The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
In a Fight With the Rebels in
Nicaragua.
MASAYA TAKEN BY ASSAULT
Government Troops Lose 100
Dead and 200 Wounded.
Friendly Interference Is Prov
ing Costly to Uncle Sam.

Washington, Oct. 5-F'our American
marines were killed and six were
wounded yesterday when the American
forces took the town of Coyotepe from
the Nicaraguan rebels, according 10
a cabIegram received early today b9
Minister Castrillo from Chamorro'
minister of foreign affairs in Mica
ragua. The cablegram to Minister
Castrillo dated Managua. October A.
was as follows:
"'Masaya taken today by assault
We had 100 dead, 200 wounded. Amer
leans early took Coyotepe with four
dead and six wounded. Correa SIM
ultaneously took Barranca. ZeleGon
fled with followers and was captured
eight leagues from Mazaya, Wounded
and died later Today 1 visited tEe
American legation to express deepest
sympathy for marines death. Granaua
municipality requested marines bodies
for burial at that city. L beg you
express department of state my deep
sympathy.
Minister of affairs.
"CHAMORRO."
Zeledon spoken of in the cable
gram, is a rebel general, a Honduran
in the employ of Mena, the fallen
dictator, recently captured and taken
to Panama for exile.
Though the lives of American ma
rines have been lost and others have
been wounded in what appears to
have been one of the most sangu1nary
battles fought in Central America IN
many years, yet technically the Unl-
ted States is not engaged in war.
Our Status in Nicaragua.
AS defined by the state department
the status of the relations between
the United States and Nicaragua IS
1-I,s d.
miral Switzerland has done in at
tacxing the Nicaraguan rebels is de-
clared to have been purely in pursu-
ance of a duty imposed upon the
navy many times in the stormy his
tory of Central America-that OF
forcibly protecting American lives and
property as well as the citizens Oh
the European nations.
The admiral has strictly refrained
from intervening in any way between
the warning factions in Nicaragua, and
ha, confined himself entirely to open
ing up railway communication ana
maintaining it free from Interruptions
that the large foreign element scatter
ed through the Nicaragua towns might !
he able to receive food.
For nearly a week after the Ameri- |
can naval forces managed to open the |
way from Managua to Granada, where |
the conditions of foreigners was pitt
fu; General ZeIedon's rebel forces, en- |
trenched on two hills at Barranca, |
g actually commanded the line of COM |
nunication by rail and interfered with /
the free movement of supplies ana /
prevented the unfortunate sufferers /
from famine from making their escape.
Switzerland Made Good.
Admiral Switzerland had several in
terview with the rebel chieftain after
the surrender and deportation of Gen
eraI Mena, the principal figure in the
rev olution but he found that Zeledon |
was not only determined to efuse any
offer of amnesty held out by President
Diaz but was determined TO retain the
position he occupied threatening the
railroad. The admiral was finally
obliged to deliver an ultimatum, warn
ing Zeledon that after "A hours notice
the American naval forces would lin-
dertake to drive him from Barranca |
hills. This time limit expired at 8
O'Clock yesterday morning and as the
official cablegram received by Minister
Castrillo today indicates. the Ameri
can marines did exactly as they had
undertaken to do even at the cost of a
few lives.
Both the state and naval officials are
anxious to have it appear that what
has been done by the American navv
force was in response to d formal re-
quest from the titular government ~
Though keenIy apprecfa
tive of the sentiment inspiring the Nj
,sragua government in its offer -
bury the marines in state in the civ
Of Granada, it is believed the bodies
IF the men will be brought home to
the United States and buried accord
rg to the wishes of their survivinr
relatives.