The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-23

climbed the stairs into the consups Of
flee, Captain Rush was informed Of the
contents Of the note he bore and Inn
mediately sounded cease firing and
halt but it was too late. The action
had been begun all along the line and
it was not considered wise to attempt
further measures to stop it.
At Double Quick.
The commanders ordered their men
forward at double quick which they
carried out with a vigOr that after
wards gave them the city. Blood be-
spattered sidewalks, broken windows
and bullet SCARED walls gave the plaza
gruesOme aspect. Within the Dill
gencia hotel there were forty Ameri-
cans. most Of them women, who had
been there since the commencement of
hostilities. When the square was TAX
en- they were Immediately notified they
might go to other places il they SO de-
sired but that they probably would in
cur no further danger by remaining in
the hotel.
1t was not until late Tuesday that
the last of General Mas men on the
from outside the city, to vacate their
position. The order was obeyed by a
portion of the hundred men who were
occupying the roof and vantage points
in the interior but a small portion of the
band determined to disobey the orders
VI tuClI. SuPcIlOIS liz III u Tic last
These men, however. surrendered We'd
nesday morning. A lieutenant who was
in command of the Mexicans was led
out a prisoner and although he had
fought desperately he trembled and
turned pale in the belief that he would
be summarily executed.
Spaniard Refused to Move.
None of the American women was
mistreated by the Mexicans during
their occupation of the building. A
few of the women assisted the Mex
leans in caring for their wounded. In
the fighting in the center of the inner
harbor, the San Juan de UllOa. an an
cient stone fortress, flew the Mexican
flag throughout the attack. The COM
mandant and 60 armed men and three
hundred workmen in the navy yard
peered from the embrasures at the
Prairie, lying 500 yards away, and
the other ships Smelling the naval
academy. In the dungeons remained
| 500 prisoners. the echoes of the guns
on the ships reaching them through
a sixteen foot stone wall.
Captain Stickney of the Prairie went
| through the fortress several days age
and found some heavy guns, five tor
pedoes and a torpedo tube in a cor
| rugated iron shed outside the wall OF
the fortress. When the landing Of the
Americans was ordered Captain Stick
ney sent word to the commandant OF
San Juan de Ulloa, that he would
blow him to pieces with the Prairie's
guns, if he opened fire against tho
Americans, but that otherwise he
would not be disturbed. The com
mandant replied that he would answer
with his cannon il fired on but thai
| he would not commence hOstilities.
Rear Admiral Fletcher instructed
| the Spanish cruiser. Carlos to &C
outside the breakwater in order tt
give the Prairie room to fire her guns
+! The Spanish commander refused, say
| ing that he dared not maneuver hi:
boat in so small a space at night Ha
also declared that he needed to take
| on a supply of fresh water. Admira
Fletcher Insisted that his order be car
ried out and the Carlos " moved out
/! side Just before the attack on the cen
ter of the city began.
Land Under Fire.
| When Admiral Fletcher directed
| that battalions of bluejackets and ma
rines be landed from Rear Admira
| Badgers ship before dawn and drawn
up in the plaza before the railroad
| station and then proceed to take tn,
entire town. he acted only aftel