The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-13
The Story of an Eyewitness to
the Shooting of Gen. Bar
rundia.
Capt. Pitts and the Brave Conn
mandante Take Refuge I'm
der the Bed.
The Latter, With Cowardly Bravatlo. Sends
aBullet Into the Lifeless Body
Other Indigntties.

New York, Sept. 1.-THE Pacific Mail
steamship Colon, which arrived here TO-DAY.
brought some of the passengers who were
on board the steamship Acapulco, at the
time of the killing of General Barrundia
One of the witnesses of the tragedy told the
story to an Associated Press representative. It
appears that Gen. Barrundia came on board
at Acapulco, Mexico, and was under
stood to be on his way to San Salvador.
He was attended by two soldiers as body
guard. When the ship arrived at Champer-
leo, Guatemala, the authorities there de-
manded that Barrundia be surrendered d,
Captain Pitts peremptorily refused to do
so. They withheld clearance papers for
twenty-fou hours, but finally allowed him
to proceed. When the vessel arrived at
San Jose two boat loads of soldiers
were sent off from the shore
to see that no one without
proper credentials should leave the vessel,
Within pistol shot of her were two United
States gunboats. Captain Pitts had tele-
graphed their commanding officer from
Champerico requesting assistance, but the
dispatch had not been delivered. Now he
made personal appeal for help. The re-
Spouse was that they could do nothing with
out an order from the port captain. The
next day the ship was again invaded by the
commandante with special force Of men
and another boat load Of soldiers. The
Guatemala commandante produced an or
der of arrest, signed by American Minister
Miner and made formal demand for the
delivery of Barrundia. Then he directed
that al! cabin passengers be ordered be-
tween decks. When this order was executed
EhQ Qnf1rQ fnr0o nj 1nN To Rnrv, ~.
room room. Captain Pitts with them.
When the room was reached Captain
Pitts, after deprecating the necessity of
surrendering his passenger, read the order
for arrest. Barrundia had quietly met
them In at the door, but at once divining. that
revolver and making the remark, Every
good" fired. The ball just missed Capt.
Pitts, who, together with the Guatemalan
commandante, ran to his room, locked the
door and hid under the bed, leaving the
man hunting to the special officers. Bar
very nervous was unable to do any damage, |
though he chased the men out of the saloon |
firing wildly. At last they dropped him,
riddled with shot, on the hurricane deck.
The brave commandante thereupon came
from from his hiding place, walked up to the
in a piece of canvas and conveyed on
shore in one of the boats, The other boat.
conveying the gallant perpetrators of the
deed, their revolvers openly displayed,
made detour around by the United States
war ships. AS they left the Acapulco some
smllingly waved their hands and one placed
his thumb to his nose and extended the
myers IN we'll known manner.
Stlll the incident was not over, said the
gentleman who told the foregoing. The
Guatemalans had to wipe their feet little
more on the suffering ship and she was not
allowed to proceed until the baggage be-
longing to Barrundia was searched, pre-
sumably for evidence discriminating. This
was submitted to, the American gun boats
still silent and not hundred yards away.
Indeed. at the time of the tragedy an officer
from one of them was on board the Aca-
pulco. The Americans on board were full
If indignation and shame at the whole
affair.
Capt. Pitts, it was generally held, was
partly excusable for his action, seeing he
lad applied in vain to the war ship for as
'istance, and was confronted with an order
rom the American minister. The passen-
gers condemn the action of the men-of-war.
or they maintain that in any event they
night have taken charge of Barrundia un.
Ill some definite expression of will had
,ome from Washington. They also con-
temn the action of Minister Miner, who.
hey thought, had no right to sign the :
mans death warrant, for they submit that
It the time he did it, he knew it amounted
% that, no matter what the character of the
'ictinl.