The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-12-24
THE MATTER REGARDED AS
THRILLING AFFAIR.
The Subject Referred to as an Ordinary
Sailors Fight, Yet the Intendente
of Valparaiso States That Two
Thousand Men Were Fighting at a
Time, While Not More Than Fifty
Americans Took Part.
Special 70 the REcoRD-USros.

d MOD III the streets OF NalparalSO, and the
correspondence which followed between
Minister Egan and the Provisional Gov
eminent, has subsidized within the last
two weeks, as no steps Of any Importance
have been taken in the matter recently.
The instructions which were received
here from the State Department at Wash
ington just after the affair occurred were
very strong, and the reply which was
sent to Minister Egan by the Provisional
Government was not regarded as salts
factory. In fact, the American officials
here did not hesitate to declare that the
reply was an insOlent one. and thew eX-
pressed the belief that the authorities at
Washington would regard it as such, and
would take prompt action in the matter
Secretary Blaine was informed of the sit
uation, but three weeks have passed since
then. and nothing Of startling nature
has developed.
1t is generally believed here that the
controversy arising out of the attack
upon the Baltimore sailors is to be re-
terred to the United States Congress in
December. freSident-eiect MOntt as
sured an Associated Press correspondent
recently that this question, and also the
question OF the disposal of the refugees in
the American legation, would probably
an early date
Congress convened here two weeks
ago, but these questions have not been
laid before 1t yet. Up to the present time
the Chilean officials have not manifested
a disposition to express any regret on ac-
count of the killing and wounding OF
American sailors, or to offer any salts
factory explanation of the affair.
The feeling against Americans has been
so strong ever since the Congressional
party came into power that the majority
OF the people here are disposed to regard
the killing of q few American sailors as a
very trit1ing affair, and they express
much surprise that the United States
should have taken official notice of the
matter. They still speak Of it lightly
as an ordinary sailors fight, but the re-
port of the 1ntendente Of Valparaiso
states that there were two thousand men
lighting at the time, and it is known that
not more than fifty Of these We're Ameri-
cans. The Intendente places the crowd
at the large figure of 1000 for the purpose
of showing that the police were power
less to quell the disturbance. As matter
of fact, there We're not two thousand men
lighting, or half that number, and the
police found ample opportunity to arrest
thlrty-siX American sailors who were
defending themselves against the mob.
The fact that the men were attacked in
clIN.
no other reason than that they wore
American sailors uniforms, and that six
OF them received knife wounds, and more
than dozen others were seriously in
Jured in other ways, while none of the
Chileans received anything worse than
few bruises, and the fact that half dozen
small pocket knives were the only weap-
ons taken from the Americans who were
assaulted would seem to indicate whether
or not the affair was an ordinary sailors
fight.
But the point which has formed the
principal feature of the recent coryespOnd-
ence between the two Governments was
the prominent part which the police took
in the disturbance. Notwithstanding the
The police were entirely blameless, the
TACT that Reggins, one of the victims, was
shot and killed by policeman, while he
was in an lnsensible condition from knife
wounds, is beyond dispute. A number
of the injured men received bayonet
wounds, and that is the weapon which is
used by the police. There is also album
ant proof that the police treated the
Americans in brutal manner while they
were taking them to prison.
Another indication of the attitude of
Chileans toward Americans is to be found
in the manner in which this affair was
investigated by the authorities of Val
been the custom in the Criminal Court
there, that whenever a case was on trial
III which foreign sailor was involved to
invite his Consul or the commander of
his vessel to be present. 1t happened
that while the Baltimore affair was under
investigation, another case was on trial
in the same court which involved the
sTabhlng of sailor on one of the Ger
man warships by some Chilean sailors.
The Secretary of the German Consul was
present at this hearing, at the invitation
OF the Judge. When the investigation of
the Baltimore affair was commenced.
Captain Schley directed Lieutenant Sears
to attend the hearing, but the officer was
denied this privilege by the Judge of the
court and no one at all was allowed to be
present during the investigation.
The local authorities have recently re-
qUeSted Captain Schley to allow the men
who were injured to come ashore and
attempt to identity their assailants among
the police. The men will visit the police
station next week and inspect the mem
bers OF the force, but as the affair occurred
over month ago, and as there was in
tense excitement in the streets at the
time, it is not thought probable that the
sailors will be able to make any positive
identifications.
There was a strong feeling among the
members of the crew of the Baltimore
ouIiAiS VIZ lCN va 1OlIOW lily IHC dlldCh
upon the liberty party to avenge the at
tack upon their comrades. 1t is State
secret, not very closely guarded, that the
same feeling prevailed in the cabin,
wardroom and steerage
There were many muttered threats in
the forecastle of the Baltimore of sending
another liberty party" ashore better pre-
pared for emergencies than the one
which met with disaster on the 18th of
October. But the Baltimore has an ex-
ceptionally fine crew. The men are
largely native Americans, and have been
with the ship since she went into COM
mission. They are under perfect disci-
pine. and nothing approaching disorder
was allowed 10 occur. The sailors on
other foreign men-of-war go ashore at
Will and are not molested, but owing to
the boycott" which has been established
by the officials of Valparaiso in refusing
to give any promise or guarantee of pro-
lection, the American sailors are confined
to the decks of their ship, practically in
state OF siege in what is supposed to be
friendly port.
The Junta de Gobierno, which has had
control OF affairs in Chile since the over
throw OF Balmaceda, has gone out of ex
lstence, and has been superseded temper
arliy by a Council of State, with Jorge
Montt, former President of the Junta,
and now President-elect of Chile, at its
head. Mont will become President of
the Republic on December 18th.