Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-09
DESP0TISM In HAITI.
INEXcUSABLE AsSASslNATIoNs or
PEACeABLE CITIZENS.
A Massacre without Psraiiei-Hyppolite's
Methodist Blot Upon Civilization
Port-au- Prince People Terrified.
[Br Anglo.Arnerican cable o the pIspa.ch.l

LBy AnEio-Arnerican cable 70 the Dispatch.l
PonT-AU-PRNcE. May S1.-For the last
two or three weeks there have been rumors
that revolution against President Hippo
lite was imminent in this capital, and these
having reached the ears of the Chief Ex-
ecutive he caused the arrest of about
eighty suspected persons and put them in
irons in prison.
Among the suspected was General Sully,
who hearing he was wanted" hid him
self. Failing to secure the General him
self his wife was taken instead and thrown
into prison.
Corpus Christi. Thursday, MAY 18th. was
a national holiday. and il WAS reported that
on that date Hyppolite, in order TO etfectu-
ally terrify the populace, had ordered o
Calling gun to be taken down 10 the prison
and the eighty prisoners to be summary
executed.
The friends of the prisoners. among
whom was General Sully, met in council.
ard, while the President was in the Cathe-
dral, they forced open the prison-doors
and freed all the prisoners, about $50 in
all.
SECOND ST. BARTHOLOMEW.
Then, by order Of the President. began a
series of assassinations perhaps unequalled
in the annals of civilization, and by the
side of which the massacre of st. Bartholo-
new sinks in inslgnifcance.
The first victim was Mr. Ernest Rigaud,
respected merchant. a hard-workIng
man, who occupied himself exclusively
with his business and was positively known
| to have been perfectly innocent Of con-
spiracy of any kind. He was sitting on
| the balcony with his wife when the Presi-
| dent passed and ordered him out and sent
! him to the cemetery TO be shot. He asked
| 10 be allowed TO take his hat Che was I'M
covered), and the Presidents own words
were You won't require a hat long.
His nephew, a bov of fifteen or sixteen
followed him TO the place of execution;
and returned with the news to the afflicted
wife, who was still hoping TO bring intiu;
ence TO bear 20 save her husband. He told
| her, 1t is useless: my door uncle has
| been foully murdered" These words were
reported TO the President, and twenty
minutes later the boy was brought before
| him. Being asked il he had made the
above statement, he did not deny IL, but
said Mr.. President. / have never con-
| spired against you by word or Decd The
boy was shot at once.
NOTHING TO EXCUSE TIE MASSACRE.
About the same time Mr.. Alexis Ros.
signol, an inoffeusiye and much-esteemed
| man, was executed IN the streets, anothe,
man was put up against the Cathedral
| wall and shot, seventeen were executed in
a batch, and even at this date an OCCASION
al volley tells that another poor wretch
| has been sent 10 his doom.
There is no fighting in the streets to ex-
cuse this massacre. Every execution is
carried out in the most cold-blooded way,
the executioners being soldiers belonging
to the most degraded type of men, who
seem to enjoy the bloody task. .,
1t is impossible to enumerate in detail
all the murders that have been perpe-
trated under the color of law. Is ls estl-
mated that from May 2sth 10 May 31st at
least fifty persons have been put to death
| and the figures are placed as high as one
hundred.
No one can say how long this state of
affairs will last OF what the result will be.
Nor can any one who has not been an eye
witness of the scenes Of horror enacted
have any idea Of the terrified condition OF
the people of Port-au-Prince.