The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-07-24
WON ON. HIS BLUFF
How an American Consul Brought
a Dictator to Terms.
A THREAT AND A SURPRISE.

sam's Official Had Issued . Comic
Opera uItiwatum First Got on his
Hfuh Horse and Then Stepped Down.
A great many years ago Phil Hanna
was consul at La Guayra, Venezuela,
when a little revolution broke out A
military martinez In command OF the
town announced himself dictator and,
needing money to carry on his actvi-
ties, seized a bunch of American, Eng
lish and German residents In the place
and locked them In the town jail.
They were informed that they would
be released when they had made GER
tain cash contributions to the revolu-
tonary war chest.
Hanna was notified of the situation.
and. looking up the consulate and leav-
ing an extra sized American flag fly
ing, he marched up to the headquar.
ters of the dictator.
"Mr. Dictator" said Hanna, II 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.
"It signifies that ! am here In the
name Of my government to demand
that these Americans be released In
stantly," replied Hanna.
Cant do thing for you." replied
the general. They've been told that
when they cough up they'll be turned
loose"
They'll be turned loose without
coughing and without delay" retorted
Hanna. 81 desire. in the name Of my
government. to say that II the Amen-
cans and all the European citizens
whom you have locked up are not re-
leased by o'clock this afternoon /
shall proceed to shell the town."
ITO shell-what'll you shell It withT"
snorted the dictator why, you
haven't an American ship within
thousand miles, and you know It."
"What / said." replied Hanna with
frozen faced dignity, twas that if those
people are not released by 6 o'clock I'll
shell the town." And he marched out
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 q
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" he 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 8 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 slouched out of his chair,
shook hands all round and explained
his scrape. The naval man wanted to
know how he could best serve the
necessities Of the moment
"Just 60 back on shipboard and begin
clearing those vessels for action In
the most ostentatious way you can,"
replied Hanna. "Tll 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 admittance.
"Have the American and European
prisoners been released" he asked.
"They have not yet" replied the die
tator.
Then permit me to say that at o
o'clock sharp, as mentioned this morn
ing, I begin shelling this town.
where's your American shipsT per-
sisted the dictator.
"The two British cruisers that have
entered the harbor today are under my
ORDERS" replied the American consul,
"and Wen blow you and your town of
this coast before morning Il you don't
perform. Do you get itT
| The dictator didn't know whether II
was bluff or not. but at $3.50 o'clock the
prisoners were turned loose.
Hanna got promotion for the job
New York Sun.