The Washington herald., 1909-11-21
SECRETARY KNOX
PLANS AN OFFENSE
Continued from Page one.

o'clock. stating that they had confessed
to laying mines IN the San Juan River,
with the object OF blowing up Nicaraguan
ships; that they were tried by court
martial, Salamon Selva acting as prose-
cutting attorney.
Ordered by ZeIaya.
THE case is absolutely unprecedented.
! The cOmmander-in-chief OF the Mica
raguan army and the minister general OF
Nicaragua opposed the execution. It was
ordered by President Zelaya. nOtwith-
standing this. and undoubtedly through
personal antagonism. although Cannon
had been involved in revolutions against
the Nicaraguan government. Lawyers
who have been consulted have asserted
that the execution was unwarrantable
savagery. Letters 10 the families Of the
deceased have been kept for evidence"
This dispatch appears to indicate. ac-
cording to the Interpretation placed on
I il here. that the execution or Groce and
Cannon was due as much, or more, 10
personal animosity between President
Zelaya and Cannon, who were enemies,
as 10 their participation in the revo-
luton The enmity between Zelaya and
/ cannon. 1t was said, grew out Of a recent
case before the Central American Court
/ OF Justice at Carriage. Costa Rica
| In this case Cannon took prominent
/ part, and as the decision was adverse 70
! Nicaragua. Zelaya placed the RESPONSE
\ bilty FOR the adverse decision on the &C
| uvity Of Cannon. Besides, Zelaya en-
deavored TO make the courl useless, but
was prevented by the United States and
/ Mexico
The officers Of the State Department
/ believe that Groce and Cannon were en-
gagged in a legitimate act OF war In lay
/ ing mines in the San Juan River. and
that after their capture they should have
been dealt with according 10 the usual
rules or International law relating to
prisoners of war.
Reply to Note.
Senior Rodriguez. charge d'affaires Of
Nicaragua, gave out yesterday the text Of
his note to the State Department reply
Ing 10 Mr.. Knoxs communication post
roning indefinitely the presentation OF
Senior Isadore Hazera. the new Mica
raguan Minister. The note follows.
The Nicaraguan government informs
the legation that Leroy Cannon and
Leonard Groce. two well-known adven-
Juan. pleaded guilty OF locating mines
in order 90 blow up two vessels carrying
government troops. In fact. they were
found In fiagrand They were tried bv a
military court. given a fun hearing, and
/ sentenced 70 death I'm accordance with
! the Nicaraguan laws. This legation Is
| writing FOR the certified documents OF
the process which viii show that Can
non participated in several revolutions
| against Honduras and Nicaragua, and
proved that they were tried in a legal
way, and that the sentence was Justified
The news published by the press reIa-
tive to executions by the Nlcaraguau
government emanate from the revolu-
uonlsts and are absolutely false. II is
a well-known fact for us that there is
no cause TO fear disloyalty among the
government troops and supporters and
that the bulk OF the country is with
( President Zelaya. Meanwhile. the reyo-
luton broke forty days ago. and has not
been able 10 advance beyond BluefeIds
the only port that they hold. and has
found 10 followers IN any other part Of
the country.
The legation. while deplorlng this IN
cident, feels confident that when the
facts are better known IL VIII be seen
that the military court did not exceed
its powers. and that the relations be-
tween the two countries viii not suffer "
Strong Naval Force.
The United States viii have a strong
naval force on both the Atlantic and Pa
cifc coasts. The gunboat Vicksburg was
due 20 arrive yesterday at Corinto from
San Jose de Guatemala The cruiser Des
Moines has left Colon, Panama, for Port
Limon and Greytown. The cruiser Ia
coma sailed Friday from Guantanamo.
Cuba. for Cristobal She will be avail
able. II necessary, TO transport a force
OF marines from the Canal Zone to Mica
ragua The gunbost Marietta viii leave
Guantanamo in a few days for Port
Limon.