The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-08-01
Suicide of Barca, the Snan;sh
Minister.

NEW YORK, July 29.-Francisco
Barca. the Spanish Envoy and Min.
lister Plenipotentary to the United
States, committed suicide with A ro'
vOlver this morning IN his room IN
the Albemarle Hotel. He arrived in
the city from Washington on the sOth
inst, and went to the hotel occunv.
ing a suite of rooms fronting on
Broadway. His wife and yonnosr
daughter are at Seabright, NJ. and
Barca visited them several times dnr'
ing his stay here.
Yesterday he called at the Spanish
Consulate and cOnversed for some
time with Consul General Suaraz
Barca was about to return to Eurono
with his wife and daughter, who in.
tended visiting his elder daughter
the wife of D'Allair de La,aIle. q
wealthy land owner, residing in Paris
to remain with her while Barca went
to Madrid and returned to this coun.
try. In conversation with the Con-
sui General, Barca spoke pleasantly
of his approaching visit to Europe.
and of meeting old friends and asso'
ciates there. On returning to his ho.
tel In the afternoon he wrote a mum.
Der of letters, and dined in his room
alone.
About Z o'clock he gave his kew to
the clerk saying something to him in
French, which the clerk did not nm
derstand. He says he noticed, how
ever, that the Spaniard looked pale
and agltated and that his han dtrem.
bled. He then left the hotel but
soon returned, carrying a package
under his arm.
A little later Manual S. Juarez. a
Spanish commission merchant, called
upon the minister by request, and re.
NAMED with him in his room until
morning. Barca conversed pleasantly
during the evening, and urged upon
JuareZ the Importance of selling three
horses, his carriages and other per-
sOnal effects, which he had brought
on from Washington, and which he
wished disposed of before his depart
r for Europe. When Juarez was
about to leave the hotel, Barca be-
trayed mach agitation, pacing the
floor ~nervOuSly, and permitting his
emotion to find vent even in tears.
In reply to a question by Juarez.
the minister SAID his emotion was
caused by his approaching separation
from his family and from friends
whom he loved. At last he expressed
a desire to go to early mass at the
cathedral, and asked his friend to call
for him, to accompany him. Juarez
promised to call for him at 5 in the
morning, and then babe him good
night.
At the hour named Juarez returned
to the hotel and went to Barca's room.
He found the door closed but not
locked, and the gas burning dimly.
Passing into the bedroom he was hOr-
rifed to see Barca kneeling beside his
bed, his head dropping on his right
arm, which rested on the bed and sup
ported it. His face and clothes were
covered with blood, while blood also
stained the bed clothes, and had
formed a pool on the floor. In the
right side of the head was a large
bullet hole, through which the brains
slowly oozed. On the bed was a large
revolver with one chamber dis
charged.
Barca was already dead, and his
body was cold. Without informing
any one in the hotel, Juarez went at
once to the Consul General, and the
two returned to the hotel. The police
and coroner were then notified, and a
dispatch was sent to Sonora BArca, at
Seabright, n. j.. and another to the
first Secretary Ct Legation,a at Washing
ton. On a table in the 81 ting room
were twenty letters addressed to dit
ferent persons.