The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-09-25
Shocking CRUELTY
MARKS The CONDUCT OF The
NICARAGUA REBELS
GRANADA IS RELIEVED

GRANADA IS relieved
Prisoners Are Deprived of Food and
Drink and Even Women are Hunt
ed For Torture. South
erland, With 1000 Americans, Has
Probably Cleared Railway Route.
Severe fighting between American
naval forces and Nicaraguan revolu-
tionists is believed to have occurred
in the past few days near Barranca,
although reports from the scene are
so meagre that official in Washing
ton have no definite idea Of what has
happened. Rear Admiral Southtr-
land is in the field, probably with up
wards of 10000 men, and if plans
have not miscarried, by this time he
has cleared the route of the national
railway Of opposing rebels and re-
tlieved the famine threatened city of
Granada.
European attention to affairs in
Nicaragua at this time sbelieved to
be one OF the possibilities Of the sit
uation. The Washington government
in sending relief to the beleaguered
city of Granada, populated by many
foreigners, had hoped to aver any
pretext for landing European. mill
tary or naval forces on Central Amer
ican soil. The British consul gen.
eral at lManagua and the British vice
consul at Matagalpa have reported
two British subjects murdered by the
rebels at Achuapa. 1t is expected,
however the British government, be-
fore taking action upon its own ac-
count, will await the results Of the
American campaign.
A dtlayed cablegram from Admiral
Switzerland, dated Managua, eleven
O'Clock p. m, September II, and re-
porting that American bluejackets
ard marines were fredupon as they
attempted to open the railway, reach
q dthe navy department Saturday.
Delayed reports Friday said the
Granada relief party had been fired
upon last Sunday; that the officer In
command had halted and sent to
Managua for reinforcements, and
that Admiral Switzerland had gone
tn the rescue with two companies OF
marines and a detachment Of sailors.
Whether or not there was more fir
ing from the rebels before the addi;
ticnal American force arrived, is not
known but it is possible that the
brush referred to in the dispatch re-
ceived Saturday was the one that
took place Sunday.
Upon his arrival at Barranca, Ad'
lmiral Switzerland sent word to Gel
eral Zeledon, one of the rebel lead
ers, that he proposed to open the
railroad to Granada and keso i. open
arc that he would give The rebels
lust "a hours to clear the front.
While Zeledon hesitattd, General
Mena, the former secretary of war o1
Nicaragua, the principal leader in The
revolution, came northWard from
Granada with another large force o1
rebels and joined him. After con-
sultation they sent formal dedan e
to Admiral Switzerland, announcing
their purpose to oppose his advance
4 It is not known exactly how many
sailors or marines composed the ad
miral's force at that time, huF Its
, believed that it did not exceed three
|or four hundred men. At any rate
in view Of the large number OF reb
els in his front, and unwilling to rur
the risk Of even temporary defea:
the admiral called for reinforce
ments for Managua, where it is be
ilieved there were still about 1,5O(
sailors and marines available, so a:
to make sure Of overpowering any
deposition that the rebels might offer
That was the situation when the las
cablegram was dispatched from Man
, aqua, three days ago.
THe official reports to the State de-
partment rarely include such severe
language as those which are now Is
sued, dealing with the conditions II
Granada, whit 1t is said, "are worse
than those which existed in the Con
20 and in the Putumayo." The rebel:
with unparalleled ferocity have turn
led upon helpless women and children
and their warfare is characterized By
a return to absolute barbarism.
American Minister Meitzel has re
ceiyed a letter from Pedro Rafae,
Cuadra, the present minister Of fin
lance Of President Diaz, and from Car
los Cuadra, the Nicaraguan minister
OF the Mixed Claims commission, In
which the name of humanity and civ
ilization they beg Minister Meitze
to do all that he can to protect theil
families who are being ferociously
prosecuted at Granada. They have
learned that General Mena and his
agen stare prosecuting their relatives
because they themselves are mem
ibers of the Diaz government. Their
brothers, private citizens, they de-
clare, have been humanely tortured,
ideprived of food and obliged to pay
large sums of money for a few
crumbs when exhausted from lack OF
lnourishment.
For an uninterrupted period Of five
days they were confined in tiny,
filthy closet, for three days Of which
time they were allowed no food and
water so that when let out they were
near death. Moreover, Col. Daniel
jMena, in command Of Fort San Fran
cisco, overlooking the town, has
Threatened to shoot the Cuadra
brothers If the government troops at
tack Granada. 1t is said that Mrs.
Cuadra, wife of the minister of nm
ance, is being hunted in Granada in
Iorder that she may be tortured.