St. Paul daily globe., 1891-06-09
A WANTON MASSACRE
Hippolyte, the Haytien Presi-
dent, Slaughters His
Enemies.
Three Hundred People Shot to
Death in Less Than a
Week..
Fears for His Own Safety In
spired the Butchers
Work.
Terror Reigns Supreme at
Present in Port au
Prince.


sacre of st. Bartholomew sinks into in
significance beside the scenes enacted
here in the last few days. For the last
two or three weeks there has been
rumors that revolution against Hypo-
lyte was imminent in this capital. and
these having reached the ears of the
chief executive, he caused the arrest of
about eighty suspected persons, dragged
them from their bones and
put them in irons in prison.
Among the suspected was Gen. 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. The outbreak of
the rebels occurred on Thursday, May
2S. While President Hippolyte was at
tending church, former cabinet min
ister, at the head of eighty followers,
all well armed, stormed the prison and
released 200 political and other prison.
ers. The released prisoners were pro-
vided with arms, ana when Hippolyte's
troops arrived on the scece there was
Bloody Battle.
Hippolyte, fearing that he would be
snot down by some of the rebels if he
appeared on the street. remained in the
church all day guarded by soldiers. He
called out the reserve militia and the
rebels were soon routed, The leader of
the rebels, the former cabinet minister.
whose name the officers of the vessel
did not learn, was captured and shot at
once. By night of Thursday forty of the
rebels had been captured and put to
death. Others were captured and shot
on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Every
man suspected Of being in sympathy
with the insurgents was put to death
without trial as soon as captured. Most
of the 200 prisoners released from jail
by the insurgents were recaptured
and shot. The outbreak seemed to have
been precipitated by the killing of
Ernest Rigaud, the largest merchant at
Port au Prince. by order of President
Hipp0lyte. Rigaud, who alleged
that he was French subject, had
been in Paris some time, and had only
recently returned to Hayti. Ex-Presi-
dent Legltime is in Paris and is sup
posed to be in secret communication
with his sympathiZers in Hayti. Rigaud
with the Legitime party and of aiding
them. 1t was believed that he had
brought from Paris cargo of arms for
the rebels. Thursday morning, May rs,
President HippOlyte went to the house
of Rigaud, followed by detachment of
soldiers. The soldiers remained out
side. while the president entered alone.
He asked the merchant if he did not
have guns concealed in the house.
Rigaud answered that he had no guns
in the house. 'Then you have them at
your store," said the president. The
merchant replied that he had no guns
concealed anywhere, but it is said he in
suited Hippolyte and ordered him out
of the house. Putting his hand
on Rigaud's shoulder, the president
said: "Come with me.' They left the
house together. and stepped out in
front of the waiting soldiers. Without
another word to Rlgaud, Hippolyte
stepped aside and gave
The Order TO Fire.
The soldiers raised their guns and
fired a vOlley into the body of the
rich merchant. He fell dead in front
of his house. Hippolyte no
doubt thought this would fright
en- the friends of Legitime,
who contemplated an outbreak, but
it seems to have reused them TO fury,
aud the attack on the prison and re-
lease of the political prisoners followed
in a few hours. On Saturday morning,
May 80, nephew of Ernest Rigaud,
who was associated with him in bust
ness, called at President Hippolyte's
house to ask about the killing of his
uncle. The young man did not know
that his uncle was shot by order
OF the president. He believed it was
done by the soldiers without orders
and he intended to demand an investi-
cation. AS soon as he addressed the
president and stated the object of his
visit HippOlyte ordered him shot. He
was at once dragged into the street by
the soldiers and shot dead. The out
break caused great excitement in Port
au Prince and thoroughly alarmed Hip
polyte and his government. The full
military reserve force was called out, the
custom house and all public buildings
were closed, and no one was allowed to
leave the city without passport from
the government. About the same time
Alexis Rossignol, an lnoffensive and
much-esteemed man, was executed in
the street; another man was put up
against the cathedral wall and shot,
Seventeen Were Executed
in batch; and. even at this date, an
occasional yolley tells that another Door
wretch has been sent to 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 be-
longing to the most degraded type of
men, who seem to enjoy the bloody
task. Day and night the troops of
Hippolyte patrol the streets searching
for persons suspected of being in
sympathy with the insurgent party.
Business is practically suspended. The
bodies of the rebels shot are left lying
in the streets for several hours as
warning to their friends. The officers
of some of the German vessels in port
went on shore to look at the dead bod
les. To-day a grand festival of peace,
so-called, is ordered by Hippolyte. The
festival is to celebrate the fact
that the rebels had been de-
feated and peace established.
1t Is impossible to enumerate in
detail all the murders that have been
perpetrated under the color of law. 1t
is estimated that from May % to June 1
800 persons have been put to death. No
one can say how long this state of affairs
will last, or what the result will be. Nor
can any one who has not been an eye
witness of the scenes of horror enacted,
have an idea of the terrified condition
of@ @bo doDDIa of D0rf =, Dr;oao