The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-03-02
The MURDER OF PaorrsrANrs A

hOhrObSVi mbAlCo.-lne heV. NJ. N.
Hutchinson, Superintendent Of Presby.
terrain Missions in Central and Southern
Mexico, arrived at San Francisco on the
10th inst, and furnished to the Aha Of
that city some interesting facts concern
ing tho outbreak against the Protestants
in Acapulco on the 26th OF January,
intelligence of which has already been
given by our telegraphic dispatches. The
following is an abstract of the Alias
article
THE Protestant church at Acapulco,
numbering over fifty members, was or.
gained during the week of prayer, this
year, by Mr.. Hutchinson. 1t grew out
of the conversion, some four years ago, of
a shoemaker named Franco, who was
converted by reading the Bible. The
leading man in the society at the time of
the outbreak was Don Procopio Dias, a
member Of the State Congress. Those
engaged in the movement had been
threatened repeatedly, the care melting
the ignorant and intolerant by his
preaching. Mr.. Hutchinson was advised,
on one occasion, by an American member
of his congregation. not to attend the
services that evening, the informant's
Mexican wife having been warned to stay
away. He went, however, and no
disturbance occurred, and beyond the
throwing Of stones into their place OF
worship, an abandoned Catholic church
building, the services wero undisturbed.
On the evening Of Tuesday January
&c, services were held as usual, but Mr..
Hutchinson was so unwell that he did
not attend. There was no unusual in-
dication of hostility on that day: but,
after the family 10 which Mr.. Hutchinson
was stopping had gone to church, he felt
presentiment of trouble, and took the
usual precaution of closing and locking
the doors Of the house, in which were,
with him, his servant and some children
His presentiment proved well founded
After little time Il party Of men came
to the house, aud one Of them was heard
to as his companions, How shall we
discover who is inside ? Presently
however, messenger came up and told
them that all the inmates had gone to
church. Meanwhile. at the church a
scene of horror was being enacted
Shortly after the services began few
men came quietly in, and one young
Indian. with his left arm wrapped loosely
in blanket, in which was concealed q
Ratchet, walked up the aisle toward the
desk, where Senior Dias was. Arriving
there, he suddenly darted at tho Senior
and unged at him with his machete
Immediately everything was confusion
and contention. The Indians companions
rusL ed into the fray, and the main body
of the ASSISTANTS began to pour in from
the outside. Members Of the congrega
tion rushed to the door and succeeded il
closing out a portion of the crowd. Ar
American ian old resident, the same
whose wife had been warned two week!
before), believing he would have influence
with the mob, went outside to harangu,
them, but was at once shot and killed
Another member also, was shot on thu
outside. Inside the church hot 6gh
ragged. The young Indian who had begun
the fray, shouting Death to the Protest
ants Long live the Catholics ! attacked
Senior Dias, wounding him thres time
in the head and cutting away two finger
of the right hand. The Seniors wound
are very serious.
The wife of the American who hat
gone outside to his death was the first tt
spring to resist the attack. She drew I
pistol and shot down the Indian, anC
throughout the melee she continued Il
fight like a tiger. The assailants wer,
armed with macheteS, and slashed RICH
and left, cutting down number OF per
sons, besides demolishing the organ an,
pulpit. Many in the congregation, how
ever, were also armed, and they offered I
determined and fierce resistance to thei
assailants. After the fight had PROGRESSED
some time, the garrison Of the city
numbering only about 100 soldiers
arrived GU the scene, and succeeded il
quelling the disturbance. They arreste,
about fifty of the attacking mob ant
marched them off to prison The rest o
the mob escaped.
Besides the two members Of the con
gregation killed at the door, three other
were killed and ten seriously wounded
one Of the latter dying next day, making
six deaths in all. The Chief of Police
who, with all the members of his family
belonged to the congregation, receive,
four wounds OF the assailants, tw
were killed outright, and the Indian VIII
attacked Senior Dias died on tho folowin
day from the pistol wound inflicted b.
the intrepid Mexican woman whose BRAY
cry has been already mentioned. A nun
Der of them were wounded, but escape
to the mountains. 1t was afterwards ru
mored that their wounded numbered THU
teen, Of whom five died, doubtless fror
exposure and lack Of care.
TERRIBLE DISASTER AND Less OF LTFI
On Thursday evening, shortly aite
o'clock, the congregation Of St. Andrew
Church, New York, were assembled 9
evening vespers, which were being celt
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