Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-13
BARRUNDIA'S DEATH
Particulars of the Affair
Received.
An Eye-Witness's Story of
The Killing.
Captain Pitts Vain Attempt to Pro-
tect His Passenger.
Cowardly Conduct of the Guatemalan Com
mandante-A High Handed
Outrage.
Associated Press Dispatches.


New YORK, Sept. 12.--The Pacific
Mail ship, Colon, which reached here
today brought some of the passengers
who were on board the steamship,
Acapulco, at the time OF the killing of
General Barrundia. One OF the eye
witnesses of the tragedy told the story
to the Associated Press. 1t appears
that General Barrundia came on board
at Acapulco, Mexico, and was under
stood to be on his way to San Salvador.
He was attended by two men as body
guards. When the ship arrived at
Champerico, Guatemala, the authorities
there demanded that Barrundia be
surrendered. Captain Pitts peremp-
torily refused to do so. They
withheld his clearance papers
for twenty-four hours. but finally
allowed him to proceed. When the YES
sci arrived at San Jose, two boat loads
of soldiers were sent off from the shore
to see that no one without proper cred
entails should leave the vessel. Within
pistol shot of her were two United
States gun boats. Captain Pitts had
telegraphed their commanding officer
from Champerico requesting assistance,
but the dispatch had not been delivered.
Now he made personal appeal for
help. The response was that they could
do nothing without an order from the
port captain.
The next day the ship was again in
vaded by the commandante, with
special force of men and another boat
load of soldiers. The Guatemalan COM
mandante produced an order of arrest,
signed by The American minister, Miz-
ner, and made formal demand for the
deliverance of Barrundia. Then he di-
rected all the cabin passengers ordered
below. When the order was executed,
the entire force proceeded to Barrun-
dia's room, Capt. Pitts with them.
When the room was reached, CAPTAIN
Pitts, after deprecating the necessity
of surrendering his passenger, read the
order for his arrest.
Barrundia had quietly met them at
the door, but at once divining that all
was over reached into the room for his
revolver, and making the remark Very
good," fired. The ball just missed Cap
tain Pitts, who, together with the
Guatemalan commandante, ran to his
room, locked the door and hid under the
bed, leaving the man-huntlng to the
special officers. Barrundia was short
sighted man, and being very nervous,
was unable to do any damage, though
he chased the men out into the saloon,
firing wildly. At last they dropped him,
riddled with shot, on the hurricane
deck. The brave commandante there
upon came from his hiding place, walked
~ tho nd q
his skull.
The dead body was rolled up in 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 a
detour around by the United States war
ship...As they left the Acapulco, some
smilingly waved their hands, and one
placed his thumb to his nose and ex-
tended his fingers in welcome manner
Still the incident was not over, said
the gentlemen 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 belonging to Barrundia was
searched, presumably for evidence in
eliminating others. This was submit
ted to the American gun-boats still
remaining SILENT not hundred yards
away. Indeed, at the time OF
the tragedy an officer from one OF them
was on board the Acapulco. The Amer
leans on board were full of indignation
and shame at the whole affair. Cap
tain Pitts, it was generally held, was
partly excusable for his action, seeing
that he had applied in vain to the war
ships for assistance and was confronted
with an order from the American min
lister. The passengers condemned the
action of the men-of-war for their mac
tivity. In any event they might have
taken charge of Barrundia until some
definite expression of will had come from
Washington. They also condemn the
action of the minister who, they
thought, had no right to sign a mans
death warrant (for they submit that at
the time he did it, he knew it amounted
to that) no matter what the character OF
the victim was.