Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-14
THE BARRUNDIA AFFAIR.
An Eye Witness Account of the Generals
Death.

! An account OF the
| Death.
! Tho Pacific Mail steamer Colon, which
| reached New York Friday, brought from
/ the lsthmus some of the passengers who
were on board the steamer Acapulco mt
/ the time OF the killing of General Bauun-
dia by Guatemalan officers while the Aca-
I pulco Law IN the harbOr of San jose. Inc
/ press is indebted to an eyewitness OF the
/ tragedy Tor the following narrative:
THE steamer Acapulco left San Fran
/ cisco August 18th. On her arrival az AGA
pulco, Mexico. General Barrundia, ex-
| Minister Of War OF Guatemala, came. on
| board from the StaTbuck, a sister ship.
/ He was known 20 be hostile TO the present
/ Government of Guatemala. aud II was IN
derstood that he was on his way 70 san
/ Salvador. He was attended by two men as
/ q body-guard.
when tho ship arrived at Champerico,
! Guatemala. the authorities. who had been
warned that Barrundia was on board. at
once sent of two bOat-loads Of soldiers,
and demanded that the General be sur
rendered to them. Captain Pitts per-
emptorily refused TO accede TO this de-
mand. The attempt was made 70 cocrce
! him by Withholding clearance papers. but
{ after q detention of tYenty-fOur hours,
Captain Pitts 4ersisting in his refusal to
/ deliver General BaTrundla without an order
/ from the Government. the vessel was per-
mitted 10 resume her course. This was
/ August 9th, and on the evening of the
same day the steamer arrived at San Jose.
THE UNITED STATS GUSBoArs vAIsLY ASKED
FOR AID.
"No sooner had the Acapulco cast an
| Choir than two boat-loads of soldiers were
| sent off from shore to keep close watch,
/ Wit inrf prnnnnft N y
! should leave the vessel for tho shore.
| Within pistol shot of where the Acapulco
/ lay were the two United States gunboats.
/ Captain Pitts had telegraphed to their
commanding officers from ChampericO, re-
auesting assistance, but his dispatch was
| not delivered Now he made personal
appeal to them for help. The response
was that the men-of-war could 90 nothing
! without an order from tho port captain.
Next day the ship was again invaded
| by the commandant Of a special force OF
men. accompanied by another boat-load OF
! soldiers. This time the Gautemalan Off
GERS came furnished with an order OF ar
rest. signed by the American Minister. MiZ-
ner. After being politely introduced TO
| Captain Pitts, the commandant produced
! his papers and made g formal demand
for General Barrundia. Then the com
mandaut directed that all of the
/ fAUlu Dd-NtuEfIS Ut OlufANN bNADrfs NANA
| this order had been executed the entire
force Of Guatemalan officers proceeded TO
General Barrundia's room, Captain Pitts
going with them. As soon as the room
was reached Captain Pitts. after depre-
| eating the necessity OF surrenderlnS MS
passenger TO the authorities, began tc
read the order for the Generals arrest.
General Barrundia had quietly met them
a. the door but at once diyining that all
| l.. ..rubaI fufn hfG for
his revolyers and making the remark
VERY good fred. The ball just missed
CAPTAIN Pitts. who, together with the, com
mandant. ran 70 his room, locked the
door, and hid under the bed, leaving the
handwriting TO the spec iai officers. Bar
rundia wasa short-sighted man, aud, being
very nervous. was unable TO do any dam
ace, though he chased them in and out OF
the saloon. firing wildly. At last the ON
GERS dropped him from different points
! riddled with shot, on the hurricane deck
| The brave commandant tbereupon came
from his hiding-place, walked up 10 the
dead man, and fired into his skull.
GUArrMlLANs INSULT THE AMERICAN SHIPS.
THE dead body was rolled up in a piece
of canvas, and aid being summoned IRON
another boat as the General was very
heavy man. the CHASTITY burden was bun
died down the ganCHay into one OF the
boats and conveyed ashore to be sent to
Guatemala, where IL was inferred the mex
day. The other boat conveying the gal
LIANT perpetrators Of the deed, their revolt
yers openly displayed in their hands, made
n det6ur around by the United State:
war-ships on their way TO the shore
As thev left the ship some smlllngly
waved their hands and one placed IN:
thumb 20 his nose and extended the Other
fingers in familiar and well-known man
ner. Still the incident was not over. The
Guatemalans had 10 wipe their feet little
more on the suffering ship; and she wa
not allowed 10 proceed until the baggage
belonging to Barrundia had been searched
presumably for evidence discriminating
others. This was submitted to, the gun
boats still silent and sleepy, not one nun
bred Yards away. Indeed. at the time Of
the tragedy an officer from one OF then
was aboard the Acapulco.
when General Barrundla had mrs
come aboard his baggage had been search
ed. and his arms, consisting Of two re
volyers, sword. and dagger. had been takei
charge of by the captain. But somehow
after the ARRAY six other revolvers anC
about forty rounds of cartridges were
found. His body-guard. at the commence
meut of the fighting had run below anC
been locked up for safety. About forty
shots were fred in all. Finally the dis
agreeable affair was at an end, at least fol
the time being, and the steamer was al
lowed TO proceed. She sailed away Will
dropping colors-the very breeze, as on
passenger remarked, seeming to have dice
away out Of pity and shame.
UGLY RUMoRs ABOUT BLOOD MONEY.
uTbo Ar,ar;conz on hoard vera full Oi