The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-07-30
MON ON HIS BLUFF
law an American Consul Brought
a Dictator to Terms.
f. THREAT AND A SURPRISE.

,.,ueIan Despot to Whom Uncle
Official Had issued Comic
o a.. ultimatum First Got on His
w. w.. Horse and Then Stepped Down.
great many years ago Phil Hanna
snsul at La Guayra, Venezuela.
Vs little revolution broke out A
, 1 martinez in command OF the
NM announced himself dictator and.
w" s,rg money to carry on his activi-
y. .ojzed bunch of American. Eng
s s and German residents in the place
nss licked them In the town jail.
NV, we're Informed that they would
.o,eased when they had made GER
..,n cash contributions to the revolu-
Houary war chest.
Hapna was notified Of the situation.
"a looking up the consulate and leav-
,.o an extra sized American iag fly
nv he marched up to the headquar'
,ers of the Dictator
.Mr. Dictator" said Hanna. Il note
.nat YOU have locked up a number of
AMERICANS. Permit me to Introduce
myself as the American consul"
Tho dictator asked what interest that
fact had for him.
.Jt signifies that | am here In the
name of my government to demand
that these Americans be released in
Haptly," replied Hanna.
cant do thing for you," replied
,he general They've been told that
when they cough up they'll be turned
bose"
they'll be turned loose without
coughing and without delay" retorted
: Hanna. Il desire. In the name of my
government. to say that II the Ameri-
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 she'll whatll you shell 1t with?"
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. was 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 a
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.
Il 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 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
lust 60 back on shipboard and begin
clearing those vessels for action In
the most ostentatious way you cam
replied Hanna. "I'll do the rest"
As soon as the necessary time had
elapsed to assure that these facts would
have duly impressed themselves on ahit
dictatorship Hanna started for tn
palace again. He didn't have to wal
Tor admittance.
"Have the American and European
prisoners been releasedY' he asked.
They have not yet" replied the die
tator.
Then permit me- to say that at
O'Clock sharp. as mentioned this morn
Ing. begin Smelling this town.
where's your American shipsT" per
sisted the dictator.
Inc TWO British cruisers that hav,
entered the harbor today are under m.
ORDERS" replied the American consul
and we'll blow you and your town of
THIS coast before morning If you don
perform. Do you get it?"
Inc dictator didn't know whether 1
was bluf or not. but at $50 o'clock tn
prisoners were turned loose.
hanna got promotion for the job
New York Sun.