The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-12-13
SYSTEM|zED
EXTORT|0N BY
.zELAYA PARTY
Small Group of Men Secured
Large Sums by Threats
of Death
OEMAONED VICTIMS PROPERTY !.
At A 1.-THE OF ITS VALUE

ulmhunIu vlUIIih0 TnUfLnlI
At A 1.-THE Of ITS VALUE
When the Owners Refused They
Charged Them With Being Revolu.
tfonists and Often Had Them Exc.
cuted-Zelaya Was in the Deal
Panama, Dec. 13-It is the opinion
OF Panamans that President Zeaaya
OF Nicaragua is riding for a fall. taht
it. he is deliberately working to bring
about intervention by the United
States, having chosen this form Of
humiliation in preference to the great
er one of suffering defeat at the. hands
of revolutionists.
For the last sixteen years, during
which time Zelaya has been in power.
according TO men who are conver-
SAINT with affairs in that republic, Mica
ragua has been ruled by a group of
eight daring, clever and constituencies
men. This group has grown enor-
mously rich by systematized pillage
of the revenues of the state and of
individuals. 1t is estimated that
zelaya is worth about $2O,OoO.0OO gold.
most of which he has invested in
Brussels and London.
1t is said to be we'll established
that the chief cause of the present
revolution was the failure of Zelaya
to distribute among his seven asso-
ciates loan of $5,0OO,OOO obtained
recently in Europe. The seven were
given a share of the money, but not
on the basis of apportionment whica
had governed these distributions in
the past. They demonstrated, but
lelaya refused to pay off on the old
basis and even threatened that if they
did not submit gracefully he would
turn against them the system which
they had Jointly organized. This sys-
tenn was simple but effective. Its
modus operandi was about as fol-
lows: Whenever in any region of the
country a citizen was found In law
full possession of a piece of property
Of any considerable value, an agent
of the group was sent to him to ask
the price for which he would sell it.
When the price was made known, the
agent would offer to buy it for about
one-tenth of its value. This offer be-
ing refused, the agent was then at
liberty to outline hi sproposed retail
iation, saying: "lf you do not sell
we will denounce you as conspira-
tor. We will spread rumors about
your activities in behalf of the revo-
lutionary faction. which we are al
ways careful to have stirring about
somewhere in the country. We will
try you with our judges in our courts.
before our jury and sentence you to
be shot as traitor and have your
property confiscated. Will you be shot
or will you sell?"
| Sometimes the men were shot and
the country at large imagined that
these men were real traitors and con-.
spirators, and applauded the verdict
and their execution.
When the originators of this system
found themselves threatened. they
promptly surrendered, all save one.
This one turned revolutionist, with
the result that an army of several
thousand men was soon in the field
and Bluefelds and the entire eastern
coast of Nicaragua conquered.
! That is the view of the situation as
taken on the isthmus. where, to be
sure. there are many Nicaraguans,
naturally very strongly opposed to the
present administration in their coun-
| try They are of the opinion that
Zelaya sees that the game is up and
| is anxious to make his departure in
safety. He would much rather stand
in the eyes of the world as having
been forced out by the United States
than by his own people This is why
he has provoked reprisals by the
brutal shooting of Cannon and Groce.
The statement issued by zeleya to the
effect that the revol1ltionists had en-
ployed the two Americans to mine the
San Juan river and that they were
captured after they had exploded one
mine near the transport Diamante, Ia
given no credence here. This version
is contradfcted by deserted from the
Zelayan forces, who has confirmed the
previous report that each Of the
Americans was capture dwhile recon-,
noitering some hills near the river.
All Is Quiet
Managua. Nicaragua. Dec. 13-Out.
wardly Managua is peaceful. There
have been no military preparations
and the people appear unconcerned.
Band concerts are given daily on the
plaza, and to all intents conditions are
as they were before the United States
delivered its final word to Zelaya.
There is much Intriguing hmone
the better classes and the cafes are /.
the centers of various conspiraciea
The revolutionists in Leon, Granada
and Managua are warning among
themselves, each being eager for gu
premacy. Those in Managua are open-
ly declaring that they have heen aa
sured of the assistance of the United
States and they insist upon being per-
mited to choose Zelaya's successor
Zelaya declared recently that he
was in negotiation with the revolu-
tionists to secure their endorsement
to successor to the presidency, who
would be acceptable to all parties and
Continued on Page s.