The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-11

Many Warriors.
A story of romance, of death and OF
adventure more strange than any yet
written into fiction has been etched
with blood and with rust upon a blade
of steel.
Four hundred years have passed in
writing the story, story that had its
beginning when Vasco Nunez de Bal
boa led his band of adventures across
the mainland of Central America to the
coast Of the Pacific and a story to
which "finis" now has been written in
the bringing of the rusted blade to
Chicago. 1t is the story of the sword
Of Balboa.
On a trophy Uttered table in the Chi
cago headquarters Of the United States
marine corps the sword Of the discov-
erer of the Pacific ocean is lying 1t
was recently taken to Chicago by Ma
+ jor w. n. McKelvey, who since last
/ August has been in command Of a bat
talon of the First regiment Of marines
that suppressed a revolution In Mica
ragua.
Taken From Revolutionist.
1T has had a strange history, this
sword" the major said as he fingered
the ancient weapon. 81 found it grip
ped in the fingers Of a revolutionary
leader who had been killed when we
captured Granada. The sword had been
dipped by this man in the blood of sol
diers OF the republic. Before it reached
his hands it rested for a brief time in
a museum in the city Of Managua.
That's how we know it was the sword
Of Balboa. a native recognized it as
the blade once in the museum"
1t was in Toledo. Spain, that the
sword was hammered out The secret
of the manufacture of Toledo steel has
been lost to the world forever. Rust
ed and eaten away by four centuries.
1t still is possible to bend the long blade
double. With the releasing Of the pres
sure it whips itself into q straight, true
line.
, Sword Carried to Pacific.
Balboa carried the weapon with him
on his march across Nicaragua. Tradi-
ton and what little history has been
written tell that the sword was plung-
ed into the heart of many a resisting
native. When the adventurer finished
his march to the western coast Of Cen
trail America the blade was bathed in
the waters of the Pacific.
Balboa was slain close to where the
town of Granada now stands. The
sword he carried passed into the hands
of his murderer.
J, The years rolled on. In the course
D of time the blade was carried by war
riors in many revolutions. In the little
wars of the Central American aborigi
= mes the sword. lost to them by the
D Spanish wanderer. was carried. their
d traditions say. by every victor of eact
: generation.
More years came and went and &
standardization suppIanted the savage
~ found by Balboa in the early six
teenth century. But the war and revo
p buttons still continued, and upon tn,
blade of the sword still was writer
= the story Of death.
Taken From Museum by Rebels.
= 1t was a quarter of a century ago
J. Major McKelvey says, that the blade
now rusted and worn, but still vibran
D. and steel true, found it's way into tn
" museum in Managua. It was during
10 the last summer that the latest revO
4. luton disrupted the country. Genera
Zeledon gathered about him a ragget
troop. and an almost successful effor
was made to overthrow the govern
ment
Arms were scarce. and even the re-
les in the museums were confiscate
by the rebels. Once more. 400 year
!. after its first blood baptism, the ia
!. nous sword passed into the hands o
a fighting man.
. But its history of bloodshed is writ
ten" Major McKelvey said as be I'll
y ished the tale. Its only a relic nov
"a harmless relic
" As the sword fell upon the troph
table its blade hummed for a singI
moment in vibration.