The Wateree messenger. (Camden, S.C.) 1884-1942, August 28, 1935, Image 7
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
AWN OF a September morning 75
years ago. Along the beach outside
the seaport of TruJIllo In Honduras,
straggled a (lie of swarthy-faced sol
diers, their rifles slanting across the
shoulders of their dlrty-whlte uni
forms,' their hare feet kicking up
little spurts of sund as they shuffled
nlong.
;V, Id their midst, was another little man, but un
like his captors he wus llght-halred (a "cotton
head" they called him back In his native Ten
i'-neasee), freckle-faced, almost boyishly slender
j for all of his thirty six years. Ills old flannel
tiBblrt was open at the throat, his ragged trousers
fejrere tucked Into worn boots and In his hand he
IRirricd a battered, faded old black hat.
'if'' lieslde him wnlked a tall black-robed Spanish
^priest who held a crucifix In front of the little
blonde man's face. But It Is doubtful If his cold
gray eyes saw It. They were looking away across
the fringe of the tropical Jungle to the black and
purple-shadowed mountains which the rays of
the morning sun were beginning to paint with
gold.
> "Halt!" The line of marching men stopped,
but only the little man In the center obeyed the
command with true military precision. Another
sharp command and the slouching rifle bearers
formed a ragged line along the beach. An offi
cer came forward with a handkerchief In his
hand, but the little man waved him aside. As
he looked Into the black mouths of the rlllcs
pointed at his heart, he spoke slowly, gently:
"The war which I made upon yon was wrong,
and I want to avail myself of this last oppor
tunity to beg your forgiveness. That done, I die
resigned. I would like to think that my life and
my death will have been for the good of society."
"Fire!" As the little man sagged down to the
ground, another volley of bullets rained upon his
crumpled form. Then a single soldier walked
forward, placed the muzzle of his gun close to
the little man's head and fired.
Thus died William Walker, "the gray-eyed mnn
of destiny," "the nineteenth-century Cortex." "the
Nnpoleon of Central America." He was all of
these and much more, for this tow-headed soldier
of fortune was one of the-most remarkable char
acters In American history. There was a time
when his doings were a matter of International
concern, when he was a figure In the slavery dis
pute which led to the Civil war and when "he
occupied /more columns of news and editorials
In American and British Journals than Presidents
Pierce and Buchannn or Queen Victoria. No man
ever bo dazzled the American mind and heart as
this quiet little man. He was the beginning of
that peculiar madness which affects New ^ork
city whenever a hero visits there."
There was nothing In Walker's early career,
unless It was the versatility of the man, to Indi
cate the Important role he was destined to play
on the stage of world affairs. The son of a
Scotch Presbyterian banker in Nashville, Tenn.,
Walker was a precocious child who was gradu
ated from the University of Nashville at the age
of seventeen. Ills father wanted him to be a
minister but his Inclination was to medicine.
Studying for two years In the medical school
of the University of Pennsylvania, he then went
abroad to complete his education at Edinburgh
and Paris. At the age of twenty-one he was
back In Nashville "the most accomplished sur
geon that ever visited the city."
But he soon tired of medicine and next took
up the study of law. As soon as he was ready
to practice, he moved to New Orleans but be
cause of his retiring disposition, which resulted
In a lack of clients, he gave up the law for Jour
nalism. In 1848 he became one or the editors
and proprietors of the Crescent which soon be
came an Important newspaper In that city. At
that time New Orleans was the outfitting place
for many filibustering expeditions In Latin-Amer
ican waters and countries. Considering Walker's
later career It seems strange that his editorial
policy concerning such expeditions was an ex
tremely conservative one. But It was and that
had something to do with the failure of his
jfaper.
However, an unfortunate love affair was the
principal reason for his leaving New Orleans and
seeking his fortune In the California gold fields.
He soon drifted Into Journalism again, this time
as editor of the fcan Francisco Dally Herald.
