The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-06-09
HIPPOLYTE'S RULE.
His 0ffhand Manner Of Ordering
Executions.
THEY LOOK MUCH LIKE MURDER

pected of Favoring Legitime, Shot
Down at the Kings Command. and
His Nephew Shot for Asking In
formation-Remark Tyranny.
NEW YORK, June 9.-The steamship
oranje Nassau of the Dutch West India
mail line arrived at this port from Port
au-Prince, bringing news of the latest
attempt at revolution in Hayti.
The vessel put in at Port-au-P Prince on
Sunday, May 81. and found the inhab-
itnnts of the town greatly excited and
s6idiers parading the streets.
The outbreak Of the rebels occurred
on Thursday, May &c. While President
Hippolyte was attending church for.
mer cabinet minisaeg. at the head Of
eighty followers, all wSll armed, stormed
the prison and released 200 political
and other prisoners.
The released prisoners were provided
with arms and ammunition, and when
Hippolytes troops arrived on the scene
there was a bloody battle. Hippolyte,
fearing that he would be shot down by
some Of the rebels If he appeared on the
street. remained in the church all day
guarded by soldiers.
He called out the reserve militia and
the rebels were soon routed. The leader
of the rebels, the former cabinet min
lister, whose name the officers Of the
vessel did not learn, was captured and
shot at once. By night Of Thursday
forty of tho rebels had been captured
and put to death. Others were captured
and shot on Friday, Saturday and Sum
day. Every man suspected OF. being in
sympathy with the insurgents was put
to death without trial as soon as cap
tured. Most of the 200 prisoners re-
leased from Jail by the insurgents were
recaptured and shot.
Cause Of the Revolt.
The outbreak seemed to have been
precipitated by the killing of Ernest
Rigaud, the largest merchant at Port
au-Prince, by order of President Hip
polyte.
Rigaud, who alleged that he was a
French subject, had been in Paris some
time, and had only recently returned to
Hayti. Ex-President Legitime is in
Paris, and is supposed to be in secret
communication with his syinpathizers
in Hayti. Rigaud was suspected of be-
party and of aiding them. 1t was be.
1ieved that he had brought from Paris O
cargo of arms for the rebels.
On Thursday morning, May 2S, Presi-
dent Hippolyte went to the house of Ri
gaud, followed by detachment of SOL
diers. The soldiers remained outside,
while the president entered alone. He
asked the merchant if he did not have
guns concealed in the house. Rigaud
answered that he had no guns in the
house.
''TheH you have them at your store"
said the president.
The merchant replied that he had no
guns concealed anywhere, but it is said
he insulted Hippolyte and ordered him
out of the house.
Putting his hand on Rigauds shoulder
the president said: "Come with me-"
Hippolytc's Sentence Executed.
They left the house together and
stepped out in front of the waiting sol
diers. Without another word to Rigaud
Hippolyte stepped aside and gave the Or
der to fire. The soldiers raised their
guns and fred volley into the body of
the rich merchant. He fell dead in
front Of his house.
Hippolyte no doubt thought this
would frighten the friends of Legitime,
who contemplated an outbreak, but it
seems to have reused them to fury, and
the attack on the prison and release of
the political prisoners followed in few
hours.
On Saturday morning, May 80, a
nephew of Ernest Rigaud, who was as
sociated with him in business, called vt
President Hippolyte's house to ask about
the killing of his uncle. The young man
did not know that his uncle was shot by
order of the president, He believed it
was done by the soldiers without orders,
and he intended to demand an investiga-
ton. As soon as he addressed the presi-
dent and stated the object of his visit
Hippolyte ordered him shot. He was at
once dragged into the street by the sol
diers and shot dead.
Hippolyte Alarmed.
The outbreak caused great excitement
in Port-au-Prince, and thoroughly
alarmed IIippolyte and his government.
The full military reserve force was
called c.t, the custom house and all
plinI1c buildings were closed, and no
one was allowed to leave the city with
out passport from the government.
Seve5al citizens who wanted to take
passage on the Oranje Nassau were ar
tested by the soldiers, taken before the
general Of the army, who refused to
allow tAefn to depart when he found
they had' no passports. Two German
merchants were the only persons who
secured passports, and who were allowed
to leave by the steamship.
Day and night the troops of Hippo
lyte patroled the streets searching for
persons suspected of sympathizing with
the insurgent party. Business was
practically suspended. Tho bodies of
the rebels shot were left lying in the
streets for several hours as a warning to
shait. f,.iaYda Tho off nara or sa,oa of