The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-09

PoRr-AU-PRINCE, May SpecialI-
For the last two or three weeks there
have been rumors that revolution
against President HYppolte was immi-
nent at this capital, and these having
reached the ears of chief executive he
caused the arrest of about eighty sus-
pected persons and put them in irons in
prison. Among the suspected was Gem
eral Sully, who, hearing he was want
ed hid himself
Failing to secure the general himself,
into prison.
Corpus Christi, Thursday, May IS,
was national holiday and it was re-
ported that on that date Hyppolite, in
order to etfectually tcrrify the popu-
lace, had ordered a Calling gun to be-
taken down to the prison and so prison
ers to be summarily executed. The
friends of the prisoners, among whom
was General Sully, met in council and
while the President was in the cathedral
they forced open the prison doors and
iitcu All pIlSOHcTS, auOut SJu Ill all.
Then, by order of the president began
series of assassinatons perhaps un-
equalled in the annals of civilization
and to which the massacre of st. Bar
tholomew sinks into insignificance.
The first victim was Ernest Rigand,
respected merchant and hard work.
ing man, who occupied himself exclu-
sively with his business, and who was
positively known TO have been perfectly
innocent of conspiracy of any kind. He
was sitting on the balcony with his
wife when the president passed and
ordered him out and sent him to tho
cemetery 70 be shot.
lie asked to be allowed TO take his
hat Che was uncovcred) and the presi-
dents own words we're, You won't re-
quire hat long" His nephew, bow
of Is or IL, followed him to the place of
execution, and returned with the news
to his afflicted wife, who was still hoping
to bring influence to bear TO save her
husband. He told her ut is useless,
my poor uncle has been foully MUIR
dered."
These words were reported to tho
president, and twenty minutes..later tho
boy was brought before him. Being
asked If he had made the above state
ment he did not deny it, but said:
president, | have never conspired
against you by word or deed The bow
was shot at once.
About this time Alexis Rossignol, an
inotfcnsive and much esteemed man,
was executed in the streets. Another
man was put up against the cathedral
wall and shot; seventeen were executed
in u batch and even Mt this date an
occasional vollcys tells that another
poor wretch has been sent to his doom.
There is no fighting in the streets
to excuse this massacre. Every execution
is carried out in the most cold blooded
way, the eXecutioncrs being soldiers
belonging to tho most degraded type Of
men, who seem to enjoy the bloody
task.
II is impossible to enumerate in de-
tail all murders that have been perpe-
trated under the color Of the law 1t is
estimated that from May 90 to May 81
at least fifty persons have been put to
death, and the figures are placed as
how long this state of affairs will last,
or what the result will be, nor can any
one who has not been an eyewitness of
the scenes of horror enacted have any
idea of the terrified condition of peo-
pie of Port-auprnce.
New York, June ST. Special Tho
steamer Orange, Nassau, at this part to-
day from l'ort-au-Prince, brings the first
definite news of the late insurrec ton in
llayti. The uprising was of serious
character, and for the time threatened
important consequences, but the govern
ment rcpressed the rebellion by prompt
and stern measures.
Mr.. Frederick Douglass, United
States minister to fIayti, was expected
to sail by this steamer, but owing to the
excitement at Port-Au-prince he de-
cidcd to postpone his departure until
nNXf month