At this time down In Central America Nicar
agua was undergoing one of Its periodical revolu
tions, a war In which the Democrats and Legiti
mists were atruggllng for control. Walker wrote
to General Castellon, head of the Democrats, of
fering the service of 300 American colonists
"llablo to military service If they would agree
to provide land for them." Castellon was de
lighted to have such allies and readily sinned the
agreement, so In May, 18.r>5. Walker at the head
Of r>6 adventurers sailed from San Francisco
Iktboard the S. S. Vesta which had boon secretly
Koaded with arms and ammunition. Arriving In
^ RealeJo, the American leader hastened to I^eon,
the Democrats' base, where he was warmly wel
corned by Castellon, who made him a colonel and
placed him in command of tho "American Pha
lanx."
Supported by a force of several hundred Dem
ocrat soldiers, Wnlker, acting under orders from
Castellon, marched to the attack of Itlvas, one
Of the leading cities of Nicaragua, which was
defended by some 000 Legitimist troops. But
during the march Walker's Nlcaraguan nllles be
gan deserting and by the time he reached the
; city they had dwindled to 100, nil of whom fled
at the flrst fire of the Legitimist*. Despite this
' defection, Wnlker led his r?fl Americans on to
the capture of tho city, losing 0 dead and 12
wounded.
Unable to hold the city with his tiny force,
f ' Walker retreated to l-eon, whero he threatened
to leave Caiitellon's service and enlist under the
banner of the president of Honduras. But their
difficulties were patched up and Walker went on
from victory to victory, the cllcna* coming In
hli capture of Oranada, the principal city of
. Nicaragua, by a anrprlae attack made from a
iataautr on Lake Nicaragua. Soon afterwarda be
algned a peace agreement with General Corral,
lead*, of the Legitimate, by which Don Patricio
Joaquin
Mil ler
Walker's Flacj
Cornelius
Vanderbilt
William
Welke-r
Rlvns was appointed provisional president, Corral
minister of wur and Walker, generalissimo of the
army.
Then Corral tried to double-cross Walker, who
exposed the minister's plot and had him execut
ed. By this time Walker was virtually dictator
over Nicaragua and lie ruled with an Iron hand.
Americans and other foreigners to the number
of more than 1,200 had Joined him. Some of
them were desperate characters who looked for
ward to unlimited opportunities for free living
and free looting. But they were bitterly dlsap
pointed.
While Walker was master of Nicaragua that
country enjoyed a peace and contentment It
had not known for years. But trouble was brew
ing for him on the outside. The other Central
American republics, Costa Rica, Honduras, Salv
ador, and (Aiatemnia, were becoming clarmed
over the prospect of bis forming o "United Stotes
of Central America," as he was dreaming of do
ing. and extending his influence over their coun
tries.
Great Britain was also becoming concerned
over ids growing power. If the United States
secured control of Nicaragua nnd dug a Nlcar
aguan canal, England's commercial supremacy
would he threatened. If he extended his power
throughout Central America, it meant a lessen
ing of England's Influence there. And France
and Spain agreed with Britain that the expan
sion of the United States in that quarter was
undesirable.
As a matter of fact their fears were ground
less so far as Walker's having an ofllclal stand
ing as an agent of American Imperialism was
concerned. For he was personn non grata with
his own country as much as he wos with the
others. William L. Mnrcy, secretary of state,
looked upon him as little more than a crlmlnnl
and one whose example might stimulate filibus
tering and embroil the United States In endless
difficulties with her southern neighbors. In the
South he was something of a hero but In the
North where anti-slavery sentiment was growing,
his pro slavery views were causing suspicion and
alarm. But even though It Is doubtful If Walker
had any Idea of trying to aid the extension of
slavery, he made the fatal mistake of antagoniz
ing the powerful financial interests o?" tire North,
notably the group of men headed by old Cor
nelius Vanderbllt who had been exploiting Nicar
agua.
