The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-11-24
MAY MEAN WAR
Two Americans Captured and Executed
BY the Nicaraguans.
TWO WAR SHIPS ARE SENT
President Taft Greatly Incensed on
Hearing the News, and Declines
to Have Any Communication With
the New Nicaraguan Minister, Who
Just Reached Washington.

the New Nicaraguan Minister, Who
just Reached Washington.
A Washington dispatch says two
American wal ships have been order
cd to proceed to N~icaraguan waters,
and President Taft has postponed
indefinitely his meeting of Isidore
Hazera, the new minister from Mic
aragua to this country, as the result
Of news received here to the effect
that two Americans, Leonard Grace
and Leroy Cannon, captured while
serving with the revolutionists' ar
my in Nicaragua, have been sentenc-
ed to death by President Zelaya's
orders, and 1t is believed that SEN
tence has already been carried out.
Orders have been issued for the
cruiser Vicksburg to proceed In all
haste to Corinto, and the gunboat
DesMoines will proceed at once to
Port Limon to observe events there
and report the situation at that point
by wireless. The news as to the two
Americans reached the State depart
ment Thursday night from the Amer
lean Consul at Managna, who stated
that their capture had been follow
cd almost Immediately by q death
sentence.
A dispatch received Friday at the
State department Is to the effect
that the men have undoubtedly been
executed. Upon this information the
Secretary of State asked the Sec. Of
the Navy to order the Ytcksburg to
proceed in ell haste tosGorinto for
the purpose Of protecting Americans
and American interests. The Des-
Moines was also ordered to proceed
to Fort Limon at top speed for the
same purpose. These vessels will
be in constant communication by
wireless with the State department.
The brutality Of the Nicaraugan
Government in ordering the execu-
ton Of these two Americans, who
happened TO be found in the revolu-
tionists army without trial Of any
sort, Is likely to result in this Gov
eminent taking drastic measures to
prevent q repetition Of 1t. and Presi-
dent Zelaya will be held to a strict
accountability fer his action. At
the Nicaraguan legation 1t was stat.
ed that no news Of the execution OF
the two: Americans had been receiv-
ed.
Nothing Is known at the State de-
partment Of the a~ntecedents Of Leon
ard GRACE, who Is reported to have
been shot by order Of President EEL
ava, but the other American, Leroy
Cannon, seems to have had an un-
usual career in Central America.
Some years ago he went to Central
America and since then his name has
figured prominently in revolutions
in those countries. During his car
eer he has been arrested a number
of times and tried for heading raids
and on several occasions has mar
rowly escaped a death sentence, 1t
Is alleged.
A dispatch from Panama says pas
sengers arriving there from Mica
ragua Thursday report that a reign
of terror exists throughout the por-
ton of that country controlled by
President Zelaya. Government troops
are rounding up every persons sus-
pected of sympathy with the revolu-
tionists and executing them without
trial. More than five hundred mel
suspected Of revolutionary sympa-
thies have been %summarily shot and
still the bloody work continues.
Residences are ransacked by Zelaya's
soldiers in search of discriminating
letters or evidence, and when resis-
lance Is offered the houses are de-
stroyed.
Women relatives Of revolutionary
sympathizers have been subjected To
the most horrible indignaties and
outrages. Nicaraguan refugees. ar
irving on the Isthmus and In Costa
RIGA declare II is time for the civil
lied powers to forcibly intervene
and put an end to such barbarities
and atrosities.