New-York tribune., 1909-12-30
CHAOS In MANAGUA
CONGRESS- CONFUSED.
4dmit Zelaya's Claims, but
Discuss Wadris Measures.

Managua, Dec. Es.-The NlcaraGudn Lon
! gress met in extraordinary session to-day
and appointed commission to consider the
/ message OF Minister General Baca who has
| asked the government to grant him power
! TO exact war contributions after the man
! ner and i'm the amount dictated by his
discretion.
! President Madriz to-day issued a decree
! appointing an investigation committee of
/ Ave which is charged with the responsible
! ity of examining the accounts of the Ze-
! layan administration. The Finance Minister
! is made the chairman of the committee.
whose duties include the working out or
/ a new system of finance. the revision OF the
! various concessions of the government and
! the determination of the legality of the re-
/ cent acts of the President in revoking the
! grants of alcohol, tobacco and other mo
nopolies.
The governments OF Honduras and Costa
Rica to-day made formal acknowledgement
of the Presidency of Madriz, expressed con-
fdence in the stability OF his administra-
tion and renewed the protestatiors of
friendship for the Republic of Nicaragua
Zelaya, who since his arrival in Mexico
has announced himself as still head of the
Nicarag guam government is technically cor
rect. He surrendered his office for the re-
nainder of his term, but was permitted
TO retain the title of President in order
that he might enjoy the immunity that the
office provides When this arrangement was
made Zelaya had in mind rumors that the
United States government would hold him
individually responsible for the deaths of
the Americans Groce and Cannon.
There was a lively debate in Congress be-
fore the commission to consider the mes
sage of Minister General Baca APP
of
Gus Zelayaist. was hooted during the course
of speech in which he opposed the au-
thorization of further war taxes. Deputy
Matus replying declared that on the occa-
sions of two previous forced loans certain
intlmates of Zelaya had not been assessed,
and he suggested that they should now be
made TO paw their proper share of the eN-
penses of the war. This covert reference
10 the earlier speaker was met with shouts
of approval and encouraged one of the
members to cry: Gomez did not pay. We
tax him for million
The special commission reported favor
ably this afternoon the matter of con-
ferring power on Minister General Baca TO
impose new war tax. in the payment OF
which individuals who were previously ex-
empt by special dispensation of Zeiaya are
made to contribute a retroactive share.
Military activity here is unabated Six
hundred recruits were sent TO the front
this afternoon. making a total Of two thou
sand for the week
Minister General Baca has invited Rear
Admiral Kimball to land the United States
marines on an island in Corinto harbor,
where the men will have an opportunity TO
exercise and where the sanitary arrange
ments will meet requirements.
The father Of Joaquin PassOs Zelayas
son-in-law, who was arrested and is now
in prison on a charge of misapproprlatlon
of public funds. has made inquiries as 10
the terms on which his son will be lib
Grated. to which the authorities have re-
piled that il would be necessary 10 furnish
cash bail to the amount Of sl,000,co0 gold.
Congress promoted to-day Generals To-
ledo, Castillo and Carlos ALGERIA TO the
rank of generals of division.
AMERICANS NOT TORTURED.
Recent reports that Groce and Cannon,
the American recruits in the insurgent
army who were put to death at the COM
mand of President Zelaya. were tortured
before being shot are untrue. The facts
We're in the possession of the state Depart
ment at Washington a month ago. and it
was generally supposed here that the de-
tails of the tragedy had been given public
vantage has been taken of the opportunity,
in some instances. to paint picture that
was more interesting than truthful.
The glory Of Captain Anibal Chaves who
refused TO obey an order to take command
Of the firing squad, is dimmed somewhat by
the light of known circumstances. Generals
Toledo. Medina and Irias had implored Ze-
laya TO abandon his purpose of shooting
the Americans. Zelaya. however, could not
be influenced. and General Toledo finally
ordered Captain Chaves not to assume COM
mand Of the squad.
Chaves chose TO obev Toledo rather than
the President and as a consequence was
arrested and held in iail for six weeks
Upon his release Chaves made the most of
the episode and arrival from the United
States is long left in ignorance of the de-
tails.
Groce and Cannon were notified OF the
death sentence imposed upon them at 1890
O'Clock on the night of November 15. They
were executed at 10 o'clock the following
morning. As they were marched out of
the fortress a drizze of rain fell On the
way to the scene Of execution they passed
the open graves that had been prepared
for them At one time Groce stepped out
Of the line of march and pleaded with
General Medina:
10 not ShoOt me. am brother
Mason"
Cannon quickly seized his companion and
pulling him back into line, said
Brace up, Old man; We have no chance
under Zeaya's orders"
Standing in the centre of the square
formed by one hundred soldiers. the two
! men heard their sentence read from the four
/ Corners together with the usual warning
h in such cases-"any one displaying evil
/ dence Of sympathy will be shot in similar
fashion"
1 The hands Of the condemned men were
/ bound and thair eyes blindfolded. Cannon
shock mis- head. attempting to prevent the
/ blind being placed over his face but his
/ protest was unavailing They were seated
/ on low bench. side by side. The firing
/ squad was made up of twelve soldiers, who
( advanced in three rows within six feet
! Of their victims.
Captain Constantine Saenz was in COM
/ and, and instructed two soldiers at the
! right 10 fire upon Groce and two soldiers
/ AT the left TO fire upon Cannon. All four
! bullets were effective. Groce was shot
through the heart and death was instan-
/ taneous. The bullets intended for Cannon
tore the breast ana abdomen. lie survived
/ bis wounds few seconds. When the body
( of Groce was buried a blanket hid the
features, but the body of Cannon was