The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-08-19
Capt. Herbert
S. Bultman

-. .Dultlitdlf
An Incident That Will Inter-
est His Many Friends in
= Sumter "
The following report of the re-
cent disturbance at Santa Anna will
be found of great interest to the
many friends Of. Herbert Bultman
who. is SO favorably remembered in
this city. Herbert Bultman was
graduated from the Sumter. High
School in the.,cl of 1916. While
in school he made an excellent
record in his studies and his gen.
eral attitude and denaeanor were at
all times exemplary. The promises
that were made by his record in
the high school were abundantly
kept by his record at college. He
made distinguished record there
and was graduated with first hon.
ors.
At the beginning OF the World
War he enlisted for service and
has been in the service ever since.
He now has the rank of captain in
the United States army and has
been on duty in the Canal Zone.
a very unusual. compliment was
paid him when his term Of service
in that department had expired.
Special requests were sent to the
Department of War begging that
Captain Bultman should be kept
on duty at Panama, as the duties
were OF a very delicate nature and
demanded very great tact and
ability in performing them proper
". The incident related below will
illustrate the. unusual ability and
tact OF Captain Herbert Bultman
The report of the incident follows:
From Simon K. 10y.
To o. C. Panama Canal Depart
ment.
Subject: The recent disturbance
at Santa Anna.
L.. The following account OF
this. incident, is based upon per-
sonal observation, the night Of the
trouble.
q. I do not know !, how the
tro,,h1e bepan. except from hear
say, as I was at the Metropole ho-
tel when it broke out. Lean there
fore only relate what transpired af-
ter and Immediately following the
outbreak. -. ~
.-s,e 3d. My attention: was first drawn
to the scene, by hearing couple
of shots fired, and by the time; ]
had crossed the crowd was SO
dense, could not get near enough
to see anything, I asked what was
the matter and was told that q
Panama police officer was shot,
and then again that a soldier was
shot. Both of these rumers were
freely circulated, and feeling be-
gan to get high. In Santa Anna
Park were a number Of Panamans
and they were all highly excited.
I went back to the Metropele and
a number Of soldiers were there
sitting around the tables. l told
the. proprietor that on account OF
the. trouble outside, orders were
given that all soldiers should re-
turn to. the Canal Zone to avoid
trouble and advised him to let them
out the back way. This was done
but some OF the boys went out the
front way and attempted to board
:jitneys. when the crowd in the park
prevented > the ehauffeurs from
taking them and they had to get
out. This was accompanied by
much shouting and yelling, and the
crowd was getting more ugly and
excited every minute Fortunate
ly at this moment Capt. Bultman
|.of the NJ. P.'s arrived in a truck
with patrols and his timely arrival
coupled with the intelligent, courte.
GUS and firm manner in which he
handled the: situation, certainly
avoided what otherwise must have
been a very serious and unfortu-
nate affray. In other words Capt
Bultman grasped the situation al
a glance, and the rapidity with
which he sent the soldiers back in
to the Canal Zone, was very com
mendable- Capt. Bultman was the
very first officer to arrive and he go1
there in a remarkably short space
of. time after the trouble began. Il
was this fact and the way in which
he directed affairs, that prompted
me at that time to offer him my
services in any capacity. Too of
ten, both officers and enlisted mer
of the United States army, act as
| if Panama were United States ter.
ritory and their undiplomatic and
contemptuous attitude toward the
Panamans always gave cause FOL
just resentment and hard feelings
Capt. Bultman is not Of this KIND
and too. much praise cannot be
given him for the way in which he
averted certain clash betweer
the two people. An officer who car
take i'm the Snirit of a crowd in q