Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-23
zELAYA BREAKS FAITH
Violated Treaty in Causing
Execution of Americans.
INSULTS UNITED STATES
Statement by G. Spencer Holland,
Nicaraguan Property Owner.
STATUS OF CANNON AND GROCE
Neither of the Men an Adventurer.
Both Possessed of
Large Means.

NEW 1ORk, November -o.-I-eios
Cannon and Leonard Groee, the two
Americans shot to death by order OF
President Zelaya for participation in the
revolution in Nicaragua, were not ire
Sponsible Adventures but large property
holders in that and adjoining Central
American republics. according to G. Spen-
Ger Holland, who has considerable prop
erty and mining interests in N!cara qua.
He returned to this city a few days aso.
when the situation of foreign residents
not friendly to the Zelaya regime became
precarious in Nicaragua. Mr.. Holland
received at his apartments at so West
23d street last night a summons from
the State Department in Washington and
| left for the capital.
According to Mr.. Holland, both Cannon
and Groce had been constantly prosecuted
by Zelaya in the past, Cannon having
been captured and condemned to death in
| the revolution Of a year ago, but secured
Communication of his sentence to heavy
| fine on representations made by the
| American minister. At the time of his
death Cannon, according to Mr.. Holland,
was member of the staff OF Gen. Es-
trada. His execution was carried out by
order Of Zelaya after plea for COM
muta t. on had been. made by Zelaya's own
general in chief.
VAO1dIAOA VI AiCaty VI AOS0'
! Both in the capture Of the two
Americans. which was effected through
an incursion of Zelaya's forces into
Costa Rican territory. and in their exc
cution without proper trial. Mr.. Hol-
land declares Zelaya violated the pro-
visions of the treaty of 1908 between
| tht Central American republics. of
which Mexico and the United States
were guarantors 1t is on the basis
| of this violation and curt announce
ment by Zelaya to Secretary Knox
that the United States has dispatched
{ it's warships. and. according to MIR.
Holland. will shortly land troops in
| Nicaragua.
'Nicaragua's difficulties in the last
| three years. said Mr.. Holland. have
| been due to the bad management of
| President Zelaya. who has used his
! power throughout to strengthen his
own influence. and has given the coun-
try not single change to develop.
The principal industries of Nlcarag ia
and the chief source of income to the
people and the state are the mines
and the plantations of sugar, coffee
| fruit and cocoa All these have suffer-
ment and excessive taxes, and through
the continued CONSUMPTION of the peo-
| pie. workingmen being snatched away
from the ranches at times when such
gather the crop. Most of the exports
90 to the United States and Germany.
Owing to Zelaya's mismanagement,
there has been falling off of between
30 and % per cent In these exports
The last revolution is merely an at
tempt on the part of the liberal party
to bring order out Of chaos.
Reason for Intervention.
The present, Intervention of the United
States is due solely to the violation by
lZelaya of the treaty of the Central Amer
lean republics. guaranteed by the United
States and Mexico, in which the neutral
lity of the various countries, their freedom
from trespass In time of war, and the In
volatility of the rights of residents OF
any one country in the territory or the
others were guaranteed. Ze!aya has IRE
uuently broken various provisions of the
treaty and insulted the United States
representatives by alleging In deIense
pretenses which no schoolboy would lof
a moment deem worthy of conslderatioh
duct that Mr.. Gregory, the. American
i, minister, at last lost patience and lett
} for Washington. His departure was de-
> plored by all except Zelaya, VINO was
more than glad to be rid or an lnteiugent
diplomatic representative who. with a
watchful eye. understood his game.
} TT should be understood clearly that
these men were In no way adventures,
but took definite and clear interest III
the country where they lived, and where
they had acquired considerable wealth
and property. When last 1 saw Mr.. Can
non in the end of October he mad JUST
returned from his plantation at San
Carlos part of which had been destroyed
BY agents of Zelaya. He was going to
join Gen E=tKada, his personal friend,
and he told me. he had been appointed
to a post on the generals staff.
Groce Also a Property Owner.
Mr.. Groce, too, had much valuable
property in Nicaragua. valued approx
mately at 100000, with about as much
more distributed in Honduras, San Sal
vador and other republics. He was an
expert mining engineer. and used his
technical knowledge to the advantage VI
Gen. Estrada.
tured after a decisive encounter between
Estrada's forces and those of Zeiaya'
near the San Juan river; Zelaya's force,
contrary to the treaty provision, de-
liberately crossed the river into costa
RIGA. recrossed it at an unexpected point,
and appearing in the vanguard or zen.
Estrada's force. put it to flight.
.;Personaliy, have no doubt that both
Cannon and Groce were taken In the aci
of LAYING mines under the river and ad-
iacent roads. But as they were recog-
nized Officers of the revolutionary party
it was utterly unwarranted to lead them
to execution. l never OeueFeu tHey Iidu
a fair court-martial. but that they were
killed on the personal order of Zelaya.
A cable in cipher received from friends In
Nicaragua two days after the execution
tells me that Zelaya refused to take into
consideration suggestion OF his own
general-in-chief that their sentences be
committed.
'Zelaya had repeatedly shown himself
eager to be rid Of Cannon. They confis-
Gated about half Of his property. MI.
Cannon frequently showed me letters in
| which were plain proofs of Zelaya's ami
mostly to him. He had not a chance Of
| escape.
Americans in Jeopardy.
American lie and property are natu-
rally unsafe now, and it is to protect
these that our government has sent ships
and troops 1 believe ,Zelaya will make
a desperate stand. He has facilities for
putting $4,000 men in the field. armed
with modern rifles and Canet guns At
present he has between $4,000 and $1,000
men. Nearly 5000 Mauser rifles with
to him on a steamer of the Bluefelds
Steamship Company at New Orleans No
| vember II, and If this can run the block
ade he will have ample stores to carry on
the campaign. Gen. Estrada has several
ships under way with stores Of ammunt-
ton sufficient to enable him to take an
offensive part in the operations. He has
| al. GOO to 10000 men. OF whom only 1000
are well armed. l have no doubt that
Zelaya will stand by his guns, as he in
formed Secretary Knox he would two