Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-08-09
EYE WITNESS GIVES DRAMATIC
ACCOUNT OF COMMANDMENT

witness of the recent events at casa
Blanca. 1t is dated August 8. The
writer says that Saturday and SUN.
day passed perfectly quiet in CaSa
Blanca, Muley Amin the military gov
ernor having employed soldiers 10
guard the town from Arab attack, ana
done everything possible to secure It's
safety.
"There were q number of Arabs
twelve miles distant" the writer goes
on. "but a majority of them had re-
turned to their interrupted harvesting
and IT was supposed that the French
would attempt nothing with the small
force available from the Galilee. we
all retired to rest at 4 o'clock
Monday morning, however, we
were suddenly alarmed by summons
TO repair TO the British consulate oW-
ing to notice from the Galilee that
II was intended to land a force and
occupy the town at o'clock. 1t was
understood that the Galilee had been
in wireless communication with the
warships and had received instruc-
tions to get party inside the town
in order to facilitate subsequent op-
erations. An American resident OF
the city declined to take shelter AT
the British consulate; consequently
the consul sent part of his guard oil
soldiers to protect Captain COBB the
American.
me correspondent then described
the landing OF the French force al :
a. M, as narrated III q FORMER us
patch. He said
"Singly and carrying disjOinted RI
files concealed in valises to avoid
all suspicion, a part of the Galilee's
men had been conveyed Saturday TO
the French consulate, where they took
up their position on the terrace OF
the roof that commanded the fore
shore and a corner of the town, ana
also took In the water gate batteries
from the rear.
"a furious musketry fire broke OUT
along the waterfront, and dull
booming from the old Moorish battery
showed that after all Muley Amin ami
his soldiers were doing something
They made. however, a poor resist
ance. and their fire soon ceased.
"In the meantime the roar Of the
Galilee's guns increased and shell
were seen bursting all over the Moor
! ish quarter. Wounded men were
seen dragging themselves along the
streets. In twenty minutes all seemed
over. the first fire ceased. But this
was only a lul, for the firing soon re-
sumed. and the fighting was contin-
ned internationally until half past six
In the morning The Muley Amin,
with a number Of other officials, came
10 the British consulate, offering 10
surrender. The consul referred them
10 the French consul. They objected
that II was impossible TO approach the
French consulate because the. Spanish
consulate was already firing at every
Moor who passed In the street, and
| they feared a similar reception from
| the French consulate The British
consulate then gave to Muley Amid q
letter to the French consulate ana
advised the Moors to carry a Whlte
flag. They then went on. Their
mission apparently was successful lot
the firing soon ceased and at O'Clock
public crlers were about pr0clalming
that the town was to be sheiied no
longer. We ate our next meal with
quiet minds.
III should be explained that the
European residents OF Casa Blanca
had long deprecated any action by the
French with an insufficient force and
this view the French had been with
difficulty induced to adopt, and delay
ed over night announcing their inten-
tlon OF occupying the town, the
French had apparently believed thelI
fleet would arrive Immediately and
that no resistance need be expected
In reply Muley Amin had repeatedly
declared his willingness to surrender
the town on being Informed that re-
distance would be futile. Whether the
resistance actually offered was an
outcome of blunder on the part OF
some Individual or whether II wai
tempted by the smallness OF the
! French landing party Il Is lmpossi.
\ ble 10 ascertain, but what followed
was exactly what was predicted bS
those best qualified 70 speak witt
knowledge OF the conditions.
with the firing Of the first sho
/ Mttley Amin and his force were van
quIshed. His. soldiers bolted Will
their rifles. leaving the town ex
posed 10 raplne and pillage In which
| they themselves participated. Fierce
/ white-robed Arabs carrying guns ant
mounted on fine horses, began TO rid'
about directing the looting operations
/ Even women were seen carrying load
and assisting IN the pillaging. A. firs
rolls OF cloth and other merchandise
which, after money, are most coveted
lby the Arabs, we're taken from TN
| ahops. and then quantities Of house
hold articles were carried away At
tier time we watchers could hea
\ the sound Of hammering on metal
lnnd we knew the looters we're trylnl
/ to force the safe Of the state bank
Then from afor we heard the cries Q
the Jews and we knew they we're be
i ing beaten and murdered by IN
II Arabs. There were other indication
that the French we're mol able wit
Il loonnnned on Pogo 3, Column -