americans Prepare to Defend T
seIves-Nicarsgua Carries On As:
oS
of Vengeance Against So 70
vador and Honduras 8 g


New Orleans, March IA of sinis-
ter and widespread significe vas given
TO the Central American war today by
the finding on the persons of captured
! Nicaraguan soldiers proclamations prom
islng them the loot of the first cities
which they can capture in both Honduras
and Salvador. This proclamation at once
amounted to a practical declaration of
war by Nicaragua against Saldavor; it
showed tbs the Nicaraguan common SOL
diers are at least being sent to fight
what they believe a war Of vengeance,
and it placed Americans in Puerto Cortcz.
and throughout the republic on the anx-
ious seat because of the fact that Ameri-
can residents or American capital form
! the principal property holders of most of
the Honduras cities, especially those
which are richest and therefore most liza
BILE TO loot in case of success of the
/ Nicaraguan army.
Any doubt as to the completeness OF
such loot is dispelled not only by tine
wording of the proclamation, but by the
experiences had in 1894 by some of the
persons now living in Puerto Cortez, who
were present at the looting of Choluteca,
Honduras. Nicaraguan soldiers aided by
| about 200 of their women, pillaged every
| house but one in the town The worst
feature of the looting of Choluteca, which
the proclamation recalls. was the horrible
| indignities offered both to women and to
| helpless persons About 250 ammunition
carts were used at Choluteca 30 carry
away the loot. The proclamation says:
Cities as Booty.
| THE reward for our valor will be found
as soon as we put our foot on the enc
my's ssoil-and in orrler that those ops
posed TO US may reaent their .tenority in
attacking our liberal towns. we offer as
booty the first cities. both of Honduras
and OF Salvador, that fall into our
| power"
The grounds for this sacklng of cities
are stated as follows:
THE hour has arrived in which our
glorious flag will go to exact reparaton
for the opprobious injuries to our coun-
| trymen in the towns of Los Calpules ard
| Carrizal. In these two towns our COM
rades were villianously assassinated by
m:nions of the despot of Honduras"
! Vengeance is to be visited upon Saliva
| dor because of the attack upon the town
of Leon by General Malespin of Salvador,
when, it is claimed. he violated Ncara-
guam homes, burned property and COM
mitted every class of robbery"
The proclamation is ambiguous in parts,
first indicating that only one city is to
| be sacked i'll each country and later on
| apparently giving permission to loot
more than one. 1t is in the form of Il
National bulletin" and bears the date
line, San Pedro, Sula, March 12.''
Americans Prepare Defense.
Americans in Puerto Cortez, in view of
| this proclamation. are preparing TO de-
| fend themselves If necessary. Some of
| them complain because the United States
| has not sent naval protection here. AL
| though measures for self defense have
| been taken by many Americans, 1t is
not true as has been reported, that they
have been impressed into the service OF
| Honduras or that they are taking part
| in any numbers in the hostilites. They
and other foreigners, are keeping aloof
| from the trouble. According to reports
| received here a part of the Salvadoreau
army is by this time fighting with Hon
| duras March u was fixed for a general
advance of the allied forces
| A recent telegram says that seven
boatloads of disbanded Nicahasuan troops
surrendered to Salvadorean authorities
| ard were concentrated in the interior OF
Salvador. For several days telegraphic
| communication has been interrupted with
Truxillo, Honduras, at which port Presi-
dent Bonilla has ordered 5000 land forces
! to concentrate with the Honduran naval
| forces.
A report arrived here today by steamer
| that the Honduran gunboat Ia Tumba,
in accommodating. had approached near
| enough to TruxiIlo to see a large fire
! there but not to ascertain its cause. Pre-
vious to this it had been reported thai
Nicaraguans landed near Truxilo. The
| ia Tumbla is supported by the Mexican
steamer Olympia, which is under charter
and is picking up armed men while on
route along the coast for Truxillo. Three
| Americans. each in command of one can
| non, are aboard the Olympia, one of them
! being a former member of the Unite
| States navy and another a former Rough
Rider. There is much speculation here as
| TO whether the Olympia will fight if ap-
preached by Nicaraguan gunboats, as the
Olympia is supposed to fly the Mexican
| flag.
| correspondence of the Associated Press.).
Salvador Declares.
Puerto Cortez, Honduras, March A. via
New Orleans March 19.-All doubt was
removed as to the attidue of Salvador In
| the war between Honduras and Ncara-
| siderable force of Salvadors near San
| Lorenzo on the coast Of Honduras, with
| In a few hours march Of the old historic
| city OF Choluteca, where President Man
uel Bonilla of Honduras had established
| his headquarters and was organizing his
| forces for defensive and offensive oper-
| ations. This force was under the COM
mand OF General Medina.
| Another force of about 2000 men. under
| General Meza. crossed the frontier of
Salvador March S. and marched from tie
| town of Alanza. Honduras. directly to
J Choluteca where 1t arrived March 10
and reported 10 President Bonilla.
On the night of March ., the steamer
| Hiram chartered by the government Of
I Salvador. arrived at the port of Anna paIa
Iwith 400 men destined for the frontier
fof Nicaragua. where they VIII cooperate
\ with the troops of Honduras.
Il kilograms received here announces that
lother troops from Salvador are marching
~