Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1890 — BURNED AND LOOTED. [ARTICLE]

BURNED AND LOOTED.

The City of Aspinwall Nearly Des'royed by Flames. A dispatch from Panama on the ?3i says that three-fourths of Colon (Aspinwall) has been destroyed. The fire broke out at midnight and was not under control until 7 A m?’en the 23d. It is reported that 90 car loads of freight in transit has been consumed. Wharves and shipping are safe. Owing to the riotous behavior of a mob of - looters the military opened fire with ball cartridges, killing and wounding several persons. Reinforcements of police have been sent from Panama. A supply of food has also been sent. The fire commenced shortly after midnight.. It originated on Bolivar and Fifth streets. From the start to the time when it burned itself out near the market th e fire fed on immense quantities of alcohol, spirits, petroleum and other inflammable materials, and was entirely beyond human control. Without interruption the flames sprang up in three directions—southerly through Bolivar and Front streets, sweeping away every business place, store and private residencel_24a_ the way; westerly—street to the Royal Mail premises, Panama railway and General Superintendent’s offices, leaving nothing but the walls standing of the latter, and northerly to Fourth street. In all about 150 buildings were destroyed, including the postoffice, Supreme Courts, Alcadia, Municipality Prefecture, the agencies of all the steamship companies except the French company, the Pacific Mail and Royal Mail oL flees, and part of the wharfs, every business house of importance on Front street, and all the hotels. The Inhabitants were panic stricken for awhile, but order was soon restored. No deaths and no casualties of any account have been reported as yet. The fire was got under control about 7 a. m., but a pile of lumber belonging to the Boston Ice Company, containing about 250,000 feet, burned for a few hours longer. The total loss is estimated at about 11,500,000. The loss of the Panama railway alone is esti-. mated at 3100,000, The cause pt the fire has not yet been ascertained. Some believe it was accidental, while others think it was of incendiary origin. The burned property is guarded by soldiere. Only a few of the principal business firms were partly insured. Several steamers were obliged to leave the wharf during the Are. The United States man of-war Kearsage len some hours before the fire broke out. About one hundred cars of freight in the railroad yard were consumed. A London medical man says: “Be careful in your dealing with horseradish. It irritates the stomach far more than spice, and an overdose will bring on an unpleasant sensation foi days. ______ Ex-Gov. Oden Bowie of Maryland has been granted a pension o f $8 a month. He is a veteran of the Mexiean war and was at the battle of Monterey. Clothespins boiled r few minutes.ani dried tjjnce pr twice a month bedurable.

The Terrible Rites Paid to the “Iu Iu” Cods In New Calabar. The steamer Congo brinfirs news, from New Calabar qf a most revolting sacrir See, says the London Standard. It seems that a feW months the old king of Eboe died and, as is customary in that part of the country, the traders from New Chiabar went up to pay thoir respects to the new monarch." The traders were aware that for a short time after the old king's death tl>e “Iu In” rites are performed, but they thought that these were over. The deceased monarch’s name was Imphy and to the horror of the English traders the ‘ ‘lu & Iu” ceremonies were at their highest when they entered Eboe Town. The rites had been in operation for about two months, and already about forty people had been slain to anpease the “Iu Iu” gods. The old king was then lying in a grave which had been dug for him. The hole was a large one and deep. Lying in the same grave were nine of the king’s youngest wives, and their deaths had been brought about in the most cruel manner.. Each of the poor creatures had both licr wrists and ankles broken, so that they could neither walk nor crawl. In this state and suffering the most excruciating pain the unfortunate creatures were placed at the bottom of the grave, seven of them lying side by side.. The body of the king was then laid on them in a transverse direction The two remaining women were laid down by the side of the king, lying exactly like the Monarch’s body. .No food or water was given to the poor creatures, who were left in that position to die. It is said that death did not, as a rule, take place for four or five days. Four men were stationed round the grave, armed with clubs, ready to knock back with these weapons any of the women who, notwithstandidg their maimed condition, were able to crawl to the side of the grave. I n other parts of the town further human sacrifices were taking place. Suspended from various trees were the bodies of several men. These poor fellows were also enduring the most agonizing death. In most instances holes had been bored through their feet just by the ankles. Through the holes ropes were drawn and the men were then tied to a high tree. Their heads were, of course, hanging downward. The men were left there to die. The traders as they were proceeding along, wefe unwilling witnesses of a frightful sacrificial execution. They saw a number of natives in a group and. went to the spot to see what was taking place. To their horror the white men saw native tied by the feet and neck. The rope attached to the neck was thrown over a tree in one direction and the rope attached to the feet was tied to a tree in the opposite direction. The ropes were then drawn tightly, and when the body was distended to its utmost length another native with a hatchet struck the neck and severed the head from the body. The head was taken to the grave where the king was lying, while the body was eaten by the cannibal natives. The white men could do nothing to stop the barbarioos practices, as to interfere with these “religious customs” would not be tolerated by the natives and the lives of the traders would have been in peril. They therefore made as quick a retreat from the town as they could. The traders learned that for the following ten months there was to be a sacrifice of seven men.