The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-07

Story Invented by Enemies of America
Authorities Explode the Falsehood.

SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 6.-The newspapers
here have for several days been publishing wild
stories about a conspiracy among the refugees
at the American legation to kill General Canto.
notice was circulated today calling for
meeting of the people in the plaza
to denounce the conspiracy. Egan, United
States minister, informed the junta that threats
had been made to attack the United
States legation and capture the refugees
and warned the junta that it would be held
responsible for such action. Later in the day
several thousand men assembled in the plaza
and applauded several incendiary speeches, in
which it is supposed the conspiracy and the
United States legation were denounced The
iunta, upon receiving Egans letter, sent a troop
OF cavalry to guard the legation, and when the
meeting in the plaza closed the intendente pub
lished notice saying the stories OF a conspiracy
were devoid of foundation. Serious trouble was
doubtless avoided by this notice, although the
government did nothing to prevent trouble
until receiving Egan's protest.
CHICAGO, Nov. Ga private letter received
today from Benjamin W. Wells, one of the
United States steamer Baltimore's officers, by
his father in this city, explodes the assertions of
British naval officers that the Baltimore acted
IA spy on the Chilean insurgents when the
latter landed at Quinteros. The beginning OF
the letter. dated August }, is: my last letter
10 you was from CoQuimbo. The day II was
mailed We received word that the
insurgents had landed near Valpa-
raise" The extract shows conelusiyely
that the Baltimore, instead OF being alongside
the British ship Champion on the day of the
Qninteros lsding Is the officers of that shin
asserted. according 10 dispatch from Victoria
B. c, was at CCqulmbo, and not near Quinteros
Mr.. Wells says the news of the landing reached
him at breakfast, and the Baltimore did not
leave Coqumbo until midnight The first
thing that attracted his attention on
reaching Valparaiso ha-bor at sunset the
following evening was the insurgent warships
Abtao aud Msgellanes with flags flying at all the
masts, III celebration OF the surgent success in
the first days fight The letter then described
the scenes attending the fall of Valparaiso in
cludiug the taking OF wounded officers women
aud children aboard the Baltimore and the
practical accession of the junta 10 power. Then
it adds propheticaIly: 1--WE will not be in good
favor here That may be taken ior granted.
Alter capturing the Itats and cutting the cable
at IQuique the chances for bare politeness are
slim The letter concludes as follows:
| heard the minister OF war say last night
that as the tide of battle turning against
him he turned to the commander OF one of the
batialions and said 10 him: Major where are
your men? Post them in such and such q
place" The officer answered; 'Sir 20 me the
battalion no longer exists. Just think OF it
an entire b4tta lOu WI ped ont, anu this only one
OF many. There no doubt about it, the gov
ernment was iTightfully beaten. All the doc
tors we can spare are ashore, working in the
hospitals. one sent ashore Yesterday went up
to the battlefield and worked over the wounded
there. Fifteen hundred were brought in last
n ght
/, was after this letter. telling of the Balti-
more's surgeons work OF humanity for wound
ed Chilians had been mailed. that portion of
the Baltimore's crew was frightfully maItreated
in the streets of Valparaiso Wells Was an off,