Omaha daily bee., 1911-08-20

in accordance with the laws of the country
Prosecution was begun at once, but no
lawyer could be found in Cartegena who
dared to take the case OF McMasters, so
strong was the anti-American sentiment.
Consul Latham who fortunately is law
yer. finally was compelled to conduct the
prosecution himself He succeeded In hav-
ing the trial before judge instead of a
jury and the case went before several
judges in the course of hearings covering
the period from July Is, 1909 when the
assault occurred, until June TO- 1911, when
the defendants were convicted and Cordoba
sentenced to fifteen years and Barrera TO
six years in prison.
A Typical McMasters Incident.
The foregoing is only one Of many affairs
| in which Mr.. McMasters has been in
| danger OF his life, although some OF them
took place before he became an official OF
the government During one Of the period
teal revolutions he was asked to take
charge of a cocoanut plantation in the
absence of its owner, who had discreetly
gone somewhere else. Going to nearby
village one day he cautiously inquired
whether any of the other faction were in
town. He was assured they were not and
proceeded to take his siesta in a hammock
slung in one OF the bamboo huts. He was
awakened by the sound OF bullets tripping
through the flimsy walls. They were still
aimed high, but finally, when one shot cut
away the hammock rope and let him down,
he decided to seek safer territory. He ran
into a street and pumped directly into a
band of marauding negroes who were firing
on the house. Addressing the commander,
he declared himself an American, but saw
that he was not believed and that the
others were preparing to shoot him. Nc
Masters broke through and ran like a deer,
I'D a little hill and down the other side,
thus shielding himself. but falling over a
bluff into the midst OF a dozen women who
had run in terror from the assault upon
the town They shrieked and scattered
and the frightened McMasters came 70 his
senses and resolved to go back and find
his horse He journeyed back into town
and, meeting the negroes, finally identified
himself The commander assigned him a
man 70 help him hunt his horse, but after
making a few inquiries McMasterB saw II
meant death should he claim the animal.
so he gave up the quest. The mArauders
were just preparing to leave and one OF
| them. as a parting remembrance. raised h.
! rifle to put hole in McMasters, when the
commander struck up the weapon and the
band rode off.
! How He Caught a Dozen Negroes.
McMasters Is absolutely fearless. On
day he was sitting in his office on the
plantation when, hearing q noise behind,
he turned and saw a dozen negro.
splifted machetes. They demanded money.
II have some and will get It for YOU"
said the quick-witted McMasters He
stepped into another room, followed by two
OF the negroes, and. reaching his hand into
a satchel, whirled about and covered the
men with a revolver. Frightened, the
whole band ran from the place.
They will come back" said McMasters
to his assistant" when they realize that
they are twelve and 1 only one. When
they come tell them at first there Is no
rum on the premises. and after a little de-
lay show them the barrels I will attend
TO them after that"
McMasters fled TO a short distance and
after a suitable time returned to the
plantation. He found the negroes all dead
drunk and bound them and put them IL
the stocks.-Boston Transcript.