Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-18
BARRUNDIA WAS TO BLAME
The Gautemalan General was En-
tirely too FriSky With His
ReyOlvers.
Captain Pitt and His Officers were,
Obliged to Shoot Him in Self
Defence.
Minister Miner Blamed for Signing
His Death Warrant Without
Proper Authority.

| NEW YORK, Sept. 12-The Pacific mail
/ steamship Colon, which reached here to-
! day, brought some of the passengers who
i were on board the steamship Acapulco at
the time of the killing of General Barrun-
dla. One of the eye witnesses of the trag-
edy told the story to the Associated press.
1t appears that General Barrundia came
on board at Acapulco, New Mexico and
was understood to be on his way to San
Salvador. He was attended by two men
as a body-guard. When the ship arrived at
Chanperico, Guatemala, the authorities
there demanded Barrundia to be smren-
dered. Captain Pitts peremptorily refused
! to do so. They withheld the clearance
papers for "a 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 gun
boats. Captain Pitts had telegraphed
their commanding officer sfrom Chaperico
requesting assistance, . but the dispatch
had not been delivered. Now he made a
! personal appeal for help. The response
was that they could do nothing without an
order from tie port captain. The next
| day the ship was again invaded by the
commandant with special force of men
and another boat load of soldiers. The
Guatemalan commandant produced an
''order of arrest" signed by the American
minister, Miner, and made demand for
the delivery of Barrundia. Then he directed
all the cabin passengers to be ordered be-
low. When this order was executed the
entire force proceeded to Barrundias
room, Capt. Pitts with them. When the
room was reached. Capt. Pitts, after aepre-
eating the necessity of surrendering his
passenger, read the order for the arrest.
Barrundia had quietly met them at the
door but at once divining that all was over,
reached into the room for his revolvers
and making the remark, Very good,
fired. The ball just passed Capt. Pitts,
who, together with the Guatema-
Ian commandant, ran to his room
locked the door and hid under the bed,
leaving the man hunting to the special
officers. Barrundla was a short-sighted
man, and being 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 COM
mander thereupon came from his
man and fired a bullet into his
head The dead body was rolled up in a
piece of canvas and was conveyed on
shore in one of the boats. The other
boat, conveying the gallant perpetrators
of the deed, with their revolvers openly
displayed, made detour around by the
United States war ships. AS they left the
Acapulco, some of them smilingly waved
their h nds, and one placed his thumb to
his nose and extended his fingers in the
well-known manner Still the incident
gentleman, who told the fore
going. The Guatemalans had to
wipe their feet little more on the suffer-
ing ship. and she was not allowed to pro-
coed until the baggage belonging to Bar
rundia was searched, presumably for evil
dence discriminating others. This was
submitted to-the American gunboats still
silent and not 100 yards away. Indeed, at
the time of the tragedy. an officer from one
of them was on board the Acapulco.
The Americans on board were full of in
dignation and shame at the whole affair.
Captain 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 minister The
passengers condemned the action of the
men of war. for they maintain in any event,
they might have taken charge of Barrundia
until some definite expression of will had
come from Washington. They also con-
denim the action of Minister Miner, who
they thought had no right to sign 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.
Another Report.
CITY OF MEXICO, Sept II, via Calves
ton.-According to advlces received here
of the shooting Of Gen. Barrundia on
board the American steamship Acapulco,
at St. Jose de Guatemala, Capt
Pitts CT the Acapulco, has made decla-
ration which. the Guatemaan authorities
claim, completely justifes their &C
ton. Mr.. Miner, the American min
lister, the authorities say, was con-
suited as an act of courtesy only.
The dispatches above mentioned further
say chat when Ca pit. Torie!o and Capt.
Pitts read to Barrundia the order for his
delivery to the Guatemaian authorities,
Barrundia asked permission to change his
clothes. which was granted. Turning
away Barundia suddenly grasped two re-
volvers and fred on TOrieilo, Pitts and the
policeman, who in return fired on Barrun-
dia, killing him. Capt. Pitts had taken
the precaution of ordering the pas5enge
to withdraw, otherwise some of them
would have undoubtedly been hit by the
bullets from Barundia's pistols.