Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-25
LAssocIated Presa1

A fOltlN IL, Nicaragua, doc. 24.-JOSe
Santos Zelaya, vito three days
~ Ego rcinquishcd the presidency
OF Nicaragua TO Or. Jose Madriz-the
same day his army met defeat by the
rCvolutlOnists at Rana-has fled the
capital and tonight is in COrinto, sur
rounded by his bodyguard and few
faithful friends.
Zclaya left Managua under cover Of
darkness, escorted by titty of his
guests of honor and a squad of artil-
lerymen with a Maxim gun.
At O'Clock this morning tho party
quietly went from the former prcsl-
dents home and half an hour later
boarded a small steamer which sailed
Immediately for Momotombo on Lake
Managua.
simultaneously with the departure IF
the boat, a special train with small
number of friends and a press rep
rcsentative aboard drew out of Man
aqua, also bound for Monotombo.
At o'clock this morning the steamer
met the train at Monotombo, and Ie-
laya, with his guard and their Maxim
gun, promptly boarded a special car at
tachcd to the train mt Managua.
The train departed Immediately for
Zelaya's plantation at Dianante, where
the party took breakfast. The entire
party comprised 100 of Zelaya's most
intimate friends, among them Joaquin
Pasos, Louis Coasin. his two sons, Ho-
ratio and Alfonso, his private secretary
and James Hall, American partner of
Zelaya in Nicaraguan gold mines.
Few Demonstrations
After breakfasting, Zelaya and his
party again boarded the train and Weu1
TO Corinto, where they arrived this
afternoon.
The trip was made without special in
cident There were no demonstrations
along the line, the population general
ly being unaware OF the identity of
the passengers on the special train.
All the members of the party, includ-
ing Zelaya, were heavily armed. Ze-
laya appeared calm and cheerful.
At Chinandega, news was brought
to Zelaya that the United States gun
boat Princeton had left Corinto to take
up her position in the Gulf of Fonseca
The details of the battle of Rama
were made known today.
The victory of the insurgents was
as complete as has been claimed by
After two days of lighting. the
iercest that Central America has seen,
General Estrada on Tuesday wiped out
the enemy.
or Zelaya's army of 5000 men, but
800 escaped. The killed and wounded
on both sides, as before reported, num-
bored 900, and 1900 of the government
troops surrendered after a desperate
resistance. Three Hotchkiss and four
Maxim guns. 29O0 rifles and 1,OOOOO0
rounds of ammunition were included
in the booty.
General Estrada processes to believe
his march to Managua will be uh-
opposed.
DeIirious with Joy
Bluefields and the neighboring coun-
try are delirious with Joy. The victory
is said to have been won on the very
day scheduled for the inauguration OF
DR.. Madriz as president OF Nicaragua
in succession to Zelaya.
Gen. Luis Mena is again here. HIS
troops arrived on the scene of battle
when victory was in the balance and
turned the tide in favor of the insur-
gents.
At the request OF United states Con
sui Moffat Commander Shipley of the
cruiser Des Moines sent his hospital
squad ashore. establishing an inde-
pendent hospital, where forty OF the
wounded are receiving care. These
American medical men have been able
to give their services to all who We're
in need of them.
Six Americans participated In the
battle, operating rapid-fire guns. They
escaped injury with the exception or
one, named 6dSllloIus VIM ASSSAfSu
three bullets in leg.
The prisoners include Gen. Gonzales
and Gen. Castrillo. Gen Vasquez, who
was returning to Rama from Managua
when hostilities began. did not reach
the scene during the fighting. He was
a few miles distant when the govern
nnent troops were routed, and II Is pos
sible that some 500 men escaped with
him. After Zelaya's trenches had been
sheIled they were taken by assault
in the trenches were several women
who preferred risking their lives in the
conflict to starvation in camp. These
women were armed with rifles and
fought courageously.
Many Were Boys
One Of them was wounded and later
brought to the hospital here. A large
proportion of the prisoners were found
to be boys under 16 years old. They
accepted defeat as though it were very
welcome.
Gen. Gonzales, the vanquished leader
of the government troops, today shares
the quarters of Gen. Estrada, and is
eating the latter's rations with great
relish and smoking insurgent tobacco
as though he enjoyed it.
The second days fighting began at
o'clock in the morning. The first
days conflict had driven the enemy
village of Recreo, where for three
weeks they have been stringing wires
and digging trenches.
The country in that vicinity had been
partially cleared of underbrush, but
il remains more like jungle than
otherwise. The position of the govern
ment troops behind their embankments