The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-01
now MENENpEz Died.
An Eye Witness Tells Of the Overthrow
of the Salvador Gnxernmant.

An Eye Witness Tells Of the Overthrow
of the Salvador Government.
The following translation of letter pub
Iished in the Courier des Etats- Unis, tells of
the manner in which GeneIal Menendez, of
Salvador, met his death on the 22d of last
June, the writer claiming to have been an
eye witness of what he describes:
THE President, General Menendez in
order to celebrate the fifth anniversary Of
his triumphal entrance into San Salvador,
had invited the prominent families of the
city and its environs to a grand ball, which
was to be followed by banquet in the
presidential palace. At II o'clock, when
the dancing was at its height, there arrived
in front of the palace the musical band of
Santa Ana, invited for the purpose of add
ing to the jubilation of the occasion, its
members shouting Viva Menendez,' and
playing the Boulanger march. The COM
pany forming the guard of honor allowed
the band aud the escort accompanying il 10
penetrate into the inner square of the
building, in the belief that ii came to sere-
made the President Suddenly the musi-
clans throw out their instruments, which
they replaced with guns and weapons car
ried by the escort. Then, led by General
Blasio Marcial, they ascend the steps, reach
the doors of the dancing halls, and sum-
mon the President and Ministers to sur
render.
General Meneudez was at the moment
somewhat indispOSed, and reclining upon
d sofa in his apartments on the second floor
On hearing the shouts of the insurgents,
who had changed their hurrahs of Viva
Menendezp for those of 'Muera MenendeZ
Viva Ezeta,' the President appeared at a
winGow, talked eXcitedly 10 the rebels, fired
his revolver at them and appealed to the
guard Of honor 10 do its duty.
A LIVELY FUsILADE
Was then opened, just on the level of the
dancing hall, whence the guests could see
the flashes from the guns. Tremendous con-
fusion ensued-motlieTS calling for their
sons and daughters, husbands looking after
their families, the air filed with the shouts
of the soldiers, and the piteous cries of the
wounded. and above all. the stentOrian
voice Of President Menendez. in paroXysm
Of rage, calling for General EZeta and defy
ing him to personal conflict.
Suddenly the fusiIade stops and a
strange silence prevails. Only two voices
are heard-that of the President standing
at the W indow and continuing his impre-
cations ana that Of BlasIO Marcial, stand
ing on the steps covered with blood and
with only h0rSewhip in his hand, eBc0ur-
aging his soldiers and f0rbiddng them TO
fire, while he begs the ladies and the
strangers to get out from the palace assur-
ing them that there is no danger and offer
ing to protect them with his own body. The
ladies, without their clOaks, their shoulders
naked and their hair flying to the wind,
step down the few steps. Among them
were the wife and daughters of the Minis
ter OF War, whom they embrace, when
MARCIAL INTERFEREs.
"' General,' excaims the Minister, my
wife and daughters are dying with fright.
Let me lead them away and / return i'm
mediately. l give you MY word Of honor
80 accept it., says Marcial, but don't
fail to return
"The Minister did not come back.
=" At this moment Colonel Martinez, COM
mandant of the guard OF honor, who had
not understood the meaning OF the fusilade
and took it for a salute to the President. ar
rived on the portico and saw the soldiers of
Marcial. Surrender said the latter; let
us not shed useless blood. All the barracks
are in our power and, in the hope Of bet
ter persuading Martinez he took him in his
arms. But meanwhile the President had
come down from his apartments, and see
ing Martinez in the arms Of Marcial, ex-
claimed:
meT
as No. answered Martinez, 4 am come
TO die by your sidep A struggle takes
place between the two chiefs who roll on
the ground, and Marcial is killed
" Then Menendez, a sword in one hand
and revolver In the other, surrounded
also by a few friends, and ordering his
guard to follow him. madly runs into the
street in pursuit Of the rebels But he sud-
denly turns himself around, his arms beat
ing the air, and falls under a sudden stroke
of apOplexy. He is carried into the
palace and Colonel Martinez slowly retreats
toward the barracks of the guard, where he
is soon subdued by the greater number
Of the insurgents"