The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-11
zELAYA PLEADS
 HIS OWN CAUSE Nicaragua1 Declares That He Is
 Condemned Unheard SHOOTING OF AMERICANS 
Laws of Nicaragua Were Followed Says ZeIaya In Executing Groce and Cannon, Who Were Com
 manding Rebel Forces.

Managua, Nicaragua, December 10- ''The United States unjustly condemns my administration,'' said President Ze- 1aya, in an interview with stan core spondent of the Associated Press today. T proposed to Secretary of State Knox that he submit the case to the investiga- tion of committee of his own choosing. agreeing to surrender my rights to ..le presidency if the charges in his letter to Isadoro Hezera, former Nicaraguan min ister to the United States, were sus- tained Secretary Knox has not replied.
 .'Defenseless against the hostility of a powerful nation, must submit although I have been condemned unheard.
 "The coercion of the United States will not rebound to the credit of that nation, America The shooting of Groce and Cannon was a pretext. Both were amen able to the laws of Nicaragua, which distinctly authorizes the shooting of in- dividuals commanding rebels. It is diff ferent if person is captured during the course of an international war. The at tempt of Secretary Knox to establish the inviolability of Americans participating In foreign revolutions will result in constant revolutions led by immune Americans.
 ''The initiative in the shooting of Groce and Cannon was not mine. I simply re- fused to extend clemency to them after a. properly constituted military tribunal had passed upon the case
 Hostility Shown.
 President Zelaya then cited several in- stances of alleged hostility against him in the United States, through paid arti- ces appearing in American newspapers.
 In one of these instances, he declares, he was endeavoring to raise loan in France when his enemies persuaded the United States to ihterpose an objection through the French ambassador at washington on the pretext that the money sought was intended for the purpose of war materials when really it was to have been used in the construction of a railway.
 while am ready to surrender the presidency" continued President Zelaya. q cannot do it precpitately as it would result in uprisinss by several factions, each of which is eager to secure power.
 q am in negotiation with the revolu- tionists to secure their indorsement to a successor who will be acceptable to all parties and have submitted the name of Jose Madriz, judge of the Carriage court.
 intervention DistastefuI.
 q hope this will obviate the necessity for American intervention. which would be intensely distasteful to the whole of Latin America. I am informed that 1t is the intention of the United States to pre- vent me leaving Nicaragua. l don't believe this to be true
 It is reported that the revolutionists will reject Senor Madrlz as Zelaya's suc- cessor, and insist upon General Estrada assuming the presidency, declaring that the United States has promised to fur nish 2OoC marines at Bluefields to bring about his success.
 "The hostility of the United States" continued President Zelaya, lis due to the machinations of Senor Cabrera, President of Guatemala, whom l refused in 1905 to join in al offensive and defensive alliance of Central America against Mexico. and thereby thwarted his efforts to establish a virtual dictatorship in Central Amer ica Since then Cabrera has pursued me with relentless enmity. poisoning the pub lie mind against me.
 q am preparing to refute the state ment of Secretary Knox relative to the contemptuous treatment of American dip- lomats here by submitting to him let- ter from John Gardiner Coolidge, ex- minister to Nicaragua, expressing ap- preciation for the cordial treatment given him..