New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-25
ORLEANS THURSDAY, 25 1875
The Assassination Of Protestants at Aca.
pulcO.

The Assassination Of Pretestants at Aca-
pulco.
The New York Herolds Acapulco corre-
spondent gives details Of the terrible reli-
giOus massacre in that town on the night
Of January g. The Rev. Mr.. Hutchinson,
pastor of the Presbyterian congregation of
the City of Mexico, was invited to Acapulco
last year by lawyer named PrOcopio Diaz
and others to organize new congregation,
the nucleus of which had already existed
nearly year.
Finding no suitable substitute, Hutchin-
son came down in December and took TEN.
porary charge of the new church. About
ninety persons were found desirOus of EN-.
bracing the new doctrine, and an old vacant
Catholic church was rented, and on the
twenty fourth of January was opened in
due form, Hutchinson preaching twice that
day.
During the previous month threats had
been thrown out by the adherents OF Catho.
licity. against their religious opponents.
The former claim to have been sy stematic-
ally insulted by the Protestants, who had
a small newspaper organ. The latter en-
ergeticaily deny that they had done any
thing more than to fairly discuss sectarian
dOgmas.
Prayer meeting was held by Mr.. Hutchin-
son on the evening OF the twentyffth, and
similar gathering was agreed on for the
following evening.
This meeting was held, but Hutchinson
was i'll and unable to be present. The
Protestant church has only two doors, both
opening ON the street. One was closed, and
the other, that nearer to the town, was
open. In front Of the door, and between it
and the street, tree grows. Under the
shade of this tree, and at either side of the
door, watching the proceedings within the
church, the assassins, numbering some
thirty five or forty men. took their stand.
Procopio Diaz had addressed the congre-
CATION in the place Of the absent minister,
and they were singing hymn when eight
or ten OF the cut-thrOats outside entered,
stands near either side of the pulpit
Without any sign Of warning whatever
these incarnate devils barred their murder
GUS machetes and commenced an indis.
criminate slaughter Of the peaceful inmates
Of the church-not entirely indiscriminate,
for the leader of murderers and one of his
men marked out Diaz as their special
victim. A couple of machete blows were
aimed at his head, which, if received in full
As it happened, he had sufficient presence
of mind to dodge his head behind the
pulpit, and portion of the board was cut
through before the weapon reached the
mark. He drew pistol and tried to fire,
but his assailants were too quick for him,
and the leader inflicted ghastly cash on
his pistolhand. While this was passing
the heroic wife Of Diaz picked up q chair,
rushed upon one of her husbands would-be
murderers, pinned him to the wall, and by
main force wrenched the machete from his
bloody hands. With this she still defended
herself and hastened to the aid of Diaz.
Perceiving favorable opportunity she
said to her husband, "Now fire." He did
so and fatally shot the leader.
Within the church bloody and murder
GUS hand.to hand fight was waged for six or
eight minutes. The machete was welded
with fearful effect Human flesh was cut
and gashed like bullock meat, while blood
streamed in torrents over the floor now
encountered by dying and wounded men
and women Ten or o dozen shots were
fired. and a few from the assailed who had
revOlvers.
At the commencement Of the onslaught,
those who we're near the door attempted to
escape. This was a fatal mistake, for as
the afrighted worshipers gained the street
they were deliberately cut down by the
am bushed ruttians stationed on both sides
of the door outside.
In this way the American citizen, Henry
Morris, met his death. His head was nearly
severed from his body by q machete blow,
and his chest cut Open at u single stroke.
He and two other men and women were
killed outright, and eleven wounded more
or less severely, of whom several have since
died.
Morris was q colored man from Boston
He leaves wife and several children.
The massacre commenced about ten
after eight o'clock, and lasted only
six or eight minutes. The first news which |
the authorities had of it was from |
man, called Juan Ell Negro, who |
made bis may to the Plaza, and at q drug |
store there was met by Major Francisco |
uejia, in command of q few federal troops |
about Acapulco. Mejia at once !
tarted on the run to the scene of action. |
ome 400 yards off, and few minutes later |
he town police followed. soon after by |
edera1 troops from the castle, were on the |
round.
More than five minutes could not havo
lapsed from the closing of the battle to the
ime when the authorities reached their
'Osts. As usual in such cases, the police |
nd allies came too late. They got to the
'attletield only in time to pick up the dead
nd wounded, but not early enough to ar
est upon Tho spot or follow up any one who
ould be Immediately recognized as a par.
icipant in the dreadful tragedy. 4
One OF the assassins, who was desperate |
7 wounded and could not get out of the
yay, was taken into custody and placed in
lose confinement. His deposition has been
AIKEN. in which, of course, it appeared that
g figured as spectator only. A couple of
ther wounded men were apprehended, but
8 nobody has appeared to implicate them
ae prosecution may be looked upon as