Evening star., 1948-04-10
IS Buildings Set
AbIoze, Center Of
Capital Is Looted
DISTRICT RESIDENT Gives Eye
witness Account of Colombia
Fighting. Page AS.
BY the Assoeioted Press

BOGOTA, Colombia, April TO-
Revolutionary rioting subsided
early today in the burning and
looted center of Bogota. A presi-
Dental statement said forces OF
the Conservative government
controlled the situation.
GA Colombian radio station
broadcast an announcement that
martial law had been proclaimed
throughout the country by the
President and pm. curfew has
been ordered by the army. 1t
said all necessary measures to re-
store order were being taken.)
Delegates to the Ninth Pan Amer
lean Conference still were cooped up
in their headquarters, facing a
shortage of food
The newspaper Ell TEMPO said loo
were killed and 200 were injured in
the revolt, which flared suddenly
yesterday with the assassination OF
the liberal party leader. Some IS
buildings were put to the torch by
a bowling mob.
Fighting Near U. S. Embassy.
A gun battle ragged last night near
the United States Embassy, and a
series of fires broke out in the build
ing which houses the Embassy. The
fires were quelled and the Embassy
staff did not leave the building.
AS dawn came, gangs still roamed
the streets, setting new fires
Shooting broke out sporadically
but by 6 am. the streets were al
most deserted. Those who remained
poked around the remains in the
looted, burning shops. No police OF
troops were seen on the main streets
Apparently they still we're confined
to the area Of the Presidential
Palace.
Secretary of State Marshall
and his American staff in Bogota
for the Inter-American Confer
ence all are safe, the Secretary
reported by telephone to Wash
ington last night.)
The large plaza south of the
United States Embassy was ablaze
last night and a gun battle ragged
nearby.
Liberal Leader Assassinated.
The revolution followed the as
sassination yesterday of a Liberal
leader and resulted in the setting
up of a liberal junta. The govern
ment Of President Mariana Ospina
Perez is mainly conservative.
One American, John Powell, dip
lomatic courier, was reported
among those hurt.
No police were seen on the street
The few soldiers about apparently
were unable to halt the widespread
looting.
Earlier last night, President
Mariana Ospina Perez said forces
of the conservative government
were regaining control of the stu
alton.
The President issued a commu-
nique accusing Communists of In
citing the uprising.
NDlplOmatlc dlSpatcheS reach
ing the State Department in
Washington reported Communists
appear to be abetting the revolu-
tion and helping attempts to
provoke a strike).
Liberal Regime Proclaimed.
OSpina Perez said the fighting was
diminishing.
Revolutionary leaders claimed
however, the revolution was spread
ing throughout the country. Earlier
in the day the Liberals proclaimed
their own government.
parts of this story were re-
ceived in the form of a joint dis
patch sent from Bogota by 10
foreign correspondents, includ-
ing Joseph F. McEvoy of the As
sociated Press, sand received by
the State Department. Other
portions came direct from Bogota
by commercial channels and still
others were relayed by the As
sociated Press Bureau in Caracas,
Venezuela.
tOther portions reached the
Associated Press in New York
by radio transmission from the
Ca pOrOra pa-.