They were the owners of the Transit company
which had a contract to dig a Nlcaraguan canal
and which was running a line of steamers from
New York to Nicaragua on the Atlantic side nnd
another line from that country up to San Fran
cisco on fhe I'nclflc sfde. This compnny had
agreed to pay Nicaragua $10,000 and 10 per cent
of Its profits each year In return for a monopoly
of the carrying trade to and from that country.
Walker, believing that the Transit company
had been cheating his adopted country, started
an Investigation The result was that he de
manded a settlement of $250,000 which the ftnan
ciers refused. Thereupon he seized the company's
property as security for the debt, revoked its
charter and granted a new one to a rival com
pnny. Old Cornelius Vanderbllt was furious
llo resolved to smash Walker.
Costa Rica had already started war against
Nicaragua and Honduras was preparing to take
up arms. Both of the hostile countries wero
being supplied with arms. If not financial sup
port, by England, It Is said that the necessary
financial support was given by Vanderbllt nnd
his colleagues. In n preliminary skirmish a Costa
Itlcan force, led by the Prussian general, Von
Billow, and made up of mercenaries as well as
natives of Costa Itlca, defeated a force of Nlcnr
aguanS and fllibusterers, led by one of Walker's
subordinates, and captured Rlvas.
, Hut It was a different story when Walker rode
out from (Jrannda In April, 1S5ft, with 500 men,
four fifths of them Americans, to give battle to
the army of 3,200 Costa Itieans. Although he
was driven from the hnftlefleld, he Inflicted such
heavy losses on the enemy that they were glad
to withdraw.
A mixed army of I^ooneae and Ilondurans next
menaced him from the north hut by quick work
he repulsed It, then turned his attention to In
ternal affairs, tie became a candidate for the
presidency of Nicaragua and In July, IBM*' won
the election with the largest vote ever cast for
thst office. Rut He was not Allowed to enjoy his
triumph very long, Soon tils enemies were cross
ing the border again. There followed a series
of defeats which forced him to evacuate (Jranada
and he destroyed it to keep It from falling Into
the hands of the enemy. Finally with a remnant
of the army which had followed him so devoted
ly, he was cornered In a coast town. In April,
1857, the American warship St. Mary's sailed Into
the harbor and Captain Davis, Its commander,
demanded that Walker surrender "in the name
of humanity." Walker refused, but when he
saw that his small force was doomed to be over
whelmed by the enemy he was willing to accept
the safe convoy which Davis offered him.
Going aboard the St. Mary's he was taken to
Panama and from there made his way to New
York, where he was received In triumph. Hasten
ing on to Washington, he demanded that the
United States government support him in re
storing to him the presidency of Nicaragua to
which he had been legally elected. But Wash
ington turned a deaf ear to his pleas. lie went
on into the South where he was received with
the wildest enthusiasm and the papers of that
period are filled with news of his schemes for
regaining the power he had ence held.
In the meantime Nicaragua had elected an
other president but Walker was not willing to
accept this evidence that the southern republic
was through with Its "gringo presidente." He
organized another filibustering expedition, was
arrested for doing so but, when brought to trial,
was acquitted. Within two weeks he had sailed
from New Orleans with a force of lfW) men, land
ed his munitions at San Juan del Norte and cap-^
tured Castle Viejo.
In December Commodore Paulding arrived in
the United States frigate Wabash, landed a force
of 3.r>0 men, trained his guns on Walk r's camp
and demanded his surrender. Walker was taken
to Washington as a prisoner of war. But the
federal government refused to receive him and
President Buchanan even rebuked Paulding for
his act and suspended him from duty. Although
Walker was turned fiYe, a public proclamation
forbade his Interfering with Central American
affairs again.
By now the presidency of Nicaragua had be
come an obsession with Walker. For two years
he made several attempts to lead another ex
pedition to Nicaragua but he was too closely
watched by both the American and British gov
ernments to succeed. Unable to go there direct,
he decided to get Into the country by way of
Honduras. In August, 18(H), he sailed from Mo
bile with 1(X> devoted followers. Within two
weeks he had entered Nicaragua and captured
the town of TruJIllo.
