The Adair County news., 1914-07-29
WON ON HIS BLUFF
How an American Consul BROUGHT
a Dictator to Terms.
A THREAT AND A SURPRISE.

The Venezuelan Despot to Whom Uncle
Sans Official Had Issued Comic
Opera uItimatum First Got on His
High Horse and Then Stepped Down.
A great many years ago Phil Hanna
was consul at La Guayra. Venezuela,
when little revolution broke out A
military martinez in command of the
town announced himself dictator and.
needing money to carry on his activi-
ties. seized a bunch of American, Eng
iisD and German residents In the place
and IocEed them in the town Jail
They were informed that they would
be released when they had made Ger
tain cash contributions to the revOlu-
tionary wa chest.
Hanna was notified of the situation.
and. looking up the consulate and leav-
ing an eXt.H sized American flag fly
ing. he m;.. ched up TO the headquar
ters of the dictator.
MIR. Dictator" said Hanna, Il note
that you have locked up a number OF
Americans Permit me to introduce
myself as the American consul"
The dictator asked what interest that
fact had for him
1T signifies that | am here In the
name of my government to demand
that these Americans be released in
stantIy. replied Hanna.
Cant do thing for you," replied
the general They've been told that
when they cough up they'll be turned
loose"
''rhey'h De turned loose without
coughing and without delay" retorted
Hanna Il desire. in the name of my
government to say that if the Ameri-
cans and all the European citizens
whom you have locked up are not re-
leased by 8 O'Clock this afternoon
shall proceed to shell the town"
ITO shell-what'll you shell it with?"
snOrted the dictator why, you
haven't an American ship within a
thousand miles. and you know it,"
What | said" replied Hanna with
frozen faced dignity "was that if those
people are not released by o'clock I'll
SnN'' LAiC W." u AllO tldTtIleu
again
Hanna knew perfectly well that there
wasn't an American ship nearer than
New Orleans. and he knew the dictator
knew it But he had something up his
sleeve He went back to his office and
waited patiently meanwhile sending
clerk down to the water front to watch
things
The day wore on to midafternOon.
Hanna was getting nervous. He must
make good somehow. At last his mes
senger returned.
1.-TWO British cruisers are coming into
the harbOr. sir" be reported
81 knew they were due today" re
piled Hanna Now. you get word to
the commander about what we've done
here and tell him it's very important
for him TO come and see me-"
At 5 o'clock that afternoon three very
impressive officers in the uniform OF
the British navy came ashore and
marched straight to the American con
Sulate
Hanna siourhed OUT of his chair.
shook hands all round and explained
his scrape The naval man wanted to
know how be could best serve the
necessities of the moment.
Just 90 back on shipboard and begin
clearing those vessels for action in
the most uStPntatious way you can,"
replied Hanna. I'm do the rest
AS soon aS the necessary time had
elapsed to assure that these facts would
have duly Impressed themselves on his
Dictatorship Hanna started for the
palace again He didn't have to wait
for adulttanre
Have the American and European
prisoners been releaSed:" he asked
The! nave not yet" replied the die
tatOr
Then permit me to say that at 6
0'clock sharp. as | mentioned this morn
ing. begin SIelling this town.
where's vnur American Ships:" per
sisted the dictator.
"Tht TWO Eiritish cruisers that have
entered the harbor today are under my
orders. rel led the American consul.
land Wen blow you and your town of
this coast h"fore morning if you don't
perform Do yOu get it?''
The dictator didn't know whether it
prisoners We're turned loose.
Hanna gOI y promotion for the job
New York Sun.