Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-11-24
Jour SHIPS EN- ROUTE.
Report That Two Americans
Have Been Executed.
Warships Have Been Sent to Corinto
and Point Limon to Watch
Events and Protect Amer
lean TntAraSfS-


Washington, D. c., Nov. 1S.-Two
American vessels have been ordered
to proceed to Nicaraguan waters and
President Taft has postponed indef-
nitely his meeting of Isidore Hazera,
the minister from Nicaragua to
this country, as the result of news re-
ceived here to the effect that two
Americans, Leonard Grace and Leroy
Cannon, captured while serving the
revolutionist army in Nicaragua, have
been sentenced to death by President
Zelaya's orders, and it is believed that
sentence has already been carried out.
Orders have been issued for the
cruiser Vicksburg to proceed in all
haste to Corinto and the gunboat Des
Moines will proceed at once to Port
Limon to observe events there and re-
port the situation at hat point by
wireless.
The news of the two Americans
reached the State Department last
night from the American consul at
Managua, who stated that their cap
ture had been followed almost i'm
mediately by a death sentence.
The consul Immediately appealed to
President Zelaya to commute their
sentence and his answer was: 81 will
see." Later, on further appeal, Ze-
laya said that the sentence was
final"
A dispatch received today at the
State Department is to the effect that
the men have undoubtedly been exc
cuted. Upon this information the
Secretary of State asked the Secre-
tary of the Navy to order the Vicks-
| burg to proceed in all haste to CORN
to for the purpose of protecting Amer
leans and American interests. The
Des Moines was also ordered to pro-
the same purpose. These vessels will
be inconstant communication by wire
less with the State Department.
The eds Moines, now at Colon, can
reach Port Limon within ten hours,
steaming under forced draught. The
| Vicksburg is on the Pacific coast at
| San Jose de Guatemala, nearly 200
miles from the N~icaraguan coast. and
| will be able to reach Corinto at about
the same time the Des Moines arrives
at Port Limon.
The brutality of the Nicaraguan
| government in ordering the execution
| Of these two Americans who happened
to be found in the revolutionist army,
| without trial of any sort, is likely to
| result In this governments taking
| drastic measures to prevent a repeti-
ton of it and President Zelaya will be
held to a strict accountability for his
action.
President Taft, upon the receipt OF
the news was so incensed that he I'M
mediately announced he would have
no communication whatever with the
new Nicaraguan minister. That off
| cial was promptly so informed.
At the Nicaraguan legation it was
stated that no news of the execution
of the two Americans had been re-
ceived.
Nothing is known at the State De-
partment Of the antecedents Of LeoI
Grace, who is reported to have beer
shot by order of President Zelaya
but the other American, Leroy Can
non, seems to have had an unusua
career in Central America. Som
years ago he went to Central Americ;
and since then his name has figured
prominently in revolutions in thos'
countries. During his career he ha
been arrested a number of times AM
tried for heading raids and on sever
occasions has narrowly escaped
death sentence, it is alleged.
The action of this government i
|, sending the two warships into Mica
. raguan territory is not be regarde
As a war-like demonstration agains
that country. These vessels will re
i port developments in Nicaragua a
: promptly as possible and will not as
/. sumo a belligerent attitude, except l
case of extreme need.
The State Department has alread
taken steps to ascertain all of tn
material facts connected with the cal
!, ture and supposed execution.