The Washington herald., 1915-07-29
|CAPERT0N RULES
PORT All PRINCE
Rear Admiral Lands u. S.
Marines in Haitian
Capital.
MAY STAY INDEFINITELY
Uncle Sam Expected to Restore Order
in Chaotic Republic-Franee
May Demand Action.
MAY STAY INDEFINITELY

American marines and bluejackets
were landed in Port au Prince, Haiti
yesterday. and have taken charge of
the city. following the revolutionary
upheaval Tuesday. eliminating in the
violation of the French Legation and
the savage execution of President
Guillaume Sam, who had taken refuge
there
Rear Admiral Caperton. who arrived
at Port au Prince on board the cruiser
| Washington at noon. has only $50 ma
| rines and the crew of the Washing
ton as a landing force. One hundred
additional marines are being sent on
board the collier Janson. 1t left Guam
| tanamo. Cuba. yesterday. and should
arrive at Port au Prince this morning.
Secretary of State Lansing devoted
himself exclusively to consideration of
| the Haitian situation yesterday. There
is reason to believe that recommends
tons will be sent to the President in
| favor of action for the abatement of
| the intolerable conditions in the negro
| republic. That the forces landed yes
| terday may remain until a new gov
| eminent has been established under
| control of the United States. is re-
garded as strong possibility.
France May Protest.
France probably will protest the ac-
| ton of the Haitian mob in forcing
the French Legation. removing Presi-
dent Sam. and numbering him in front
of the legation gate. This is regarded
as an offense that will require
complete apology and reparation. 1t is
expected that the French government
will bring the matter to the attention
of the United States and demand
prompt action.
Even with forces Of the United
| States ashore in Porto au Prince, 1t is
likely that the French government will
dispatch a cruiser to the Haitian cap
| ital and place French marines at the
French Legation to impress the Haitian
populace.
According to official advices. there is
no government in Haiti. Chaos and
anarchy prevail. The rebels are nomi-
nally in control. 1t has been reported
| that they are divided into factions. Ad-
miral Caperton has full discretionary
authority to take whatever action he
may think necessary for protection of
American and other foreign lives.
According to State Department records.
had Admiral Caperton arrived an hour
earlier the catastrophe of yesterday
might have been averted. After the mob
had murdered Guillaume they mutilated
his body. The remains were mounted
on poles ana a parade Degun through
the town with the dismembered parts
held aloft before the people. Then the
cruiser Washington appeared in the har-
Dor No official reports have been re-
ceived OF later than that moment.
Capcrton Ordered to Act.
1t was Tuesday evening that Admiral
Caperton learned OF the trouble at Port
au Prince. He started for Porto au
Prince, and en- route reported to the
Navy Depa rtment that 1t was his inten-
ton to land and protect foreign life
property. Yesterday morning at the re-
quest of the State Department, the Navy
Department instructed the Admiral by
wireless to do precisely what he had
stated was his intention.
The Haitian situation has been going
from bad to worse for two years Presi-
dent Wilson and former Secretary Bryan
have been trying to get the Haitians to
invite the United States to take charge,
but successive revolutions and the skill
full manipulations of the anti-American
issue by fractional leaders in Haiti have
prevented efforts from being success
full
The Haitian president murdered yes
terday is the sixth that it has had in a
little more than two years. Only one
president of Haiti has ever served a
full term: the others have abdicated or
have been murdered, poisoned Or blown
I'D