The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-10-10
MARINES FALL in 4
BLOODY ONSLAUGHT
Americans Lost Four Dead and
Six Wounded In Battle With
Nicaraguan Rebels.

washington, Oct. Flour Americas
marines were killed and six were
wounded yesterday when the American
forces took the town of Coyotepe from
the Nicaraguan rebels. according ia
a cablegram received early today by
Minister CASTILLO from Chamorrn
minister Of foreign affairs in Nicara-
qua.
Early today neither the state depart
ment nor the navy department had re-
ceived any word OF the fight at Masaya
and Coyotepe or the death OF the Amer
lean marines. Officials were shocked
at the news contained in Minister Cas-
trillo's cablegram.
Text OF cablesram.
The cabiegram to Minister Castrillo
dated Managua. october 4. was az fol-
lows:
"Masaya taken today by assault, We
had 100 dead, 200 wounded. Americans
early took Coyotepe with four dead and
six wounded. CoTrea simultaneously
tool Barranca. Zeledon fed with fol-
lowers and was captured eight leagues
from Masaya, wounded n died later.
Today I visited the American legation
to express deepest sympathy for ma
rines' death. Granada municipality re-
quested marines bodies for burial at
city. 1 beg you express depart
ment Of state my deep sympathy.
Minister Of Affairs Chamorro."
Zeledon, spoken of I'm the cablegram,
Is a rebel general, a Honduran In the
employ Of Mena, the fallen dictator,
recently captured and taken to Panama
for exile. ..
Not Engaged in War.
Though the lives Of American ma
rfnes have been lost n Others have
been wounded In what appears to have
been one of the most sanguinary bat
ties fought in Central America in many
years, yet technically the United States
is not engaged In war.
AS defined by the state department.
the status OF the relations between the
United States an Nicaragua Is one OF
friendship. What Rear Admiral
Southland has done In attacking the
Nicaraguan rebels Is declared TO have
been purely in pursuance of a duty inn
posed upon the navy many times In
the stormy history of Central America
of forcibly protecting American
lives and property as we'll as OF the
citizens of European nations. =.
TIE admiral has strictly r~efrained
from intervening in any way between
the warning factions in Nicaragua, and
has confined himself entirely to open
ing UP railway communication n
maintaining it free from interruption,
that the large foreign element scat
tered through the N~icaraguan towns
might be able to receive food.
Foreigners Hemmed In.
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
full. General Zeledon's rebel forces, en-
trenched on two hills at Barranca, act
ually commanded the line of communi-
cation by rail and interfered with the
free movement of supplies and pre-
vented the unfortunate sufferers Of
famine from making their escape to
places Of safety. .
Admiral Switzerland had several in
terviews with the rebel c~hieftain after
the surrender and deportation OF Gen
eral Mena. the principal figure in their
revolution, blu he found that Zeledon
was not only determined to refuse any
offer of amnesty held out by President
Diaz, but was determined to retain
h position he occupied threatening
the railroad.
The admiral was finally obliged to
deliver an ultimatum, warming Zeledon
that after "a hours notice the American
naval force would undertake to drive
At@NAt - NN% NAAA9 u ais ~
limit expired at s O'Clock yesterday
morning and as the official cablegran
received by Minister Castrillo today
indicates, the American marines dit
exactly as they had undertaken to Dc
even at the cost of q few lives.
Position Explained.
Both the state and naval officials
are anxious to have 1t appear that
what has been done by the American
naval force was In response to a for.
requeSt from the Tttular govern
ment OF Nicaragua, AZ important con-
~sideration In estimating the result OF
this display of force by the American
marines.
Though keenly appreciative Of the
sentiments inspiring the N~icaraguan
government in its offer to bury the
dead marines in state in the city OF
Granada. II Is believed that the bodies
Of the men will be brought home tc
the United States and buried according
to the wishes Of their surviving rela-