The Washington herald., 1912-08-26
more SHIPS SENT
TO NICARAGUA.
Cruisers Colorado and Cleveland
Rushed to Reinforce Ameri,
can Forces.
MANAGUA Is PRACTICALLY
CUT OFF FROM THE WORLD
Dispatches from Minister Weitsel at
Managua Indicate that Situa-
ton L Serious.

seriousness or the general revolutionary
situation in Nicaragua. where anarchy
now prevails In many sections to the
peril of the lives of Americans and
other foreigners, as disclosed in dis
patches received at the State Depart
ment yesterday. renewed efforts were
made 10 rush re-enforcements of war
ships and men to the scene as rapidly
as possible. Orders were sent by the
| Navy Department to Rear Admiral
Cottman. commandant Of the Puget
Sound Navy Yard, at Seattle. to get
the armored cruiser Colorado and the
protected cruiser Cleveland, under way
| It the earliest possible moment. Ad-
miral Cottman reported last night the
departure of the Colorado and stated that
1.-THE Cleveland will be able to leave to-
day.. One or two more vessels will be
dispatched from Seattle within the next
day or SO IL the situation continues to
grow worse.
The failure of Commander Terhune.
Of the Yorktown to get his messages
through was explained In a dispatch
from Minister weitzel. dated August q
and received yesterday. In a dispatch
received Friday Mr.. Weitzel stated that
Commander Terhune had left Managua
for Corinto to file a number of messages
and to investigate the menacipg situation
at that port. Minister Weitkel. In the
the naval commander was held up by
the rebels before reaching corinto and
ordered back to the capital He was
accompanied by a guard Of forty men.
but he decided not to offer resistance,
to do which might mean a merciless at
tack by the big rebel army upon
Managua and the American troops there,
as well as the humiliation Of himself
and his guard He returned to Managua
Friday.
Messages Held Up.
The Official messages are gotten out
under the most trying circumstances.
and the authorities here have reason to
believe that several dispatches have
fallen into the hands of the rebels and
been suppressed Owing to the uncer-
tainty Of sending by way OF Corinto and
thence to the cable station at San Juan
del Sur. Mr.. Weitzel got through his
latest message by way Of Salvador and
Honduras. To do this he had to send
a messenger. with an armed guard. by
motor boat across Lake Nicaragua. This
meant a three days delay In transit
A belated report also was received
yesterday from Consul johnson at
Corinto. 1t was dated August q. The
consul stated that anarchy prevails there
and at many points along the west
are still seeking refuge on the gunboat
Yorktown and collier Justin. and the
town is being policed by all available
men from those ships, with the assist
ance of foreign and other citizens
The government authorities in Corinto
managed to capture six conspirators
there on August p. and they were
thrown into Jail. Aside from these de-
velopments Corinto Is quiet. there hav-
In. a.
that point 1t appears that the quieting
effect on the I'D was attributed to the
expected arrival of the gunboat Denver
there on that day. The Denver was de-
layed three days at Magdaiena Bay She
arrived at Corinto last night, however.
and at once sent ashore her forty
marines and about $50 bluejackets. The
California is expected to reach Corinto
tomorrow.
Rebels Hold Leon.
Leon. where 500 federal troops were
annihiliated by the rebels last week, Is
still under rebel control. No further
information has been received concern
ing the killing, OF Phillips and Dodd. the
two Americans who were allied with the
federal forces in the battle at Leon. tt
Is thought that the result OF the inves-
tigation was given in a separate report,
which may be held up by the rebels.
Mr.. Weitzel, in his message. described
further details OF the situation following
the five days bombardment Of Managua
He stated that the naval surgeons with
the marines and bluejackets at Managua
volunteered their services to the govern
ment in caring for the wounded there.
Owing to the CONSERVATION that prevail
ed during and Immediately following the
bombardment nearly all of the wounded
died and an epidemic of fever was threat
ened. The American surgeons proceeded
immediately to check this. Mr. wetizei
states that many OF the victims were
butchered with machetes, among them
being twenty-four women. They were
disfgured almost beyond means of iden-
LITIGATION. The government estimates that
during the bombardment by the rebels
40 noncombatants were killed. No for
eigners are known to be in this list. The
government forces used about 1000. 900
rounds Of ammunition in the i've days
fighting, and It is thought that the rebels
used an even greater amount. This ap-
pears to be the flercest engagement that
has taken place in Central America in
many years. Mr.. Weitzel stated that
all Of the American marine and navel
command were well at the time Of writ
Ing.
The situation appears to be growing
more serious on the east coast of Mica
ragua, and It Is likely that either the
gunboat Petrol, now at Santo Domingo or
the Wheeling, at Guantanamo. will be
rushed across to re-enforce the cruiser
Tacoma at Bluehelds within the next few
days.