The Washington times., 1914-04-28
SCRAPP|NG CONSUL
BOBS UP ONCE MORE
Mexican Trouble Brings to
Light Man Who BIuffed Ven-
ezueIan Dictator.

pllcaDon 10 get far without prONlOlTS d
nest little lime-lighted space for Consul
Phil Hanna TO disport' himself. He has
turned up this time at Monterey. Mex
ico. and promptly forwarded to the
Washington Government a detailed ac-
count OF what happened to him, and
what he thought about it. Some folks
have intimated the feeling that Mr..
Hanna said more than was really
necessary in reporting the incident; but
that's because they don't know. Hanna.
Hanna used to publish little news
paper out in the Middle West. and broke
into the consular service through po-
litical influence. He has seen more
revolutions than Richard Harding 'Da-
Wis has written about; and he kneWs
them through and through. Moreover:
he is a scrapper. and the possessor or
consular service.
A good many years ago Hanna was
consul at La Guayra, Venezuela, wnen
q little revolution broke out: A mill
tary martinez in command OF the town
announced himself dictator. and, need
ing money to carry on his activities,
seized q bunch of American, Enghsh.
and German residents in the place and
locked them in the town jail. They
were Informed that they would be re-
leased when they had made certain
cash contributions to the revolutionary
war chest.
Hanna was nOIlIlSu VI lIlC SllNo1i
and locking up the consulate and leaV-
ing an extra-sized American flag flying,
Ne marched up the headquarters of the
dictator. They were, of course, in the
palace" The dictator is always IN
palace" and it's always the palace.
even il it's made of adobe and has no
windows There conldnt be any good
Latin-American revolutionary best-sell-
ers II the supply of palaces should
run out.
Bluffs Mr.. Dictator.
'sMr. Dictator" said Hanna. Il note
that you have locked up a number of
Americans. Permit me TO introduce
myself as the American consul"
The Die. grunted and asked what in
terest that fact had for him.
1T signifies that l 1. am here in the
name OF my government TO demand
that these Americans be released in
stantly," replied Hanna.
Cant do a thing for you replied tbs
general They've been told that when
they cough, they'll be turned loose"
They'll be turned loose without
coughing, and without delay, reto-ted
Hanna. who was getting hot under the
collar. ''I desire, in the rame of my
Government to say that If the Ameri-
ems. and all the European citizens
whom you have locked up, are not re-
leased by o'clock this afternoon. /
ITO shell-what'lI you shell it with"
snorted the dictator. why, you haven't
an American ship within a thousand
miles, and you know it. Better tell the
And scsy, Mr.. Hanna. don't pass me
sny more of that American hum for I'm
In no mood for Joking,
What ! said replied Hanna with
frozen-faced dignity. was that if those
people are not released ty O'Clock.
Td> shell the town" And ne marched
out again.
Hanna knew perfectly that there
wasn't an American ship nearer thar
New Orleans. and he knew tine dictator
knew it. But he had something up his
sleeve. He went back to his office an6
waited patiently. mea1whiI, sending q
clerk down to the water front 10 watch
things.
The day wore on to mid-afternoon
and no reports. Hanna was getting
nervous He must make good. some
how, At last his messenger returned.
Two British cruisers are coming in
TO the harbor. sir he reported.
knew they were due today" re-
piled Hanna. Now. you get word to
the commander about what we've done
mere. and tell him it's q very important
for him TO come and see me. I can't
exist"
British Aid Enlisted.
At 3 O'Clock that afternoon three very
impressive officers in the full uniform
Of the British navy, with nineteen or
twenty pounds Of gold doings per
capita, came ashore and marched
straight up to the American consulate.
Rear Admiral Boughem. commanding
ner Britannia MaJesty's naval forces
in this port: at YOUR services, sir" said
the chief of the uniformed functionaries
Hanna slouched out Of his chair, sook
hands all round and explained his
scrape. The naval man wanted to know
how he could best serve Mr.. Hanna. and
the necessities Of the moment.
Just go back on shipboard, and be-
gln clearing those vessels for action. /
In the most ostentatious way you can"
replied Hanna. I'll do the rest
In twenty minutes the upper works
of the British cruisers were being
stripped, and II was plain they were
getting ready for business. AS soon as
the necessary time had elapsed to asure
that these facts would have duly i'm
pressed 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 reseased?" he asked;
They have not, yet" replied the die
as he had been in the morning.
1--WE Fire at Sharp"
Then permit me 10 say that at 6
Nich si-ci y. o. INV lIt-OAAS4 1l4iS iip- IL
ing, ] shall begin shelling this town.
where's your American shipS?" per- |
sisted the dictator.
The TWO British cruisers that have |
entered the harbor today are under my |
ORDERS replied the American consul. |
swelling up FOR the first time; and by |
the eternal. well blow you and your |
town OF this coast before morning II |
you don't perform. Do you get it,
The dictator didn't know whether IL |
Was bluff or not; but at o'clock and |
HS minutes the prisoners were turned |
loose and nobody ever did find out |
whether the British commander would |
have shelled the town at the request
OF an American consul. Hanna got
promotion for the job. anyhow.