Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19
APPEAL TO OUR CONSUL
IN NAME OF HUMANITY
Zelaya's Arrest and Punishment De-
manded as Act of Justice.
HOSTILE GENERALS CONFER
Change of Officials Follows Zelaya's
Resignation as President-Ma-
driz Approaching Nicaraguan
Capital.

MANAGCA. Nicaragua, via Corinto be
cember 1S.-Some OF the most prominent
women in Managua have sent petition
to Henry Caldera. the acting consul or
the United States here. Their names are
signed to the petition, which sets forth
the tortures to which Zelaya's prisoners
have been subjected, and pitifuIly re-
quests the Intervention OF the American
government.
Numberless prisoners" saws the peti-
ton. have been tortured i'm their cells in
the penitentiary: their families have been
impoverished: liberty has been crushed,
and patriots have been killed I'm their ef-
forts to end crime. extortion and tyranny.
and to prevent the assassination Of Groce
and Cannon.
We implore you to bring the male
faofor TO justice that his many crimes
may receive the punishment they de-
escape
For weeks the associates and adherents
OF Zelaya have been conducting a reign
of terror. Their chief victims have been
the best people in the country Property
has been conflscated. fathers and sons
imprisoned, wives and daughters forced
to submit to unspeakable outrages, drag
ged OFF to the jail. or cruelty injured. So
appalling were the conditions that a large
number women met together and
f1nally dere,aed to submit their leas to
the representative of the governments
whose warships are close at hand II is
not only their own protection they seek
but the safety of those who In the last
few days have had courage enough to
| rise in the publ C places and denounce
Zelaya and his administration.
Officials Forced to Yield.
The agitation became so strong against
the holding OF hundreds. and perhaps
| thousands. In prison that the officials
deemed 1t advisable to take steps to re-
| lie use at least some OF them against
whom crimes had only been alleged.
Most Of the political prisoners. there
fore. were released today. but there are
still many others behind the walls.
1t was after the warshipS reached
Corinto that the demonstrations ag einst
Zelaya became pronounced, for those who
have been crying for the revolution were
fully convinced that bluejackets and
m3rines from the ships would be landed.
sent ashore. In such an event they fear
| reprisa,s by the Zelayan forces. which
are still strong i'm Managua.
Many revolutionary suspects have been
thrown into prison and put to torture.
and there are a number also now in
chains who refused to do the bidding OF
the government.
Soldier, Not Murderer
Among these is Anibal Chavez, an Off
GER in the army. who was in command
of the firing squad when Groce and Can
non were brought out for execution. He
refused to give the firing order exclaim-
ing. as he threw down his sword: Il am
a soldier, not murderer
Consul Caldera is daily I'm receipt of
menaces of death, but beyond exercising
watchful care he has taken no precaut on
to guard against attack and goes ABOUT
attending to the dut es of his post.
Word has reached here that DR.. Jose
MadriZ. Zelaya's candidate for pre- ,ident.
has arrived at San Juan de- Sur, Oh his
way to Corinto. He is Fastening to Man
aqua to inform himself personally of the
situation. At Corinto ii is believed, Mad
rsz will confer with several of his sti one-
est supporters. swho are proceeding there
from various departments.
Following close upon the resignation OF
President Zelaya an entire change has
taken place in the administration OF the
departments Of Granada, Managua, Leon.
Jinotaga and Matagalpa. The old Off
cials were summarily dismissed and 9th
ers named to I'LL their places The ma
jority of these are from Leon, the strong
hold OF the liberals, and are favorable to
fhe candidacy of MadriZ