Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-06
The Fate Of Ricardo Gaitan.
A CARD FROM THE COLOMBIAN MINISTER.
WASHINGTON, May 4th, 1856.

To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
DEAR SIR: feel myself to be in duty bound
to call the attention of The EVENING STAR,
and the other organs of public opinion consti-
tuting the Associated Press, to the atrocious
and slanderous character of the rumors trans
mitted from Panama, and published, suppos-
ing that the revolutionary leader, Ricardo Cal
tan, was put to death by poison. The very fact
that those who furnished the information and
attempted to make the horrible charge, accom-
panied 1t with the explanation that the sup
posed victim was attended and cared for during
his illness by several physicians residing at
that the charge is baseless. 1t would be diff
cult to reconcile the facts OF giving poison to a
| man. and then resorting to science, either to
| undo what was done, or secure by its action the
perfect evidence that the crime was committed.
The most tervid imagination could not under
stand o such things: unless 9 by supposng also
commit or to conceal the crime. II Senior Cal
tan died by poison, how is 1t that many doc
tors who attended him have not announced the
fact AS loudly as it was their duty to do?
1t Is clear enough that in the whole matter
there is no other poison than the black one of
calumny, and no other victim than the per-
sons vested with authority who are traitor
ously attempted to be sacrificed. Is it
deemed deemed it advisable to forbid " pubic G
funeral, and prevent display, specially after
1t became aware that instead of a charitable
nate tellow-citizen whose death was mourned,
the ceremony was to be made a sort of political
nS eoh and badly
such possibility, cannot but deny plainly and
squarely, that In taking such a step, ii taken,
| the savage political hatred which without any
foundation al all Is attributed to them.
Much in opposition to this it may be said that
the most prominent among the said authori-
ties, General Santu Domingo Villa, carries with
him in his person, through the wounds which
deprived him of the use of his legs, while
bravely defending some enemies just con-
quered by him in loyal battle, the full demon.
stration that no such spirit exists.
request you TO cause these lines to be pub
llshed. through the columns OF your respectable
paper, and sending to you my earnest thanks
ra Seep' the
RICARDO BEcERRA, Colombian Minister.
His Arctic Experiences Broke Him
Down.
DEATH OF A POPULAR YOUNG NAVAL OFFICER.
Lieut.. II. j. Hunt, young naval officer very
well known here, where he was born, died at
$3.50 O'Clock last evening at the Soldiers Home
after lingering Illness He was q son of Gen
eral Hunt, the present governor of Soldiers
Home, and he was taken to his fathers quar-
Charleton, 8. c., where he went for the benefit
of his health. He was sOn-in-law OF Adjutant
General Drum, having married his daughter,
Blossom, three years ago. He leaves three
He was member of the Rodgers expedition
| for the relief of the Jeanette, and when the
Rodgers was burnt, in the winter of 1872 he
became member of the party which made
the journey overland from Behring's sea
through Siberia. He took part in the search
expedition for LieutChipps party in the vicin-
| ity OF the Lena river when the loss of the
| Jeannette became known aud remained in
Siberia another winter. Upon his return home,
three years ago, he was in excellent health and
| was married. When the Greedy relief expedi-
ton was organized the following year he was
selected as one of the officers OF the expedition
and was attached to the Alert. Upon the re-
turn OF the relief expedition his health was
M " odpro0 1xr 49,
consumption which resulted in his death.