Incident of watermelon

slice
The sandblast incident was a civil revolt that occurred
on April 15, 1856, in Panama City (at that time, part of
the Federal State of Panama, Republic of New
Granada) between US civilians and civilians, becoming
one of the background for the first US intervention in
the Isthmus of Panama. The fact is exactly in the
vicinity of the transisthmian railway station, in the
neighborhood of La Ciénaga (current Seafood Market)
Background
In 1846, through the Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty, the
United States secured the right of transit through the
Isthmus of Panama, a less costly alternative in time
and money to move from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Pacific Ocean. The other possibility was to sail to the
south of America and cross the Strait of Magellan. In
1848 gold was discovered in California (United States),
an issue that caused a great expansion of the United
States towards the west, being vital the interoceanic
passage of the Panamanian isthmus.
The incident
On April 15, 1856 came a ship from California, the
American Jack Oliver, who as a passenger, went to the
street of La Ciénaga, a fruit stand managed by José
Manuel Luna, a native of Parita. Oliver was with some
companions in a state of intoxication when he took a
piece or slice of watermelon that was for sale, ate it
and left without having paid for it. Luna demanded the
payment of the slice that was real (five hundredths),
but Oliver insulted him and threatened him by taking
out the gun he was carrying. The fruit vendor
responded by taking out a dagger, and they were about
to go to the fight when one of Oliver's companions
decided to pay for the slice of watermelon, soothing
Luna
The Americans, ignorant of the situation, began firing
at the city police and he answered them. The
Americans continued resisting with some 50 or 60
revolvers and carbines, but the police and the
Panamanian settlers managed to enter the station
where the fight continued. The balance was 16 dead
and 15 American wounded and 13 injured and 2 dead
among the locals. The merchandise inside the station
was destroyed and ransacked by the tumult
Consequences
On July 18, 1856, the American commissioner, Amos
Corwine, recommended in his report "the immediate
occupation of the isthmus from ocean to ocean by the
United States unless New Granada convinces us of its
competence and inclination to provide adequate
protection and rapid compensation". This resulted in a
series of diplomatic controversies. Obviously, the US
authorities responded to this report and in September
1856 US troops landed on the isthmus and took the
railway station.