The Coolidge examiner., 1935-09-06
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON

II
N struggled a Gle ~ swnrihy faced sol.
- di~rs. their rifles slantlng across the
ISFYll shoulders % their dlrty-whlte uni
IILGJl forms. their bare feet Kicking up
- little spurts q sand as they shunled
along
n fheir midst was another little man. but un-
Ike his captors De vas urhthnlrcd "a cotton
head they called him back IN hts native Ten
resseel. fFeckle-faccd. almost boyshly slender
FOR all of bis fhlrty-slx years His cid flannel
Ehlrt was open at the throat. his ragged trousers
were tucked into worn boots and In his hand De
carried battered faded old black hat
Beside him walked tan black.robed Spanish
priest vho held eruenx In front of the little
bicude mans face. But Il ls doubtful n his cold
gray eyes saw n. They we're looking away across
the fringe Of the tropical Jungle 70 the black and
leshadowed mountains which the rays of
the morning sun were beginning 10 paint with
gold
Haiti Tn. line of marching men stopped.
bot culy The little man Ia the center obeyed the
command with true military precision. Another
sharp command and the slouchng aebearers
formed q ragged line along the beach. An on.
Ger came forward with handkerchief ia bis
hand. but the little man waved him aside As
be looked into the black mouths of the rifles
pointed 4, his heart. he spoke slowly. gently:
The war which made upon you was wrong
ard want 20 avail myself Of this last oppor.
tuniiy 10 beg your forgiveness That done. die
rsslEued. I would IKE 10 think that my life and
ny death viii have been FOR the good OF society
..Flref" As the little man sagEed down 10 The
ground. another voiley OF bullets rained upon his
erumpled form Then 4 single soldier walked
forward. placed the muEzle of his gun close to
the little mans head aud fred.
a. tt.ttt..u ~.A. ,..aa -.
cf destiny -the nineieeuth-century Corier ~the
Napoleon % Central America lie was all OF
shesc and much more. FOR this tow headed soldier
% fortune was one 81 the most remarkable char.
scters In American history. There a time
when his dcinEs we're a matter % International
concern. when be was n ngure 10 the slsvery dis
pufe which led 10 the Civil var and when ~he
occupied more columns - news and editorials
In American and British journals than Presidents
Pierce and Buchanan or Queen Victoria. No man
ever - daEzled the American mind and heart as
this qule, little man. lie was the beginning Of
that peculiar madness which affects New York
city whenever hero visits there"
There was nothing In walkers early career.
unless Il was the versatility o. the man. 10 lndi
cate the Important role be was destined TO play
on the stage of world Affairs. The son of
Scotch Presbyterian banker In Nashville Tenn
walker vas a prccocious child who vas sradu.
Ated from the University q Nashville at the age
% seventeen. HIS father wanted him To be
minister but his inclination vas 10 medicine
Studying for two years IN the medical school
q the University 81 Pennsylvania. he then went
abroad % complete his education at Edinburgh
snd Paris. AZ the age OF twen,yone he was
back 10 Nashville the most accomplished sur.
Eeon thar ever visited the city
But be soon tired OF medicine and next took
up the study OF law. As scon as he was ready
{" practice. be moved 10 New Orleans bur be-
cause of his retiring disposition. which resulted
In lack of Cheats be gave up the law for jour
naiism- Ia lSis he became enc OF the editors
and proprieiors Of the Crescent which soon be
came an Important newspaper In that city. At
that time New orleans the outfitlng place
Tor many allbustering expeditions In Latin-Amer-
lean waters and countries. Considering Walkers
later career II seems strange that his editorial
policy concerning such expeditions was an ex
tremely conservative one But Il was and that
had something TO DO with the failure 81 his
paper.
However. an unfortunate love affair was the
principal reason for his leaving New Orleans and
seeking his fortune In the California geld fields
He soon drified into Journalism again. this time
as editor OF. the San Francisco Daily Herald.
AT this time down In Central America Nicar
aqua undergoing one OF It's periodical reyoiu.
uons. war in which the Democrats and LegitI.
mists were struggling for control Walker wrote
10 General Casieon. head OF the Democrats OF
fering the service OF 800 American colonlsts
liable to military service II they would agree
: 90 provide land for them" Castelon was de
lighted TO have such allies and readily signed the
agreement. 50 In May. 1855. Walker at the head
% 56 adventu.ers sailed from San Francisco
aboard the : s yesta which had been secretly
loaded with arms and ammunition. Arriving In
Realejo the American leader hastened 10 Leon
the Democrats base. where he was warmly vel
coined By Casseon. who made him colonel and
placed him In command OF the American Pha
laux.~
Supported by force Of several hundred Dem
ocrai soldiers. Walker acting under orders from
Casiellon. marched 10 the attack OF RIvas one
Of the leading cities Of Nicaragua which WAS
defended by some COO Legiiimlst troops But
during the march Walkers Nicaraguan allies be
gan deserving and by the time be reached the
city they had dwindled TO 100. all OF whom led
at the nrst fire OF the Legitmlsts Despite this
detection. Walker led his IS Americans on TO
the capture OF the city, losing dead and IL
wounded.
UEAyie 10 hold the city with his tiny force
Walker retreated "a Leon, where he threatened
- leave Castel0n's service and enlist under the
Of fh.. Fa 90