Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1891-09-25
BALMACEDA "A SUICIDE.
THE Ex-DICTAToR SENDS A Bull
LET THROUGH HIS BRAIN.

He Had Not Left Chilli but Wa, in Hiding
at tho Argentine Legation at Santiago.
y Statement Left for the Press of the
United States.
NEW YORK, Sept. 21.-The Herald's
Valparaiso correspondent telegraphs as
follows: Ex-President Balmaceda, of
Chill, shot himself through the temple
in his room at the Argentine legation in
Santiago at $3.50 a. III. Saturday. Itnow
seems that Ballnaceda left Santiago on
Aug. 10 i'll the hope of making his es-
cape from Chill, but seeing that every
avenue of retreat was cut off, he re-
turned there on Sept. 9 and Went direct
to the Argentine legation. After the
disastrous battle near Valparaiso and
The Surrender of Santiago.
on Aug. 20, in company with cx-Alcalde
Victor Echauren, he took a carriage and
drove toa point two miles outside the
city. Here Il special train of one car
and a locomotive was in waiting. The
train went at high speed as far as Lin
deros. fo-ty-tive miles south of Santiago.
There more carriages We're in waiting.
Hurrlcdly alighting from the trtin they
entered the carriages and We're again
driven rapidly away. The route was
toward San Antonio bay. All trace of
the fugitives was, however, lost. His
intention had been to 60 on board
the vessel Condell, which he expected
to find lying in San Antonio
bay. Upon arriving there. however, he
discovered to his chagrin that the
Torpcd" Boat Had Sailed.
Since his return to the Argentine Legal
ton i'll Santiago, BalMaceda had been
in an extremely nervous condition. No
one, with the exception of the minister
of the Argentine Republic and one other
man who was devoted to the unfortunate
eX-presidcnts cause. was permitted to
talk to or even see him. All the differ
ent schemes of flight We're considered by
the hunted ex-president. Senor Urri-
buria had IL long and earnest talk with
Balmaceda relative to the latter's ideas,
previously broached, about the advisa-
bility of giving himself up to the junta.
Balmaceda and Senor Urriburia went
to bed at midnight. Senor Urriburia,
about 8 o'clock a. m.
Heard IL Pistol Shot
in the bedroom that had been assigned
to Balmaceda. She notified her husband.
Upon breaking in the door of Balma-
ceda's room he found that he had shot
himself. The body was still warm.
There was a gaping wound in the
temple. The body was undressed and lay
on the bed. The revolver was still held
in his right hand.
Great crowds of terribly excited
people gathered all around the Argen-
tine legation. They cheered and they
hooted and went into a frenzy over the
death of their chief enemy. Above all
the discordant shouts We're heard cries
congratulating the unfortunate Ballna-
ceda, that in taking his own life he had
escaped a worse fate. Balmaceda left
the press of the United States state
ment. AS almost the last declaration of
dying man it is of especial Importance.
| He says:
| acted all during the last eight months
| with the firm conviction that | was right.
! had no one in the army in whom could
place any trust. My generals were false
to me. My heart all through this trouble
| has been with Chill. | sought to rescue
| my country from foreign domination |
strove to make her the first republic of
America. My enemies say that was
| cruel. Circumstances compelled me to
sanction certain acts, but many deeds that
| have been attributed to my orders were
never known to me until they had been
| committed. now know those who only
pretended friendship for me because of the
money that was to be gotten out of me.
Your minister, Patrick Egan, many times
| offered me good advice He urged me to
make peace with those opposed to me and
to retire from Chilli did not heed his
| wise advice, for thought that he was un-
der the influence of the juntns orders,
who We're then refugees in the American
legation. All through the trouble my
closest advisers We're always opposed to
any ovcrtures for peace
Everything Quiet at Santiago.
The junta has the Argentine legation
guarded by troops to prevent an attack
on the part of the populace. but every
thing is quiet at Santiago. Balmacedas
body has been removed to the general
cemetery. 1t was accompanied by the
members of the family and friends.
The widow of the dead ex-president was
informed of his tragic ending by her
brother, Domingo Tcrro. There is a
guard stationed at the cemetery.
Confirmed by Minister Egan.
New YORK, Sept. %. A dispatch
received here under date of Santiago,
Sept. 81, from United States Minister
Patrick Egan, confirms the published
reports of the suicide of President Bal
maceda.