Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-30
REAL: WAR HORRORS
American Citizens Witnesses
of Tragedy in Nicaragua.
ATTACK MADE ON MANAGUA
Movement Solely to Secure Office
and Loot Checked by the
United States.

MANAGCA, Nicaragua, September II
Americans in Managua now know what
a sickening tragedy a Central American
revolution is. They have passed through
month of turmoil (AugusD, witnessed
q three-day battle. and experienced the
horrors of a COMMANDMENT They have
seen the people of the city panic-stricken,
women and children killed: have borne
the sufferings of hunger in a town be-
leaguered and have had miraculous es-
capes from exploding shells and bullets.
Daily they saw hundreds of recruits
marching out blithely. with vivas and
laughter, to fight-perhaps to meet the
death thousands Of their fellows had al
ready met.
The capital Of Nicaragua in August was
the focal point of the revolution of which
Gen. Luis Mena. the deposed minis er of
war, was the head. The two military
heroes Of the rising of 19O9-1O. which
overthrow Aelaya, were Emiliano Cha
MORO and Luis Mena. Mena became
minister OF war and organized the assem-
bly, which in October. 1911, elected him
president of the republic for the term be-
ginning January 1, 1913
United States Interposes.
Then the United States stepped in, the
American minister notifying Mena that
his election was regarded as premature
and a violation of the pact made with the
representative of the United States. Gen.
Mena was deposed later as minister of
war and Gen. Chamorro was appointed
commander-in-ch.ef of the army. Mena
eventually fed and armed the liberals
Thus began the revoluio which reach
ed its climax in the bombardment of nom
com ga tantS-a violation of all the morals
except in the case of Zelaya, who bom-
barded .lanagua in 1893 in the revolt that
established him as dictator.
1t was no part Of Mena's plan, how
ever, to take Managua by assault. Gen.
Zeledon, sometime minister of war under
Zelaya, was responsible for that, when
Mena lay helpless on a sick bed. The
ibombardment began on a Monday morn
ing, although Zeledon had been warned
that thousands of innocent women and
children were in the city. All day the
savage Smelling continued, the shells ex-
ploding all over the town. By a strange
fatality women and children were the
victims. In one house q mother and
four daughters were wounded. A child
sitting on doorstep was cut in two. A
woman with her babe at her breast rum
ming across the street was struck by a
shell and both were instantly killed. One
hundred and thirty-six women and chill
dren were killed or wounded. The es-
cape Of hundreds of others was mrac-
ulous.
President in Peril.
The second evening of the lombard
ment a shell hit the presidential house
and exploded in a room where the presi-
dent and his cabinet were in conference
with Gen. Chamorro., Strangely enough.
no one was injured. A shell exploded in
the interior court Of the house of an
American official. Four American Off
Gals and three servants were on either
side Of the court. but none was hit.
Throughout Monday and Tuesday the
battle waged. eliminating in q sharp at
tack in the afternoon, when the in
gents broke over the intrenchments
All that night the bombardment was
kept up. Wednesday the people were
absolutely panic-stricken. Another at
tack by the insurgents that day would
have meant success. The government s
bolt was shot Their failure to win after
three days of successive assaults with
tremendous losses, had dispirited the in
surgents and they retired I'm disorder.
And this revolutionary episode-one way
OF satisfying desire for Office and getting
a presidency, with absolutely no prin-
ciple involved, cost thousand soldiers,
many women and children and men who
wanted peace more than war.
Marines Prevent Attack.
A battalion of 400 American marines
under Maj Butler reached Managua from
Panama the following day. Their pres
ence probably prevented another attack.
Managua remained cut off from the world
except by one telegraph wire at a little
station across the lake in the mountains.
reached by boat and courier 1t did not
know what was happening until the rail-
road was operated by tine Americans in
September. Though not invested, it was
beleaguered. So, too. were Masaya and
Granada.
The attempt to take the capital and
thus capture the government having
failed the scene of war was shifted. The
liberals sent arms and ammunition to the
people of Leon. Two forces sent by the
government to check the rising there met
rebels numbering 10000, and after des-
perate street fighting were killed almost
to a man. Their bodies. piled in great
heaps. were burned in the streets.
American Soldiers Intercepted.
A force of fifty American soldiers who
had gone to Managua before the siege as
part of the legation guard and We're re-
turning to Corinto by train were stopped
at Leon. their officers insulted, and per-
mitted to go no further. Their train was
seized, and they returned to Managua,
seven miles. on foot.
Since the augmentation of the American
forces conditions have improved, and the
marines are spreading out to guard not
only foreign lives and property, but to
prevent the insurgents. infiamed by early
victories and seeming loot from applying
methods which were in vogue centuries
ago.