Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-09-13
BARRUNsIA's MURDER.
Latest Revelations: An Eye-wit.
ness Gives His Version


New YORK, Sept. 1.-The Paci-
fic Mall steamship Colon, which
reached here to-day, brought some
OF the passengers who were on board
the steamer AcdpUicO ut tie time Of
the killing OF General BaTrundia.
One OF the eyewitness Of the
tragedy told the story % the AssO-
ciated Press. 1t appears that Gen
eral Barrundia came ON board at
Acapulco, Mexico. He was under
stood to be on his way 20 San Saliva
dor. He was attended 10y two men
as tody-guard.
When the ship arrived at Cham
perico, Guatemala, the authorities
there demanded that Barrundia be
surrendered. The captain preemptor-
ilyrefused TO do so. They withheld
clearance papers for twenty four
hours, but finally allowed him to
proceed.
When the vessel arrived ut San
Jose two boat loads Of soldiers were
sent of from shore 10 see that no
one without proper credentials
should leave the vessel.
Within a pistol shot Of her were
two United States gunboats.
Captain Pitts had telegraphed
their commanding officer from
Champerico, requesting assistance,
but the dispatch had not been de-
liyered. Now he made personal
appeal for help. The response was
that they could do nothing without
an orier from the port captain.
On the next day the ship was
again invaded by the eommandant,
with n special force Of men aud an
other boat load Of sOlsiiers. The
Guaiemalan commandant produced
an
''oRDER or ARREST"
signed by the American minister,
Miner, and made a formal demand
for the delivery Of BarTundia. Then
he directed that all cabin passengers
he ordered below. When this -rler
was executed the entire force pro-
ceszded 10 Barrundia's rooms, Cap
tain Pitts with them.
When the loom was reached, Cap
tair Pitts, after deprecating the
necessity Of surrendering his pas
senger, read the or,ier for his arrest.
Bsrrundia had quietly met them
at the door, hut at once, divining
that all was over, reached into the
room for his revolver, and, making
the remark, Very good. y fired.
The tall just missed Captain Pitts,
vino, together with the Guatemalan
cOmmandant, ran to his nom.
locked the door, and hid under the
bed, leaving the man hunting to n
special officer.
Btrnindia was n 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 bur-
ricaDe deck.
The brave thereupon
came from his hiding-place, walked
up 10 the dead man and fired n bull
let into his skull. The deal body
was rolled up in n piece Of canvas
and conveyed on shore in one Of the
boats, the other boat conveying the
gallant perpetrators Of the deed.
With their revolvers openly dis
played, they made n detOur around
the bow Of the
UNITED STATES wARsHIP.
AS they left the acapulco, some
smiIingly waved their hands
and one placed his thumb 10 his
nose and extended his fingers in n
well.known manner.
"Still, the incident WIS not over, -
said.the gentlemen who told the
foregoing. "rhe Guatemalans de-
sired 10 wipe their feet n little more
on the suffering ship, and she was
not allowed to proceed until the
baggage belonging to Bsrrundia
was searched, presumably for evil
dence discriminating him. This
was submitted 20. The American
gun-beats were still silent, lot a
hundred yards away. Indeed. ut
the time Of the tragedy an officer
from one Of them was appealed TO,
but none was on board.
"The Americans on board were
full Of Indignation and shame at
the whole affair. Captain Pitts, IL was
generally held, was partly excusable
for his action, seeing that
he had applied in vain to
the war ships fer assistance,
and was confronted with an orier
from the American Minister. The
passengers condemned the Ection OF
the men-of-war, far they maintained
that in any event they might have
taken charge Of Barrundis until
some definite expression Of will had
come from Washington They also
condemn the action Of Minister Miz-
ner, who, they thought, had no
right 20 sign n mans death war
rant, for they submit that at the time
he did il he knew that ii amounted
to that, no matter what the character
Of the victim-v