Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-14
zELAYA, NOT ESTRADA,
VICTOR IN NICARAGUA
BIuefieIdS Alarmed by ReaIiza-
ton of. AffairS--Rebe Lead
er Hoodwinked.


city. the headquarters of the provisional
government has been thrown into alarm
by a sudden realization OF the strength of
the government army against which Cen
eral Estrada. the leader Of the insur-
gents. had been supposed to be making
irresistible Roadway. Estrada apparent
~ has been hoodwinked by Zelaya, and
no one would be surprised If the latter's
! troops should appear in the city at any
hour. Estrada is hoping for timely aid
from the United States.
a STAFF correspondent of the Associat-
ed Press. who recently arrived here,
has canvassed the situation and finds IL
less hopeful for the insurgents than had
been believed. General Estrada is great
~ disturbed. and has appealed to Unit
ed States Consul Moffatt for marines
from the cruiser Des Moines to protect
Americans 1t is known, however. that
what he really wishes is Intervention by
the United States to save the insurgent
cause
ZELAYA STOLE MARCH.
While General Vasquez, at the head OF
handful of loyal troops. was parleying
with Estrada's ENJOYS before Rama. 1t
is said the main army of Zelaya was
marching on Bluefelds.
A disquieting report comes from Grey
town, which is said to contain a govern
ment force sufficient to rout the besieg-
ing troops under General Chamorro
whenever the word is given.
1t is possible that the PROFESSIONALS are
unduly alarmed, just as they appear to
have been oyerconfident but the situa-
ton is set forth as IL is viewed from the
insurgent standpoint.
II turns out that the conference, which
was sought by General Vasquez, of the
government troops near Rama and
which the insurgents had interpreted as
sign of yielding on the part OF Zelaya's
troops, was a blind intended to secure
delay OF the expected battle until the
loyal army had obtained a decided ad-
vantage of position. 1t is also learned that
while Zelaya had kept a scattered force
before Rama, his real army of 5000 men
was hurrying by forced marches toward
Bluefields.
The report that a descent upon the
city from Rama was possible only by
river is now known to be untrue.
SAID ALL WAS CALM.
General Estrada endeavored to cover his
alarm by informing the correspondents at
the front that all was tranquil with the
prospect that General Vasquez and Major
Eva would surrender. Ten minutes after
he had talked with the reporters, the in
surgent leader had his chief diplomatic
aide, Adolfe Diaz, on the telephone and
the true situation.
To his aide General Estrada declared
that the Americans should send more ma
rines ashore as Vasquez had apparently
outfianked him. Estrada also expressed
the opinion that a request should be made
of the United States government for pro-
lection to the $50 Americans in Bluefields.
Diaz rushed to United States Consul
Moffatt, with the new intelligence and
Shipley's marines from the United States
cruiser Des Moines. with their six rapid
fire guns, would be able to control the
situation here in the event that the loyal
army should suddenly surprise the city.
IL was recalled today that Major Eva,
one OF the government ENJOYS at yester-
DAYS conference. was the man who sur
veyed the telegraph line across the cOun-
try, and that none knows better the hid
den places through the forests. swamps
and hills.
The American officials here have been
assured that the marines from the Des
Moines are sufficient to cope with any
situation, even with the 5000 well-armed
government soldiers, but the PROFESSIONALS
who are unfamiliar with military disci-
pIine. wish more American marines here
Apparently General Estrada has reach
ed a stage where he feels that the situa-
tion is critical unless ,he Americans are
prepared to assume active and supreme
control At present, Commander Shipley
awaits further orders from Admiral Kim
ball.
An idea of the enemy attacking forti-
fed Rama has been abandoned. The
truce, which covered the conference of
the government ENJOYS and which was
said to have been arranged to further
conceal the march of Zelaya's men
through the hills toward Bluefields, is
at an end. At the conference Zelaya's
representatives used every pretext to
delay coming to the point and when the
conference finally came to an end it was
with a demand that the insurgents in the
vicinity of Rama surrender.
Further evidence of the alarm of the
insurgents is shown in connection with
movements of the Bluefelds Steamship
ccmpany's steamer Di Giorgio. This COM
pany, which derived a big revenue
through a concession from President Ze-
laya, has always been believed to be in
sympathy with the source of the COM
pany's revenue. The company's boats
are in the practice of ascending the river
from Bluefelds to Rama to load with
fruit. However, on Monday, General Es-
trada, fearing a plot through which the
government troops, who were believed to
have made a detour to Rama, would
make a pretended seizure of the vessel,
ordered the up-river trip abandoned.
He rushed 300 troops toward Rama and
Thursday, convinced that these could con-
troll the situation. gave permission for
the steamer to proceed to Rama. The
same night information was received that
large force OF the government troops
was stationed between Rama and Blue
fields. General Estrada at once ordered
| the steamer to stop at Cana. Estrada
feared that II the trip was continued. the
steamer would be seized between Cana
and Rama by the enemy
ZELAYA'S MEN IN TRIM
/ Another cause for alarm among the in
surgents is a report brought by the cruz
ser Des Moines that Zelayas men at
! Greytown are far from being IN the des-
perate condition which has been reported
here They are said to number over 1900
weIl-fed and well-paid soldiers and are
| opposed only by General ChamOrra, with
/ 100 insurgents.
| The excellent condition Of the army in
Greytown is said to be the main reason
why il does not leave its quarters and
attack Chamorra. The soldiers are not
enthusiastic over Zelaya and his cause
and prefer being fed to hghting.
lJ0PC AT u0ME