The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-07-03
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Capituation of Cabrera followed intermittent
lighting which began when Cabrera was holding
she forts of San Jose and Matamoros with an in
krenched position at La Palma All attempts by
the Cabrera forces to invade Guatemala City were
seaten off, lively street fighting occurring in sew
eral suburbs. The Herrera forces surrounded
Fort San Jose and compelled its equalization,
then drove a wedge between MatamOr0s and La
Palma and gradually surrounded the latter place.
The loss Of life among combatants was not
heavy considering the amount of ammunition
used, but there were many casualties among the
civilians during the bombardment of the capital
and in the street fighting.
From San Salvador there are reports that men,
women and children to the number of 800 were
Killed In the recent fighting in Guatemala City,
Numerous adherents Of Cabrera who remained
faithful to their chief were killed in their own
houses Many Guatemalans who fed from the
country returning
Cabrera's fate, 1t appears, is yet to be deter
mined At the time of his surrender his personal
safety was guaranteed, according to one report
Guatemala refugees in San Salvador have asked
President Herrera that Cabrera be tried in g
competent court" He said in reply that his gov
eminent was in favor Of trying Cabrera In the
Guatemalan courts. It is further reported that
Cabrera has been given the alternative by the ma
vonal assembly OF standing trial for his "crimes"
or leaving the country forever with his family
Pending his decision Cabrera is prisoner
President Carlos Herrera is said to be the
next richest GuatemaIan after Cabrera The for
zner dictator has amassed an enormous fortune II
Is said, largely by coniscation Of plantations and
other properties In Guatemala. His principal foes
are among the fand-ownng class many of whom
ne has driven from their country in order to con-
-hscate their holdings. Herrera has been Jailed
over and over again in order that he might be
persuaded to give voluntary contribution" to-
ward running the government. Cabrera, 1t is said
Becoming bored finally at this constant round of
arresting Herrera, remarked that the only way of
getting all Herrera's money away from him was
to kill him. However. he was afraid that foreign
nations might object to this. because Of the Sec
'ond richest mans great prominence. so he reluc-
tantly allowed him to stay alive and that is
where Cabrera evidently made mistake Ap-
parently Herrera must have become bored by his
many arrests-or else he was afraid that Cabrera
might change his mind
Grim old Cabrera fought hard to turn the IA
bles on his enemies, as he has so often done be-
fore in his sensational career At one time his
forces, hemming in the capital from every side
had begun bombarding It.: and the dctator's re-
entry into the city was imminent.
And Guatemala knows only too well what such
n re-entry means says T. r. Ybarra In the New
York Times. writing just before Cabrera's SIR
render. There have been plenty Of plots against
Cabrera before, and each time plenty of men-
women, too, in some cases-have been stood nm
against wall and shot His way, since he came
10 power in Guatemala in 1898, has been soaked
IN blood; the prisons have been. packed with his
political opponents; mysterious stories have been
told of how influential foes Of his have
disappeared forever. leaving no trace of what be-
ssall Them -
For Cabrera takes no chances. Even his apol-
,gists admit that his methods are to putit mild
y, drastic. One Of them wrote in the course of
favorable estimate Of the Guatemalan dictator:
DOUBTLESS he has overplayed the OF with his
leadr game" II that Is what an admirer puts it.
mink Of what his enemies have to say!
Cabrera is the last Of the breed of genuine
Latin American dlctatprs.A He Is an anachronsm.