Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-29
The Acapulco Massacre.


WAsHIsoToH. hpFii AZ.
The Navy Department has received a
communication from Capt. Queen, CON-
handing the United States steamer Sara
nsc, dated Acapulco, March 81, he having
been ordered thither to inquire into the
circumstances attending the death by vio-
lence of an American citizen. Capt.
Queen reports that about the 18th OF
March Procopio G. Diaz and other resi-
dents of Acapulco, all nstives and citizens
OF Mexico, organized congregation for
religious worship according to the Protest
ant creed. The meetings were held, on
Sundays and other days in the house OF
Diaz, and were strictly Of private char
acter. Diaz and some members of his
flock were occasionally stoned by
the populace and otherwise annoyed, but
sustained no serious damage to their
persons. In December last the Rev. HI.
Fl. Hutchinson, head of the Presbyterian
Mission in Mexico, was solicited by the
congregation to become their pastor and
TO organize the congregation in more
formal manner. Converts were added to
the church, and in all the society num-
bered sixty-eight persons, mostly natives
of the country. Preaching took place and
prayer-meetings were held at Diaz' resi-
dence. They looked for suitable build
ing for church purposes and soon rented
one which had served as Roman CathO-
lie Church, was subsequently used by
French invaders, and was then occupied
as mercantile warehouse.
The chapel was formally opened in JAN
uary last, Mr.. Hutchinson officiating as
pastor. On the 25th of that month, after
the services, the congregation retired with
out any fears OF injury from their enemies.
Mr.. Hutchinson did not at that time at
tend the chapel, the services being con-
Quoted by Mr.. Diaz. There were present
thirty or forty members. A few minutes
after o'clock In the evening, as the con-
gregation were singing the last hymn, q
disturbance was occasioned by party of
Mexicans armed with machetes and mus
kets. From the testimony adduced on
the examination into the disturbances
only six or eight of these armed men
entered the building, the others
remaining outside for the purpose, it is
said, of finishing the Protestants who
should attempt to escape. The struggle
in the chapel did not continue more than
eight minutes. Shots were fired, but the
principal damage was done by the
machetes. The Protestants, after the as
sassins retired, barricadcd their chapel as
means of protection from the force out
side. The military commander and his
aids soon reached the spot and were direct
ly followed by forty soldiers from the
garrison. The District Judge and his
Secretary also appeared upon the scene
and ordered those inside to open the doors
of the chapel This the Protestants re-
fused to do until they were assured the
party so ordering were their friends.
1t was then ascertained, according to
official inquiry, that three men and one
woman had been killed and eleven men
wounded. Among the number killed was
q colored man named Henry Morris,
barber and native of Boston. His body
was fearfully mangled, the head being al
most severed from the body. He had fire.
quently been warned by his friends not to
go to the meetings, as there were reasons for
believing that by so doing he would
place his life in danger. A woman was
killed by bullet passing through her
head, and man was found In dying
condition. This man was one of the at
lacking party, and was shot by Diaz, who
was badly wounded, having received eight
wounds.
Mr.. Hutchinson, on the evening of the
attack, on being advised to remove to
other quarters, went to the California Ho-
tel. A Mexican guard was sent there to
protect him should an attempt be made on
his life. BY advice of the United States
Consul he went on board of . vessel and
sailed for San Francisco.