Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-14
For Murder Of CfoCe and Cannon AMI
Asks Congress to Authorize PTesi~
dent to App|ehend and Try Him
For Murder Of Americans,

Washington, Dec. 13.-Vigorously de-
nouncing President Zelaya for having
murdered" Cannon and Groce off,
GERS of the revolutionary army, Sena-
tor Raynor of Maryland today advo-
Gated the passage of his resolution au-
thorizing the President of the United
States to apprehend and try the Pres
ident Of Nicaragua for his crime
against these two American citizens.
The private life of Zelaya, almost
unspeakable in it's enormity, said Mr.
Raynor. should be made public by the
state department in order that the peo-
pie of the United States might know
the kind of man Zelaya was. Mr.. Ray
nor insisted that there was ample au-
thority in international law for the
course he advocated to bring Zelaya to
the bar of justice.
In moving that the resolution be re-
ferred to the committee on foreign re-
glad TO know that the senator from
Maryland SO thoroughly approved the
course taken by the administration as
he himself heartily approved it.
Senator Cullom, chairman Of the
committee on foreign relations, added
that ne would have something to say
about the resolution when it was re-
ported by his committee back to the
Senate a remark which was interpret
ed as meaning that he expected that
it would be favorably reported.
At 1.45 o'clock the Senate adjourned
until next Thursday.
Washington, D. c., Dec. 13.-Speaking
to his resolution offered in the Senate
last Friday authorizing the President
of the United States to take all neceS-
sary steps to apprehend President Ze-
laya, Of Nicaragua. and bring him to
trial on a charge of the murder of
Groce and Cannon, the two American
citizens, recently executed in Nicar.
aqua, Senator RaynOr, of Maryland,
today addressed the Senate at length.
Senator Raynor's speech, stirring and
denunciatory in tone and characterized
| by dramatic fervor, was an unsparing
| arraignment of President Zelaya whom
| he designated as one of the criminals
| of the age.
What l am concerned in now said
Senator Raynor. lis not the question Of
| the belligerent rights of the revolu-
| tionists, or in case of their success
their recognition either as the de facto
or the de jure government, but in the
speedy apprehension and punishment
| of Zelaya. This desperate is every
thing that the Secretary of State says
about him, and great deal more. If
the country knew what is known in
official circles in reference to his gen.
| eral depravity. it would regard the
Secretarys communication as exceed
ingly temperate, as it shows upon its
face the restraint under which he was
laboring with such character.
II have watched for years. the rev.
dictionary history of Central Ameri-
ca, and am familiar with the career of
great many of tine imposters and
| usurpers and the grotesque and mot
| ley leaders that have sprung from
| their chaotic institutions, but Zelaya
| is probably the most despcable figure
| that has ever risen in their midst. If
| he were simply highwayman, we
| might identify him; if he was simply
| a tyrant who suppressed the people for
the purpose of robbing them, we might
partic llarize him: if he was a usurper
who was only holding on to power S"
| long as there was any money in the
treasury to steal. or any further terri
| tory that he could sack for private
plumber we could assign him a proper
place in the ranks of some Of his pred
| ecessors. and if he was purely an as
| sassin who regarded murder as legi-
| innate profession through which he
| could despoil his victims of their pos
| = for h inn
| flee from the hands of retributive JUS
tice, it would be an easy task also for
anyone acquainted with the political
history of Nicaragua to classify him.
"He is. however. all of these
things combined. In the school OF
corruption, dishonor, perfidy and
crime he stands without a peer,
| and exhibits in one glow of asso-
ciated harmony the pride of every
model and the perfection of every mas
ter. I have been informed upon the
most reliable authority that the vices
of his private life are more Infamous
in their indescribabla details than the
:niuuities of his public career. Sucn
| a creature as this deserves the eXecra'
ton of mankind. Now, as the culm1nat'
ing infamy of his administration
tramrling upon every instinct of hui
| manity. in violation of universal law
in defiance of those precepts OF the IN
ternational code that have been recos'
nized ever since the night Of barpa'
risrn recorded before the rays OF civil
| ization. be has put to torture and ther
TO death two American citizens VINO
we're not guilty of treason. who were
not spies, but whom he had captured
as prisoners of war in the army OF tns
revOluticnists. This act was not only
| the act of iiend, but was an lnsui
to the honor of this Republic, and car
not remain unavenged.
'1t is absolutely preposterous for u
to talk about indemnity. Indemnity !:
no recompense for murder. Even 1t We
were willing to accept such a com