The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-03-22
HONDURAN WAR
HAS COST LIVES
OF OVER l,5OO
First Details OF Situation
Sent Out By

Editors Note-The following dispatch
on the civil warfare in Honduras was sent
overland by courier from the Associated
Press correspondent at Tegucigaipa, CAPT.
tai of Honduras and is one Of the frst
detailed stories OF the grave condition
american marines have been iandsd since
the dispatch was sent, and are now al
Tegucigalpa.
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, March
1.-(By courier to the Associated
Press. )-Herewith is sent the story Of
the state of affairs in Honduras. 1t il
not sure this dispatch will reach you
travel over 400 miles on muleback
through mountains and valleys full Of
revolutionists, or government troops, OF
Indians, who will kill the bearer il they
find him with this dispatch.
May he reach safely the seashorei
Civil war has taken possession Of
Honduras, and this war has already
caused the loss of over 1900 lives
and it is just beginning.
Notwithstanding statements by the
Washington government that Uncle
Sam would not permit any more revo-
luton In Central America; notwith-
standing the treaties signed at Wash.
inStort in February. 1928. and on board
the u. s. s. Tacoma between the presi-
dents Of Salvador, Honduras and Mic.
aragua and the three American minis
tiers to these countries; notwithstand.
ing all the activities meant to insure
peace in Central America, Honduras
has been in civil war since early II
February.
Carias Starts liabilities
General Carias left the capital Janu
airy 30, with 800 armed men, and under
cover Of the night took to the noun.
tains to start the revolution.
On February Ii, it was officially
learned that the United States govern
ment has ceased diplomatic relations
with the existing regime of Honduras
This step, it was learned, had been
taken many days before, but Minister
Morales had withheld it from the diplo.
matte and consular corps, the fact be.
ing known only to the government and
the American legation.
After several battles in which there
were many casualties it was learned
that General Ferrera with 1000 Init.
buca, full-bloOd Indians, was attacking
Comayagua, the most important town
after Tegucigalpa, with a population
of $1,000. Fierce fighting took place
during two days. When the govern
ment troops were finally forced to the
cathedral towers (where they mounted
their machine guns) the Intibuca In.
dams stormed it in a terrible attack
with the machete knife.
Civilians Flee To Hills
On February %, Comayagua fell into
the hands. Of General Ferrera and his
fierce fighting Indians. Part of the
civilian population took to the noun.
tains before the attack, and thus saved
many lives. The result of this battle
was about $50 killed and $50 wounded
General Ferrera sent emissaries to
the dictatorship government on Febru-
airy "a, demanding the surrender Of
Tegucigalpa within 4S hours. The gov.
eminent held the emissary and sent
word to Ferrera to take the capital il
he could.
Tegucigalpa was panic stricken at
the prospective attack by those Indians
The people appealed to the diploma tic
corps to prevent fighting in the city
The American minister said he had no
instructions and could no nothing but
let things follow their course.
Many millions of dollars will be lost
by the banana planters and by the
American fruit companies. The COM
merce which is carried on chiefly with
the United States is perhaps the heav-
lest suffered. No drafts can be paid at
present.
The British, Italian, Spanish, French
and Chinese governments have placed
their interests in the interior of the
country in the hands of the American
legation for protection.