New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-13
BARRUNDIA FIRED FIRST.
SO SAYS AN EYEWITNESS OF THE SLAUGH
TER
THE GENERAL DROVE THE CoMMANDANrE Ux
DER THE BED BEFORE THE SOLDIERS,
BULLETS FINISHED HIM.

DER THE BED BEFORE THE SOLDIERS,
BULLETS FINISHED HIM.
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company's ship
Colon. which reached thi, port yesterday, brought
from the lst!mus cone Of the passengers who were
on board the steamship Acapulco at the time Of
the killing Of General Eairundia by Gmatemal,n
officers. Will" the Acapulco lay in the harbOr Of
san Jcs,. An cyrwitrcss OF tic tragedy relates
the following narrative:
The steamship Acapulco left San Francisco on
August H. On her arrival at Acapulco, Mexico.
General Barrundia. cX-Mnstcr of War Of Guata-
mala, came board from the Starbuck, sister
ship. lie was known to he hostile to the pres
ent Government OF Guatemala, and it was under
st1od that he his way TO San Salvador.
lie WAS attended by two mcn as bodyguard
when ~ slip arrived at ChampercO Guate.
maa. the authorities. vino had been warned that
Iarrurda on board. at sent of two
bcnt-l ads OF soldiers. and demanded TINT the
General hc surrrnGcred 10 them. Captain Pitts
DcremDt0rily refused 10 acccic to this demand,
and an attrinp: Was mad, to corrce him BY with
holding clearance papers. But after detention
Of twenty four LourS, Captain Pitts pcrsiStng In
Lis refusal TO deliver General l'arrundia without
~ ortlcr from the Government, the vessel WAS
psrmt:cd I, me h'r course This was Ansnse
-. a,id on the evening of the same day the
stca,acr arrived al San jose.
no sooner had the Acapulco cast anchor than
two b0ats-hial Of soldiers were sent of from
shore 10 keep close watch that one without
proper credentials should leave the vessel for tho
! shore. Within pistol shot Of where the Acapulco
lay wrrn two United States gunhoats. Captain
Pitts had tclc. raphrd to their commanding olflrcr
from Champcrco, requesting assistance But his
| ,.,h dol Enw 20 q
personal appeal - item for help. The response
was ~: the mpn-ot-war could do nothing with
out orders
Next day tho snip again invaded by the
/ con,,nan'lantc of a special force of men, arrom-
panied hy another hoat-oad Of soldiers This
time the tiuaicnalan officers came furnished with
an orcr # arrest signed bv the American Minister,
! Mr. Miner After being politely introduced 10 Cap
tain PITS. the cuml.aran'c proldcrd his papers
au maze a formal dcinaad tor the delivery OF
! ,,crcra! l:asrund.a Then the cn,man'lantr .di-
rs.rnd th,t a!l the cabin passengers be ordeIrd
below When thi, order had been executed. 8he
cntir, force Of timotcmalan officers proceeded TO
Ccrrral Barrundia's room, Captain Pitts going
: with them.
AS soon as the room was reached, Captain
: Ii;tS. after Geprc' at,nc the necessity Of snr-
I r"n,crng his passenger to the authorities. began
tn read the order tor the Generals arrest. Gem
ell BarIuah,t l'l quietly met them at the door.
D bat on". dirininc thai all wa, over he reached
; MO 81, iorin tor his mvolvers, and making tho
} remark. 'Nr,y gO'.. tired
| The bah Just missed Captain Pitts, who, to-
grtnrr with the commandante, ran to his room.
locked tie door, and hid under the he'd, eav-
| ing the man hunting to the special officers. Bar
! rundia short sighted man. and. lcing very
I ncryoils Was unable u do any damage though
lie chlscd them in and ont of the saloon, firing
wildly. At last the officers dropped him from
different points. ri,ldled with shot, on the hnrn-
cane deck The brave conman,antc thcreupon
came from his hiding place. walked up tO the
dead man. and fired into his skull.
The dead body was rolled mp in piece Of
canvas and aid bcing summoned from the other
boat, rs the General a very heavy man, the
! CHASTITY burden WAS bundled down the gungway
! irto one of the boats and conveyed ashore, 10 lie
sent 10 Guatcnlai. where il was inferred tho
I acNt day. The other boat, conveying the gallant
j ucrpct raturs Of the deed, their rcvovcrs openly
! display ycd in their hands. made dctour round by
the United States warships on their way TO the
shore. As they left the ship. some smilinsly
waved their hands. and one placed his thumb to
his nos. and extended the other fingers in Q
familiar and wc-known manner.
Still the incident WAS not over. The Guacma-
ans had to wipc their feet n little on the Suf-
tcring ship. and she not allowed IN proceed
! until the baggage belonging to Birrundia had
been searched. presumably for evidence incrimnat-
! ns oi crS This submitted 10. the gliEhoate
s,:ll silent and sleepy. not hundred yards away
! Indeed at tie time of the tragedy an officer from
one of them WAS aboard the Acapulco.
When General BarrunGia had iilSt come aboard
his baggage had lrcn searched. and his arms. con-
3 EARL nnl a. jatrQor
been taken charge Of by the captain. Blu, some
huw after the airray. sin other rcvolvcrs AMI
about forty rounds of cartridges were found. His
! hodvguarl al the commencement Of the light
ins, had run Fellow and been locked mp for safety.
/ About forty shots fired in all.
/ FINALLY tie dist srceahlc affair was at an END.
a, least Ter the time being. and the steamer was
! allowed tu p:Drccd. She sailed away with droOp-
! ing ,olors: III" very brcczr. as one passenger 70
marked. seeming 10 have died away ont Of pity
The An,cricnr:s on board were full Of indigna,
ton and shame AT tie whole affair. Ugly rnmon
were atoat about hlood-monry, rs though moGcy
had had influence somewhere in securing the sur
render of the man. Many passrnscrs openly OK.
pressed regret tnlt the American flag was theirs
Captain Pitts. it generally held was
! rarity rNrts.hr for his action. seeing TINT he had
ipp!i, IN vain in the war>hlpS for assist lncc. and
thar lie w. confronted with an order from the
| American Minister At the same time the feeling
prevailed that had the captain shown the same
iirmnc,s nt San jose that he did at Chamrrro.
| the man would not have 'Hrn shot inc passen-
! gers condemned the action of the men.of-wnr.
who had been appealed to for help and had re:
fused il. for they maintained that. in any event,
| they might have taken charge Of General Bar
! run,lin until some proper and d"initr expression
| of will had come from Washington.
They also condemned the action Of Minister
! Miner. who, they thought. had no right 10 sign
= mans death warrant by tho scratch Of hts
name lfor thcy said TINT ~ the time he did il he
knew il Amounted 10 that, no matter what the
character of the victim They contendei that the
| American fla should protect them, wherever It
might bc unfirri. and nor br made by-word for
weakness and inGecision.'
AWAITING MINISTER MINERS STATEMENT