Mr. Terres to Mr. Hay.
Port au Prince, November 7, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to report that some 300 volunteers, who had left this city about three weeks ago for Gonaives, to operate against the army of Firmin, returned to the capital on the 3d instant about 5 p.m. On entering, Gen. St. Fort Colin, minister of the interior [Page 675] and commandant of the arrondissement of Port au Prince, demanded them to disarm. They refused to give up their arms and the consequence was a conflict between the troops of Gen. St. Fort Colin and the volunteers commanded by Gen. Emmanuel Thezan. The whole city was thrown in a commotion, a perfect panic ensuing; the firing continued during the remainder of the afternoon, all through the night, and recommenced on the following morning, continuing until 11 o’clock, when things quieted down, and the volunteers withdrew to the suburbs of the city, where they are now encamped, retaining their arms and two Gatling guns. During the disturbance there were some 10 or 12 killed and about 20 wounded; some of the victims were persons not engaged in the mêlée.
The state of affairs here is very unsettled and when the different corps return, one under Gen. J. Carrié, with volunteers who are partisans of Mr. Fouchard, one of the candidates for President, the same as those under General Thezan, and the two corps under Generals Buteau and H. Monplaisir, respectively, who support as their candidate Mr. Senèque Pierre, with Gen. Alexis Nord, who is coming with his army and who is also a candidate for the Presidency, all of whom are expected here within the next ten days, it will be very difficult to avoid very serious complications if not open conflict between the different factions, unless they can come to some amicable understanding between themselves, which is very much doubted.
I am, etc.,