East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-12-29
ZeIaya Claims His Resigna-
ton as Head Of Nicaragua
is Only Temporary.
DENIES HE AMASSED HIS
FORTUNE BY ROBBERY
Outlaw Dictator Declares Madriz Is
Only Provisional President, and
Exhibits Documents Which He
Claims Are ProOf-Says Stories Of
His Fortune Are Exaggerated and
That He Never Robbed the People
DENIES He is Prisoner of Mexico.

Cordora, Mexico, Dec 29-Jose
Santos Zelaya declared last night
that he is still president of Nicaragua
although he may never go back to
that country to enjoy the privileges
of the office. Madriz, he asserted, is
only a provisional president and he
(Zelaya) has not relinquished the Of
flee.
Asked about cond tions imposed by
the British government in reply to
his request for asylum aboard the
British sloop of war Clearwater, Ze-
laya admitted that he was told he
could board her only with the under
standing that he was to agree to leave
Nicaragua forever. These conditions.
he said he declined to accept.
Talks TO the Press.
In a statement made to a press
representative on the train n which
he was travelling to Mexico City. Ze-
laya said he was still the head of the
Nicaraguan government. He was
leaving the country for an indefinite
period in the hope that conditions
NOuiu W. CT again. III suppoIt ol ms
declaration, ne exhibited papers at
tached to which were government
seals and ribbons. These Iapers. he
said, contained the proof of the truth
of his statement.
In further support of his claim it
was pointed out by members of his
party that the Guerrero floated the
Nicaraguan flag at her masthead in
addit on TO the Mexican flag. The
reports concerning his wealth. Ze
laya said, were grossly exaggerated.
His fortune is not more than $2,-
u0O 400 gold and is invested mostly
IN Nicaraguan government bonds. He
claimed TO have advanced the $780,
000 paid on the Emery claim as a
personal loan out of his funds, there
having been no money IN the govern
ment treasury.
Th $ amount, he said had never
been refunded. He strongly denied
that he had wrongly obtained any
part of his fortune through conces-
sions of which he had the disposal.
He declared vote of thanks had been
rendered him officially before he left
home for service rendered to his
country.
Denies He Is Prisoner.
Zelaya denied that he was a pris-
oner in the hands of the Mex can Of
ficials in any sense of the word.
He was asked whether it was a fact
as reported in a dispatch from Man.
aqua that, in giving him refuge in this
country, the Mexican government ac-
cepted responsible, ,ty for his person
and in doing so looked upon him as a
prisoner. He stated emphatically that
such was not the case and that he
was free to go where he chose.
Zelaya declared that he favored
friendly Intervention on the part of
the Mexican and United States gov
ernments to the end that a consolida-
tion of all the Central American re-
publics m ght be brought about.
He said he believed Secretary Knox
was now realizing the injustice of his
attitude toward him and declared he
never understood why the secretary
should have molested him
He might go to Belgium to live, he
said. In any event. he would not re-
turn to Nicaragua until peace is re-
stored.
1t was his opinion that the war
would end within two months, but he
would not venture an opinion as to
which side would be successful.