The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-03-24
Thrilling Story of How ldwtOn
Was Imprisoned by ZeIaya,
Horribly Beaten and Later ES-
capped in GuiSe of a Priest.

TIL present mix-up in Central Amer
lea with Nicaragua and Honduras at
each others threats. led by their re-
spective presidents, Zelaya and Bonil-
Ia, recalls a stirring story in which
the first named president figured large
ly 1t all happened back in the days
when Zelaya was establishing himself
as the tyrant and dictator of Nicara-
qua step he was able to accomplish
only after many wars with other
claimants for the position. And dur
ing all these civil wars the chief thorn
in his side was an American filibuster
Fred Lawton, by name, who ran the
gauntlet many times to deliver cargoes
of arms to Zelaya's enemies. In fact,
so successful was Lawton as a filibus
ter and so important was he in keep
ing alive the countless revolutions in
Nicaragua, that he earned Zelaya's I'M
dying hatred, and a price was put on
his head. five thousand dollars if his
dead body were brought TO Zelaya,
and ten thousand dollars if by any
means he could be captured alive. The
rest of the story is best told in the
words of Fred Lawton himself, told to
a little body of travelling Americans in
the city of Panama in 1902. Lawton
was then chief gunner of the Column
bian gunboat "Chuquito,' at that time
actively engaged in suppressing a rev.
olution on the Isthmus of Panama
against the authority of the Columbian
government He told the story in re-
Spouse to a question asked by one of
the little group of Americans who had
heard it from other lips and wanted to
know if it were true or not.
lawton Had Been a Sailor.
.'I'1l start my story, for the sake of
clearness." said Lawton, .'back at the
time when l first began my trade as a
That was in 1894. I've
been a sailor practically all my life.
from my native land, Scot
land for the first time when | was but
a boy. Yes in reply to a query from
one of the party, I'm a Scotchman by
birth and an American by choice. But
to get back to my story. In the early
part of 1894, L was in San Francisco
and on my uppers. SO when the chance
came along to take charge of a small
steam vessel loaded with arms and am
munition consigned to Nicaraguan rev.
| took it, and that was my |
start as filibuster The revolution
lists to whom I delivered my cargo,
we're fighting old Zelaya, then just get
ing his strangle-hold on the govern
ment of Nicaragua. From 1894 to
1898. | ran a good many cargoes of
arms and ammunition in to Nicarau-
guam revolutionists under the nose of
Did Zelaya's watch dogs. In fact | was
50 successful in supplying his enemies
With the sinews of war, that he finally
)ut price on my head, 5000 for my
lead body. aand $4,000 for me alive.
And they got me, too, though | don't
believe Zelaya ever paid my captors
he $4,000 reward for he is like all
,ther Central Americans, forgetful
when it comes to paying out money.
Put in Filthy Prison.
They took me and my nephew, Jack
4awton, one day on the beach where
We were unloading a consignment we
lad just brought in. TOOK us to Man
aqua, the capital of Nicaragua, and
stuck as in filthy prison there. Old
Ielaya himself came down to see us.
md to gloat over our capture. He
lropped us a few hints as to what he
idn't put much stock in them until
he next day when his dirty, barefoot I
oldierS began to carry out his deyilish
lans. That day promptly at noon,