St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-10

How President Barrios, of Guate-
mala, Treated His "Constit-
uents."
Chicago Times.
The late President BarriOS, of Guat e.
mala, who is said to have made the best
ruler his state ever had, was fair Speci-
men of the Central American executive.
says letter from Costa RIGA. His ways
of enforcing allegiance were as cruel as
effective; he ruled by No law but his
own will, and the eople-haying borne
the might of tyranny for nearly half
ce ntury-rendered the most abjec
obedience. t
A case in point is that of Senior GuZ-
man, merchant of IneZaltenango, who
had served as colonel under Mayimil-
ian in Mexico, and had subsequently
dabbled little in politics, but never Of
fensively. This merchant was one day
walking on the highway, in the regular
course of his business, when he CHANGED
to meet President Barrios riding in his
carriage. The two gentlemen saluted
one another with politeneSs and each
passed on his way. IA hour later Guz-
man was arrested by order OF the presi-
dent and thrown into prison, and until
after Barrios' timely taking Off (more
than two years afterward, though he
had ne trial and no charges had ever
been preferred against him and he HIM
self was entirely ignorant of the nature
of his offense) he was still incarcerated
and had been made to suffer the most
atrOcious treatment. A chain was riv-
tied to his leg which had actually worn
into the flesh, and at BarrioS' command
more than one thousand lashes had been
administered to him from time to time.
An American gentleman who has
spent much time in Guatemala tells me
that when BarrioS had any motive for
reprimanding citizen. whether an
vidual, whatever his official or social
station. he summoned the offender to
his office; then after standing in the
presence of his aideS-de-came the cause
or pIeteXt of the complaint, he would
address the most insulting words to the
victim of his diSpleaSure, and cut him
across the face with raWhide that was
always at hand. If the man resisted,
the aides-de-camp pitched in also, and
it frequently happened that the I'M
fortunate fellow was nearly killed by
the heavy kicks received, and after the
ignominiouS punishment bore on his
face the marks of shame and i'm his
heart the conviction that only by silent
submission could he escape repetition
of the indignities.
Among the hundred of stories that are
told concerning the methods of this
model president is one about lawyer
named Don Juan Andrue, who was en-
ployed by the government to defend the
poor. He was applied to by apoltical
prisoner who had already passed fifteen
months in Jail, no charge having been
preferred against him during all that
time. and who was advised to make an
appeal for his liberty when the new
''liberal'' constitution went into effect.
He did so. getting Andrue to draft the
appeal, and asking only for tial. Two
days afterward Andrue was summoned
to appear before Barrios, who asked
him:
why did you interfere in this mat
ter?''
''By the constitution the man has
right to appeal to-" replied the lawyer.
IL am the constitution" said the pres
ident, Il am the law" and, Selling
horsewhip, he dashed the lawyer across
the face, afterward kicking and beating
him in a furious passion. Next day he
had Andrue publicly whipped. and the
high-spirited young aristocrat took the
disgrace so deeply to heart that he lived
but a week. The poor prisoner in
whose behalf he had interfered was re-
moved to the penitentiary. where, for
three successive days, he was tegged in
the most brutal manner, and after the
third whipping, he too, died.