The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-10-01

e'ee"SsoA ~ "nefe the hunted
Man Was IN Hiding-A Dying pecmrn-
tion.
NE~ York, Sept. 2O.-Thc Hcrald's
valparaiso corr esp0nticnt telegraphs as
follows:
Ex-Presi,leut Bulmuceda, of Chile,
shot himself through the temple in his
room at tic Argentine legation in Santi-
ago at 8:3Ua. IN. today Saturday. The
story h came known here this afternoon.
and created the greatest excitement. 1t
now seems that Balmaceda left Santa
go on August 90, in the hope of making
his escape from Chile; but seeing that
every avenue OF escape was cut otf. he
returned there Oh September 2, aud
went direct to the Argentine legation.
Alter the disastrous battle near VAL
paralsO and the surrender of Santiago.
ON August 20th, in company with tX-
Alcalde Victor Echauren, he took a
carriage and drove TO Il point TWO miles
outside the city. Here special train
OF one car and II locomotive was in wait
my. The train went at hi1h speed as
lar as Llndcros. forty live miles south
olSantlago. There more carriages were
III waiting. IIurriedly alightng from
the train they entered the carriages and
were again driven rapidly away. The
route was toward San Antonio Bav.
All trace OF the tugit'ves was, however,
LOST. His Intention was to 90 ON board
the C"ndel, which he expected to find
lying in San Antonio Bay. On arriving
there, however, he discovered, to his
chaHrln, that the vessel had sailed.
Since his return to the Argentine le-
CATION, IN Santiago, Balmaccda has been
n an extremely nervous condition. No
one, with the exception of the minister
or the Argentine Republic and one other
man, who was devoted to the uniortun-
ate eX-presidents cause was permitted
10 talk 10 or even see him. All the dit
!erent schemes of flight were considered
by the hunted cX-prcsident. Senor Ur
rlburrla went to the theatre last night.
when he returned to the legation, he
had long and earnest talk witt Balma-
ceda 'elativc to the latter's ideas pre-
Vloutiy broached, about the advlsablity
OF giving himself up to the Junta. Bal
maceda and Senor Urriburrla went to
bed at midnight.
Sonora Urruburrla, about s a. m. to-
day, heard a pistol shot in the bedroom
that had been assigned to Balmaccda.
She notified hcr husband. Before he
wentto Balmaceda' g room he ran around
to the house of Carlos Walker MARTINEZ,
and brought that gentleman back to the
legation. Upon breaking III the door of
Baimaceda's room, it was 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.
Senor ConchO ran to Moeda and in
formed the Junta of what had happened.
A commission was promptly issued. 1t
comprised Carlos Walker Martinez,
SenOr MelchOr, Senor ConchO and judge
Asuerra. of the supreme court. They
went direct TO the legation from the Of
hce OF the Junta's representatives and
viewed the body. They then drew up q
process, certify ing to the facts already
stated.
Gradually the news spread all over the
city. and the excitement it created is in
describable. Gleat crowds OF terribly
excited people gathered all around the
Argentine legation. They cheered and
they hoOted, and went into a frenzy
over the death of their Chief enlmy.
Above all the discord,nt shouts were
heard cries cOngratulating the unfortu-
nate Balmaceda that in taking his own
life he had escaped worse fate. Bal
maceda lett letter to his mother.
Also, a statement to the Herald. AS
almost the last declarations of dying
man, they are of especial Importance.
He says:
Il acted all during Il c past ciuht
months with the firm conviction that [
WAS right. l had no one in the ar,n\
upon whom could place any trust. NJ,
generals were false to me. They II. d
all through the war. Had my orders
been obeyed, / believe that the battle
OF COncOn would have resulted IN Il dc
clsive victory against the enemy. M,
heart all through this trouble has been
with Chile. ] sought to rescue nv
country from foreign domination. /
strove to make her the first republic in
America. My enemies say that was
cruel. circumstances compelled me to
sanction certain acts, but many bad
deeds that have been attributed to NV
orders were never known py me until
the had been committed.
Until the final battle at Placill, had
strong hopes of triumphing over my
Toes. Victory was assured BY my gencr-
ais. Alcerccca and Barbosa aud Vicl.
"They all lied. l now know that
they only pretended friendship for me
because of fmOney that was to be .ottcn
out OF me.
"All the money that hav. in IN,
possession Is $4,000. My vile gave il
TO me- ON the night Of August 2S.
Your minister, Patrick Egan, man,
umes offered me good advice. He urged
me TO make peace with those opposed to
me and TO retire from Chile. / did not
heed his wise advice, for L thought that
he WAS under the influence ofthe Junta's
orders. who were then refugees ia the
American legation. All through the
trouble my closest advisers wcio always
oproaed to any overtuIes tor peace"
Another letter was found, addressed
TO Senor UrriDuriia. In it Balmaccda
says: "When cav the persecution d.
rected against me by persons who had
supported my administration, came to
the conclusion that the only way TO put
n tin L..