The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume IV, part 2

193

PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR

maters an appearance of justice, only a few man were shot. One native taken prisoner in the Battle of Virgin was shot because he said "Viva Guardiola" (the Comander of the legitimist forces) A man from old Spain, named manuel Aspero, who in the year 54 had been known as friendly towards the legitimists party, was caught on the Lake shore near Virgin Bay, where he was getting ready for Transportation to Rivas a bongo [sic] load of Cheese which a few days - before he had himself brought from Chrntales [sic] a sham trial was given to him, he was accused of being a spy, taken to the beach, were without any proofs he was shot - A shooner sailing under the Costa Rica flag and under the order of a Supercargo from Costa Rica, "named Pedro Alvarado" touching in at San Juan del Sur, was confiscated with all its Cargoes, - under the plea of having tried smuggling liquoir, against the laws of the Coun- try, were only [sic] the smuggled goods are confiscated and no other punishment nor fine imposed upon the parties implicated. - In this way shall [small?] bags of Coffee sent as a sample from the Costa Rica Govt to their Minister in Washington were also confiscated. ......:. The said bags were Consigned to E. Carago & H. Gottel, & were very much recomended as to taking care, that they should not be exchanged nor suffer any avarice [sic] Walkers men were short of Coffee & of course, this Coffee was to be confiscated. H. Gottel, shot him on the spot, after a fruitless endeavour to reclaim the Coffee showing all the Documents appertainig to it, made a Compromise in the way of buyirig one bag of Coffee & exchangig it for the one seized, as the other two were given 'llp to him - Altho this is a small affair it shows - the principle that was - already at that time, set down. - Municipality calls & other duties were suddenly established, to be paid by Natives & foreigners without distinction, - not by municipal- ity or the corresponding authority or Congress, - but by Wm. Walker & his parties. - Contributions were put unto every man established in San Juan d Sur. - A few men that lived in the places joined Walker, & in consideration of their joining him brought civil suits against other persons, - which suits were decided by one of Walkers men appointd by him to act as judges - of course the sentence of all those •suits were arranged before hand by a nice glass of Brandy & water, and in consequence of them some three or four houses - were con- fiscated & sold to the highest bidder for abt. ¼ of theit value, moveable property was appropriated to the use of the Quarter Master Depart- ment hogs & & other provisions to the Comissary Departments. - The Hotels recd. a forced burthcn of boarding a certain Quantity of men each, who during the whole time of their stay insulted the owners in the grossest language, accompanied by threats with their Revolvers. - On acct. of a man named Moses Anderson having shot another comerade of his, being drunk, (alltho. nothing was done to him for this murder, as he stopped in the Country 2 years unmolested) and afterwards was even appointed "Intendente" of the Rivas Department Walker had issued an order prohibiting the sale of Liquors. under fine of $50 - first offence - notwithstanding the man insisted upon having it; - Mrs. Green, the wife of a Hotel keeper in San Juan del Sur, an

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