Then a warship appeared ? this time a British
vessel, the Icarus, commanded by Captain Sal
mon. Declaring that Walker was Interfering
with British rights in the town, Salmon demand
ed the filibustered surrender. Walker refused
but when a force of Hondurans commanded by
(ienerai Alvarez began to mass to recapture the
town. Walker evacuated it and with 70 men re
treated down the coast. The Honduran leader
nnd his Itrltlsh ally followed and cornered the
tillbusterers at Rio Nf'Kr('
Walker surrendered to Salmon on his promise
not to turn him over to the Hondurans, a prom
ise which the British officer broke as soon as
they returned to TruJIllo. Walker nnd tils men
were delivered Into the hands of Alvarez. His
followers were released through the Intercession
of the British officer but when Salmon told
Wnlker "If you will appeal to me as an Ameri
can citizen I will save you with the rest." Walk
er's reply was "The President of Nicaragua Is
n citizen of Nicaragua." Facing death, he would
not give up his dream of being a ruler.
The Hondurans, who looked upon him as an
nllen tyrant whose ambition threatened the s??
eurlty of their country and hD Central American
republics, court martin led him and sentenced
him to death. So on the morning of September
12, IWM). he walked bravely to bis death In front
of n firing squad
Joaquin Miller, that queer genius who was a
follower of the 'king of the flllhusterers" and
who later became famous as the "Poet of the
Sierras," sought to Immortalize him In a long
poem, "With Walker In Nicaragua," hut It Is
doubtful If his poem Is any better known today
than |a the subject of Its Inspiration. In his day
William Walker was a "lost leader." Today he
In a "forgotten man" nor hAH the recent tAlk of
dictators served to revive even for a little while
the memory of this Ill-fated dictator over the
destinies of an American republic.
? Wtturn N?wip*per Union.
The Girl Who
Knew Men
By VIRGINIA MILLER
C) McClure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.
I
ICTMIEUE'S a Job open?" the red
| -1 headed girl leaned far over the
| low railing which guarded the otlice
proper to ask the woman firmly es
tablished on the pay envelope side of
the railing.
! "Yes, there's a position vacant,"
1 Miss Olson had to tell the truth, how
ever much she disliked the redhead's
; g^een beret set saucily far back over
, her curls, her touched up Hps and
short tight little green checked dress.
"Then the Job's mine," the girl
, grinned and tfnve the curls a pert toss.
| "I know men."
Miss (flson frowned at that I-know
men phrase. She critically Inspected
, the card the girl had handed her.
| "1 shall ask Mr. Adams whether he
? cares to see you," she said, disap
proval edging her voice. She was
still frowning as she crossed the
i otlice to Mr. Adams' desk and put
? the card before him.
I "The employment agency has sent
j over this girl."' she said. Her tone
called one strike on the redhead be
. fore the youngster ever got a chance
i to swing.
At Miss Olson's approach Mr.
I Adams had hastily put aside the
morning newspaper. "Oh. yes." he
said. "G?>sh. I hope 1 can get a good
girl this morning. Tin,* ? eh ? the golf
tournament at my club starts this
afternoon."
"1 am sure the agency will send in
a more satisfactory applicant before
the morning is over," Miss Olson
called a second strike on the redhead.
Mr. Adams took a squint at the
spirts page, sighed, and stuffed the
paper carefully into his pocket. "Well,
I'd better talk to this one now."
So Miss Olson had to swing the gate
open to the saucy beret.
The redhead gave her a wink.
"Watch my technique." she murmured.
She walked Jauntily.
"Good morning, sir." she said cheer
ily. "What a nice sunny otlice you
have here!"
Mr. Adams said the office was very
I pleasant and thought to ask about her
business experience.
j "I've not had stenographic experl
j ence although I've done typing. Hut
j I've Just completed ten weeks short
hand study at night school. So you
can understand, this being my first sec
| retarlal position, that I must take great
: care choosing It," the girl said calmly.
