New-York tribune., 1910-07-15
P|TTMAN STARVING
IN MANAGUA PRISON
Consul OIivares Forces MadriZ
to Give American Better
Treatment.
CONFINED IN FILTHY CELL
Prisoner Furnished with Bed and
Food-Lives Of Americans
in Western Nicaragua
Threatened.
rFron The Tribune Bureau ]

Washington July 14-Confined In
filthy cell, by feet unfed save by
charitable strangers. william Pittman.
the American engineer who was captured
by the Madriz forces while engaged in
laying mines near Bluefelds, was found
in an overcrowded local prison at Ma
nagua, Nicaragua, by Consul Olivares yes
terday. The consul informed the State
Department to-day by cable that he Wis
tied Pittman, discovered the revolving
conditions and forced Madriz to furnish
the adventurous American better prison
accommodations.
Pittrnan was starving. Consul Oil
wares Immediately protested, reminding
Madriz of his promise to treat the pris-
oner with consideration. Madriz finally
agreed to transfer Pittman to a larger
and cleaner cell and TO allow the consul
to supply him with a bed and food.
Pittnan informed Mr.. Olivares that he
was removed from Bluef1elds to Ma
nagua on July 4. On the way his captors
failed to provide him with food, and he
was dependent on the charity of his
fellow travellers for subsistence.
Inc state department mas
Mr.. Olivares to keep in touch with Pitt
man and TO insist to Madriz that no
harm shall come to this American citi
zen and that he shall be treated prop
erly while he is held prisoner. Madrtz
informed Consul Olivares that no def
mite action regarding the fate Of Pittman
had been determined The commander
of the Madriz forces promised to inform
Thomas P Moffat, American Consul at
BIuefelds. IN the event of an order TO
transfer Pittman. This promise was
not kept.
Mr. Olivares has informed the State
Department that the antiAmerican SEN
timent is growing in the western part of
Nicaragua, which is under the control of
the Madriz forces. The department be-
Ifeves the condition makes 1t necessary
that unsual precautions be taken to pre-
vent Ill treatment of Pittnan.
Warning to Madriz Repeated.
Constant complaints from American
citizens at Matagalpa relative to threats
repeatedly made against their lives and
property by agents of the Madriz gov
ernment are being receiFed by American
consular representatives Mr., OIivares
has made vigorous representations to
Madriz, and has reiterated to him Secre-
tary Knox's warning that this govern
ment will hold the Madriz factiJn strictly
accountable for the security of American
life and property.
British and German subjects at Mata-
Managua for protection. So far no such
representations have been made to the
German and British governments or 70
Washington, probably cause the Brit
ish and German consuls are Nicaraguan
local merchants
Consul General Eberhardt, who is de-
tailed at large and happens to be in
Nicaragua on a tour Of inspection, sent
a cable dispatch to the State Depart
ment to-day corToborating the reports
of alarm of foreign residents over threats
of Nicaraguans. He said that the
opinion at Matagalpa was that these
anti-foreign demonstrations were in
stigated by the Madriz faction, whose
officials have openly threatened Aneri-
cans and other foreigners.
The cruiser Tacoma has sailed from
Guantanamo, Cuba, for Bluefields TO re-
leve the Paducah, which has been or
dered home. Two vessels are to remain
on guard at BluefieIds, so that when the
Dubuque leaves those waters she will be
relieved by the Marietta. which will sail
from Portsmouth n. H. for Bluefelds in
a week or ten days
A report that the steamer Venus,
which the Madriz government purchased
at New Orleans and outftted at Grey
town as a war craft following a neu-
trality fight in the American courts, had
been captured by the Estrada forces was
circulated here to-day, but lacked cor
The Venus is the backbone
of the naval establishment of the Madriz
faction. The San Jacinto. a tug. which
joined the Venus less than a fortnight
ago in an unsuccessful attack on Pearl
Lagoon, is the only other craft the
- hno