Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-25
HOW BARRIOS FELL.
Another Account of the GuatemaIan
DictatOr's Death.


SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, April 22.-The
Palace Hotel has been crowded to-day
with dark-skinned men, all calling on
Mrs. Barrios, who, with seven children,
six servants and as many attendant
friends, arrived on the Granada this morn
ing. To every caller the same gentle re-
fusal to be seen was returned. Mrs. Bar
rios remained in seclusion with her sOr-
row. Two sisters and her father, Senior
Juan Aparicio, who even now cannot for
get that the dead Dictator took his daugh-
ter by force from convent and married
her against his will, were with her. For-
tunately there came in Mrs. Barrios'
retinue Senior Sinibaldi, provisional Presl-
dent for thee days; her major dOmo, f.
Louisa, and a personal friend or two who
were visible and communicative.
THE DICTATOR's DEATH.
Their stories Of the disaster all agree on
the following points: The village OF Chal-
chuapa, between sixty and eighty leagues
from Guatemala. was strongly entrenched
by 5000 san Salvadorians. Barrios, leav-
ing his main army of 5000 in the rear.
commenced an attack with artillery on
the afternoon of April /, but darkness fell
before any advance of infantry had been
made. The assault was continued at day
break Of April ,. and with a picked
body Of 500 Guatemalans the first trenches
were taken by 9 O'Clock. The victory was
bloody one, however. The Guatema-
lans were losing heart when
Barrios cut short an informal council
OF war, leaped on his horse, drew
his sword and cheered on mis- men. There
was a gallant charge past the first in
trenchment and the second was taken
with a rush. A strike was made up a
wooded slope for the third, when from the
trees above a vOlley bazed out and the
attacking troops were cut down like grass.
When the smoke lifted Barrios was seen
sitting on his horse almost alone. Two Of
the few left unframed were a bugler
and DR.. Fitch, the Presidents chief Of
staff. who related the story to your CORE
spondent. BarTiOs waved his sword, and
at that instant there came single sharp
report from tree well up to to the right,
and Barrios, screaming, fell beadlOng
from his horse. AS he iell he threw up
his hands, and blood gushed from his
mouth and nOstrls. The sharpshoOter's
rife bullet had entered his right shoulder
and traversed his body, cutting the aorTa
in its diagonal passage. After the scream
and fall BarriOs made no other movement
or sound. The Dictator was dead.
THE FIGHT FOR THE BODY.
His adopted son, Gen. VenaGciO Bar
rios, and his son-in-law, UrnianO Sacho,
rushed to where the dead man lay. Again
the trees blazed out and two more fell
across the body of the President. Almost
before they touched it others ran forward
to secure the body, but it was not until
fully a score Of Guatemalans had fallen by
the bullets Of the invisible enemy that the
corpse was removed. Then the firing
ceased and both armies retired. The
total loss on both sides was about 500, of
which number 400 were Guate-
malans. The news of Bar
rios death was received by his
widow on April3. The body followed on
April end was buried on April s, Mrs.
BarriOs leaving the day before the fu-
neral. Her departure indeed was some
thing of the nature of alright, and every
thing in their behavior and surroundings
here shows haste and lack of preparation.
She, her family and retinue Will leave on
Monday, so that New York Will probably
see them installed in their Fifth avenue
mansion by May 1. If rumOr is cor
rect tins viii be none too soon, for the
tatherless family bids fair shortly to be
increased.
Ex-President Sinibaldi asserts most
positively that to his certain knowledge
Ialdivar solemnly pledged himself to aid
BarriOs. He (Sinibaldi) was present at
the breakfast over which the compact was
made. He more than hints that Under
hand influences were brought to bear on
ZaldiYar.