Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-09
LEGITIsIE HARD PRESSED.
Hyppolite Closing In on Port au Prince
at Latest Advices-A Cannibal Feast.

Advices from Port au Prince under date of
Dec. 80 represent that the Legitime govern
ment was on its last legs and in danger of de-
struction from an uprising within the city. as
well as from the army of the north under Gen.
Hyppoli:e from without. The speedy arrival
of the latter at Port au Prince, the correspond
emit declares, was confidently expected by all
but those Immediately about Legitime. The
latter had imprisoned many prominent persons
in Port an Prince suspected Of opposing him.
Three battles have been fought and lost by
the Legitimists in tie past ten days. The first.
near Hinche, was most disastrous, followed by
an engagement on December % a few miles
northeast. During the retreat two divisions of
the southwestern army deserted to the pur-
suing nOrtherners. The latter made a stand
the next day but were again routed. Hippo
hte's army entrenched itself about twenty
miles from Port Prince, cutting off the
country from which Legitime derived most of
his support.
sIcKESING STORIES OF cANNIBALIsM
Legitime is showing great activity in secur-
ing volunteers through press gangs who
seize the laborers in the fields and bring them
to the barracks, frequently in chains, to pre-
vent their escaping.
without law life or property is unsafe. Ex-
cesses Of every kind are the rule. The horrid
cannibRlistic rites of voudooism are revived,
and reports reach Port au Prince of a meeting
of several thousand Christmas night. near
Jacmel, and the sacrifice of a young girl and
the greedy scramble for some portion of the
half-coOked flesh.
The devastation Of the central part of the
island has been the cause Of the robbery of
recently buried bodies and the devouring of
the same. These are well authenticated
facts. The Inhabitants of the interior are
even more degraded than their African an
cestOrs.
Gen. Auguste, a resident Of the north, has
been thrown into prison and his assassination is
feared. The capital is denuded of troops and
mob rule Is feared. A United States war yes
sci will remain in harbor to protect American
citizens. The French minister by his open
backing of Legitime, is most unpopular The
French war ships cabled for have not arrived.
The schooner Aurora was captured in San
Domingo waters, her mail bags seized, the let
tiers opened and found to contain statements
duplicating thirty prominent persons in Port
au Prince. All have been thrown into prison,
and it is feared will be shot, Many of these
persons held high positions in Legitime's gov
eminent.
1t is claimed that Legitime has appropriated
to his own privy purse all the cash in the treas
ury, and will flee by his fastest gunboat as soon
as his fall is assured. The steamship Haytien
Republic Is still in the hands of Admiral Luce
as the agent of the owner. Mr.. b. C. Morse
cannot receive her until she is in a more pre-
sentable state. While she has been thoroughly
steamer Galena and her captain, Mr.. Compton
her condition, by reason of her occupancy by
the Haytian guards, is filthy in the extreme
She Is now anchored under the guns of the
Galena.
The Haytien Republic, under command of
Lieut.. Spiers, with prize crew of eighteen
men from the Galena, will steam on January l
to Santiago de Cuba, where she will be re-
coaled and turned over officially to her owner
Mr.. Morse. who will then collect crew. The
Galena will keep her in sight during the trip
While 1t Is impossible to secure the $3.50, 900
indemnity demanded for her detention and
damage to property of her owners, passengers,
and crew, it is thought that it will be possible
to secure some cash down. The government
plead poverty. but have recently paid 800. 900
for former English mail steamer, which they
have fitted out as a gunbOat. and on December
20 paid to the steamer Andes S27 500 for 5000
Winchester rifles and 100000 rounds of ammu-
nltion-all in gold. Unless the indemnity is
paid by the Legitime government it is hardly
probable that it will be paid at all, as Hyppo-
lite Is not likely to assume liability for the ex-
nd nnfra Of