Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
NICARAGUA
IN HANDS Of
|NSURGENT

CAPTAIN OF CRUISER DEs MONIES
REPORTS TO STATE DEPART
MENT ON SITUATIONS; CLEAR
CASE AGAINST zELAYA.
Washington, D. c., Nov 25.-- The
state and navy departments got in
touch with Nicaragua over night
through the gunboat Des Moines,
which has been vibrating between
Port Limon on the gulf coast and
Costa RIGA and Greytown, that south
ern port of Nicaragua. Capt Shipley,
commander of the Des Moines report
ed that the east coast of Nicaragua is
entirely in possession of the insur-
gents with the exception of Greytown
proper, where Zelaya's army is hem
med in by land and seat by the revo-
lutionists.
That the explanation to be made by
Nicaragua of the conditions under
which the Americans, Groce and Can
non were executed as forcasted in
news dispatches from Central Amer
lea, will be unsatisfactory to the state
department can safely be predicted.
From any point the official view is
that the men were free from the
charge of being spies and were en-
titled to be regarded as prisoners of
war and therefore not subject to that
penalty. Moreover, if they were cap
tured in Costa RIGA, as reported, the
act was clear violation of Costa
Rican sovereignty and may easily In
volve Costa RIGA in a war with the
Zelayan government If American gov
eminent turns to Costa RIGA for re-
dress.
Zelaya Shown to Be Butcher.
San Francisco. Calf, Nov. 25.-News
of the execution by firing squad Of
forty citizens of Nicaragua at Corinto
by order of President Zelaya because
they cheered upon hearing of a victory
by the insurgents against the Ielayan
government was brought to San Fran
cisco by the passengers and crew of
the steamer City of Para, which ar
rived yesterday.
Every precaution is being taken by
Zelaya according to the reports to pre-
vent the landing of passengers or the
crews of ships arriving at Corinto, and
thus, it is thought he hopes to keep
the news of the conditions existing in
the toy republic from reaching the out
side world.
The town was under heavy guard
during the Para's stay and the pas
sengers made no attempt to go ashore.
Some sailors. however, managed to
elude the vigilance of the guard and
Nnt1a f1~r,f fI,nt rr1 j 80
them declare they witnessed the exc
cuSion of the two score victims above
mentioned.
Much joy, it is said. exists in Corinto
over the continued receipt Of news
from the battlefields telling of rebel
victories. The fighting is being done
principally on the Atlantic coast, but
reached Corinto, and it was one of
these which led to the death of so
many inhabitants of that CITY,
Americans Imprisoned by Zelaya.
New Orleans, Nov. 25.--A cable
from Panama, says Edgar S. Harris of
Columbus, O., an American commercial
traveller, declared several Americans
are in jail in Nicaragua. having been
arrested on orders from zelaya. Every
American in business in Nicarag qua
who refused to contribute to the war
fund levied by zelaya was thrown into
prison. Harris says. Some Who We're
arrested bought they way out of Jail by
paying the price demanded, but a
number are still held. Harris says 1t Is
unsafe for an American to appear in
the section of Nicaragua controlled by
zelaya. He himself was subjected to
gibes and insults at Corinto and left
the place on the first available steam
err.
Hold Steamer for Emergency.
Washington, D. c., Nov. 25.-In view
of the situation in Nicaragua, the navy
department will issue no orders to the
protected cruiser New Orleans, now at
San Francisco, to sail, as intended, for
the orient until it is seen whether it
will be needed in Nicaraeuan waters
The Nicaraguan situation is as it
was on Sunday when Secretary Knox
stated that the department was wait
ing for detailed information from
Managua before taking further steps.
The vice consul at that capital, Mr..
Caldera presumably is working on the
case, but nothing has been heard from
him. The department appreciates that
he is laboring al great disadvantage,
and believes it likely that every OBJ
stacle in the way of obtaining exact
information regarding the execution of
the two Americans is being put it his
way The department is anxious to OBJ
tain full information as to the status
of the Americans at the time of their
arrest. particularly as to whether they
We're cooperating with the revolutions
list army
A dispatch to the navy department
yesterday announced the departure Of
the Tacoma from Cristobal for Port
Limon, Costa RIGA. The Marietta is on
its way from Guantanamo to Port
Limon. 1t is said by the authorities
that these vessels are going to Costa
Rica for purposes of sur lying.
Says Victims got Fair Show.
Panama. Nov. 25.-President Zelaya
of Nicaragua has telegraphed to the
Nicaraguan representative here con-
firming the execution of Leroy Can
non and Leonard Groce. He says the
revolutionists employed the two Amer
leans to mine the San Juan river and
that one of the mines they planted ex-
ploded near the steamer Diamante
Cannon and Groce were captured in
f1agrante delictu and were tried by
court martial says Zelaya, who further
asserts that they were amply defend
ed and that they pleaded guilty and
were condemned to death in accord
ance with the laws of the republic
Barr Rurpad a. Anan.u