The San Francisco call., 1910-07-15
PITTMAN KEPT in
FILTHY PRISON Cell
Consul Advises State Depart
ment of Revolving Conditions
imposed by Madriz
Promise of Fair Treatment for
Captive Broken by G0vern-
ment of Nicaragua

WASHINGTON, July 14.-Confined in
| a filthy cell. six by five feet unfed save
by charitable strangers, William Pitt
| man, an American, captured by the
| Madriz government forces near Blue
fields, was found in an overcrowded
prison at Managua, Nicaragua, by Con-
sui Olivares yesterday.
The consul telegraphed the state de-
partment that he visited Pittman, dis
| covered the revolving conditions and
forced Doctor Madriz to furnish the
adventurous American better prison
accommodations.
Pittman, whose relatives live at Cam
bridge, Mass, told Olivarez that he
left Greytown July 4, that since then
his captors have failed to provide him
with food, leaving him dependent for
subsistence upon charity. Pittman was
| starving.
MADRIZ PROMISE BROKEN
| Olivares Immediately protested, re-
| mtnding Madriz of his promise to treat
Pittman with consideration Madriz
| finally agreed to transfer Pittman to
larger and cleaner cell and to allow
| ing couch and food.
The consul reported no definite action
regarding Pittman had been determined
| by the de facto authorities and that
he, Olivares, would exert every effort
! to insure fairness and humane treat
ment for the prisoner.
When the United States originally
| learned of Pittman's arrest, Doctor
Madriz assured Olivares the prisoner
would be treated fairly and consider
ately.
THREATS AGAINST AMERICANS
Constant complaints from American
| citizens at Matagalpa relative to
| threats repeatedly made against their
lives and property by agents of the
Madriz government are being received
| by the American consular service. Con-
sui Olivares cabled to the state depart
ment today that the anti-American
| feeling in the western part of Mica :
ragua, the section under control of the
] Madriz faction, is daily growing more
bitter
| Olivares has made vigorous repre-
sentatIons to Madriz and has reiterated
! to him Secretary Knox's warning that
this government will hold the Madriz
| faction strictly accountable for Ameri-
can life and property.
PROTESTS ARE NOT HEEDED
British and German subjects at Mata-
galpa have appealed to their consuls
4 III NdndS ud TOT pTOCecIlOH. DO Lar, IO
representations as to these protests
have been made to the German and
! British home governments or to Wash
| ington, probably because the British
and German consuls are Nicaraguan
| merchants.
The American consul, General Eber-
| hardt, who is detailed at large and
| is now in Matagalpa on tour of in
! spection, cabled the state department
| today, substantiating the reports of
alarm of foreign residents. He said
| that the opinion at Matagalpa was that
/ these anti-foreign demonstrations were
! instigated by the Madriz faction, whose
officials openly have threatened Ameri-
cans and other foreigners.
Insurgents Continue Fight
| BLUEFIELDS, Nicaragua, July H.
The insurgent bembardment of the po-
sition of the government forces be-
| tween Hay-Way key and Bluehelds
bluff continued today without result.
Ship May Garry Arms
| WASHINGTON, July 14-Acting Sec
retary Cable of the department of COM
merce and labor today decided that the
| facts presented to him do not warrant
| the withholding of clearance papers to
! the Norwegian steamer Utstein, now at
| Mobile, Ala. and destined for Blue
] fields with munitions of war. Collec-
/ tor of Customs Ashley at Mobile had
refused such papers and the case was
-.