Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-12-04

PORT AU PRINCE, Dec. 3-The stirring
ents OK an exciting and historical day
that saw President Nord Alexis driven
from his capital with an infuriated mob
at his heels were followed by night OF
looting and pillage in Port au Prince.
The passions of the populace had been
aroused and after being defeated in their
endeavors to do bodily harm to Alexis they
turned their attention to well-stocked
houses and residences OF the supporters Of
their late president. They were rapidly
getting out of hand when the authorities
succeeded In controlling the situation
Twelve men were killed before order was
restored.
The trouble began shortly after the
president had been escorted to the French
cruiser Duguay Troun by NJ Carteron. the
French minister.
People from the Belalr and Salines sec
tion of the city invaded the business quar-
ter and lost time in turning TO the
work OF pillage and robbery. They divided
into bands and worked their way down
street and up another, breaking into
the stores that offered the best chances of
loot The locks Of doors that barred their
progress were broken with rifle bullets
The pillage was well under way by 8
o'clock and by 10 o'clock eleven stores had
been completely looted. Nine of the estab-
lishments belong to Syrians. while Haitiens
were the owners of the other two stores.
The proprietors stood by helpless witnesses
of the destruction of their property
Mob Divides SpOIIs.
Goods were hauled out into the street
and divided among the mob. AS was to be
expected. tho crowd became enraged over
the division of the sspoils and were soon
fighting aInohg themselves. In these en-
counters four men were killed.
AT 10 o'clock the situation was very
threatening. The looters were increasing
rapidly In numbers and 1t was feared that
thN disorder would spread over the entire
city. The people were rapidly getting out
of hand when General Poidevin appeared
on the scene and saved the situation. He
went first TO police headquarters and or
dered IA detachment of men to follow him
to the scene Of the trouble. The police,
however, refused The general then got
together a number of courageous citizens,
60 whom he issued arms, and rounded up
also a small detachment of loyal soldiers
and at the head of this body of men he
marched on the hooters.
The pillagets were unaware of his ap-
proach and the first intlmation that they
were to meet any opposition came to them
In the shape of Volley from General
Poidevins command. Eight of the looters
fell at this first fire. This onslaught
broke the spirit of the mob and as the gen
eral threatened TO fire again, the crowd
quickly dispersed to safer quarters
ResIdences or Rich Looted.
While this was going on in the business
distrlc. another mob was looting the rich
residential section of the city. The resi-
dences Of General Cocou. General Gabriel
General Guilaume, NJ. Lefentant, Genera
Marcelir and General Leconte were broker
into and plundered. This success seemed Il
satisfy the crowd In the suburbs, for &
then dispersed without committing any fur
the depredations.
General simon the leader of this success
full Revolutionary movement has been in
formed os the occurrences Of yesterday. A
the head OF his army of 500 men he Il
mailing a forced march for Port au Prime,
and probably will arrive here this evening
The British cruiser Scylla and the Amer
ican gunboat Eagle came into port at day
break today. Their arrival gives Port Al
Prince the protection of five foreign war