Her smile Hashed. "I'm sure you're
i good enough sport to realize how es
! sent la I It is to my future that I take
' only a position In which I'll get broad
experience."
Across at her desk, Miss Olson
snorted. Softly, of course,
j Mr. Adnms looked considerably taken
aback. Then he started to describe the
I work his secretary would be expected
' to do.
| "Well, it sounds as If your position
may be what I'm looking for," the red
headed girl said encouragingly.
At that sickening moment for Miss
Olson, another girl from the employ
ment agency ariived outside the
railing.
| This girl's eyes were shadowed with
a terrible necessity. Miss Olson saw
' that necessity first. Then she saw
j that the plain black hat was pulled
I down on her bead sensibly and that
, she used no lip stick. "I've got to have
this position. I've got to," the girl said.
Tears came to those dull, hungry eyes.
Miss Olson looked at the sensible
i outfit and the paint less face. Scarcely
| glancing at the card handed her, she
j swung the gate open and hurried the
{ white-face, dull-eyed girl to Mr. Adams'
' desk.
I "The agency urges you to talk to this
girl before you make your decision,
j She has all the qualifications you
need," Miss OKson said determinedly,
i "I've had some experience," the girl
] said nervously. "Oh, Mr. Adams, I've
! got to have this position. I've got to.
! I've an Invalid mother."
She stood there, those dulled, un
I happy eyes fixed on the young man.
| Having called the third strike on
I the redhead. Miss Olson nodded to her
to move to the other side of the rail
ing. Rut the redhead \Cas staring with
wide, startled eyes at the other appli
cant, so that she did not notice Miss
Olson. The woman shook her In her
determination to get her out of the
second girl's way.
Mr. Adams glanced from the second
girl to the redhead. lie squirmed un
easily.
The redhead shook oft Miss Olson's
hand and got to her feet. She straight
ened her shoulders and said with n
fairly orlght smile: "Sorry. I under*
! stand, though. Just the wrong ap
1 proach on my part. And I thought I
knew better."
i Miss Olson marched the girl toward
j the gate.
"(Josh! Mr. Adams exclaimed. "(Josh,
| redhead 1 Don't clear out. I'll ? Miss
? Olson'll help the agency find another
I Job for thin girl. I want you for my
J secretary."
| The redhead's bund closed on Miss
Olson's arm. "I told you to watch my
technique. I know men. They do
like color and a cheerful grin. And
they klnda' like to do the hunting."
Suddenly her fingers tightened their
hold. Her legs buckled and she swayed.
Then she straightened and % grin
spread over her face.
And Miss Olson, looking Into hun
ger?cruel. ugly hunger, thinly but
bravely coated with lip stick and
rouge, and capped with a saucy green
beret ? wild warmly, In tribute to tha
rad-headed youngster's pluck In fne?
of desperation: "You've made an
eweHent choice, Mr. Adams."
Ruffling Inexpensive
Touch to House Frock
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buy a few yards of contrasting ruf
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or street wear, too!
Pattern 1)177 may be ordered only
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| your NAME, ADDRESS, the STYLE
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j =3
HELP NEEDED
i "George Washington Tubbs," snld
J the judge, sternly, "you're entirely
| no-account and shiftless ? and I'*i
going to send you away for a year
with hard labor."
"I'lerise, Jedge," Interrupted Mrs.
Tubbs from the rear of the court
room, "will yo* Ilonali Jes kinder
i split dat sentence? Don't send blrn
! away from borne, but let dat hard
1 labor stand." v
Terrible! Terrib'el
I>id you hear the Joke I played on
my wife?"
"Not unless you refer to your get
i ting her to marry you."
Hard to Brenk Off
Wife? James, how can you Rftiy
away from home so late at night?
Husband ? IOasily. I acquired the
habit while courting you.? Stray
Stories Magazine.
Inn nnd Out*
"Do you understand the Ins nnd
outs of Kuropean politics?"
"No," answered Senator Sorghum.
"(Jetting in trouble seems easy, but
getting out Is a complicated process."