Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-22
BALMACEDA'S END.
SUICIDE OF THE Ex-DlcTATOR IN THE
ARGENTINE LEGATION.
Santiago Rcjofces Ovcr His self-Nenioval-
His Fate Might Have Been Worse
His Last Words.
fBy telegraph to the Dispntch.l

the Associated Press under date Of San
tiago. September 2lst. from Unitcd-States |
Minister Patrick Egan confirms the pub |
lished reports OF tho suicide of President |
Balmaceda.
STORY or THE sHUrrLrso OFF.
The New York Hradof Sunday contained |
the following dispatch:
VALPARAISO, CHILE. cia GALvEsroS. Tex, |
September 19.-Ex-Presdent Balmaocda, |
OF Chile, shot himself through the temple !
IN his room at the Argentine Legation in |
Santiago ut $50 A. Nj. to-day The story |
became known here this afternoon and |
! created the greatest excitement. Every |
part OF the city TINS evening Is brilliantly |
illuminated. and on every hand is heard |
| the sounds of rejoicing. Later accounts |
from the capital confirm tho sensational |
news and give the details of his suicide.
Balmaceda left Santiago on August 29th |
last III the hope OF making his escape from |
Chile, but seeing that every avenue OF re- |
| treat was cut of, he returned there on |
| September I'd and went direct to the ar |
| genuine Legation. Since bus return to the |
| Argentine Legation III Santiago Balmaceda
has been in an extremely nervous condi- |
| ton. No one, with tho exception OK the |
Minister of the Argentine Republic and
one other man who was devoted to the I'M
| fortunate ex-Presden;'s cause, was per-
| United to talk to or even see HIM. All the
| different schemes Of fight were considered
| by the hunted cx-Presidont
| Senior Urriburia went to the theatre lest
night. When he returned 10 the legation
| he had n long and earnest talk with Bal
maceda relative to the latter's ideas pre-
viously preached, about the adyisabllity
Of giving himself up to the Junta. Bal
maceda and Senior UrrIburla went to bed
at midnight.
| PISTOL SHOT.
Sonora Urriburia about A. NJ. to-day
| heard a plstol-sbot IN the bedroom that
had been assigned to Balmaceda. She
notified her husband. Before he went to Bal
maceda's room he ran around to the house
OF Carlos Walker Martinez and brought that
gentleman back to the Legation. Upon
| breaking IN the door of Balmaceda's room
| il was found that he had shot himself.
The body was still warm. There was
gaping wound in the temple. The body
was undressed and lay on the bed. The
revolver was still held in his right hand.
| Domingo Zorro Bamaceda's brotner-ln-
law. and the Minister to Chile from Cru-
quay, Arrieta MalchOr Cor!eta. soon ar
| rived at the Legation. Senior COnchO ran
| to Moneda and informed the Junta OF
what had happened. A commission was
promptly issued. 1t comprised Carlos
| Walker Martinez, Senior Melchor. Senior
!
preme Court. They went direct TO the
| Legation from the Office OF the Junta's
| representative and viewed the body. lhey
then drew up the process verbal certifying
to the facts already stated.
| SANTIAGO EXCITED.
| The German Minister Gutschmidt ac-
companiod the commission 10 the Legation
| as an old friend OF Balmacoda. Gradually
| the news spread all over Santiago. The
| excitement 1t created is undesirable.
| Great crowds Of terribly excited people
! gathered al around the Argentine Lega-
| ton. They cheered and they hooted and
| went into a frenzy over the death of their
| chief enemy. Above all the dlscordant
shouts were heard cries cOngratulating the
! unfortunate Ealmaceda that III taking MS
own life he had escaped Il worse fate.
| Baimaceda left a letter 10 hls mother II
winch he says:
| ~ acted all during the past eight
| months with the firm conviction that WAS
right. had no one III the army IN whom
| could place any trust. Ny generals were
| false 10 Inc. they lied all through the
| war. Had my orders been ooeyed be-
| lieve that the battle OF COncOn would
| have resulted in a decisive victory against
| the enemy. My heart oil through TINS trou-
| bic has been Chile. | sought 10 rescue my
| country from foreign domination. stroye
to make her the first republic IN America.
| NV enemies say thai was cruel. Clrcunl-
| stances compelled me to sanction certain
| acts, but many bad deeds that have been
attributed TO my orders were never KNOWN
| by me until they had been committed.
| Until the final battle OF Placilla | had
| strong homes Of trumphlng over my foes.
| Victory was assured by my generals-Alce-
recca. BarbOsa, and Vel. They all he'd.
| | now know those who only pretended
| friendship for me because Il the money
that was to be gotten out OF me. All the
| money that | have IN my possession Is
| $4,000. My wife gave 1t 10 me on the night
! Of August 2eth.
ADVICE PROM E6AN.
| minister Patrick Egan many times Of
| fered me good advice. lie urged me TO
| make peace with those opposed 10 me and
| to retire from Chile.
| II did not heed his wise advice, for
| thought that he was under the influence
| OF the Junta's orders. who were then
refugees in the American Legation. All
| through the trouble my closest advisers
| were always opposed to any overtureS for
| peace" ,,,
Senior Urriburia. In it Balnaced a says:
| when saw the persecution directed
against me 10y persons who had supported
nv administration came TO the conciu-
| sion that the only way to put an end to
| this persecution was to take my lie, a. l
was the responsible one. Adios, my good
| friend, give my iarewsi 10 HlS "ic aHu
| children"
| The yunta has the Argentine Legation
| guarded by troops to prevent an attack on
| the part of the populace. but everything
| is quiet at Santiago tonight. Balmaceda
| body has been removed to the general
| cemetery. 1t was accompanied by the
| members of the family and friends. The
| : 10 II n
| formed Of his tragic ending by her brother,
| Domingo Zorro
| There is "a guard stationed ut the Gene
| terry. An intendente IL keeping order.
| nryoRED ESCAPES OF BALMAcEDA.
| Since the fall of Valparaiso and the sur
render of Santiago there have been many
| minors about the movements OF Baiina-
| csda II was first believed he had escaped
| from the CAPITAL and had made his way To
the mountains. Most people thought he
had made ms way through one OF the
mountain passes ana that ne "ouiu 10
| next heard FROM III the Argentine Repub-
| lie. A.. .ho A.
| There was another rumor that the ue-
| teated and deposed President bad gone by
snec,al tram to Talcuhuana where no was
exnec,ed to embark on the Imperial and
| escape to some friendly nation. The re;
| mort proved 10 be without foundation, anu
| ipyp,tIGatlOu $50 suOWtu tiA"A ~ ""S az
| nass,Nle Tor him to have escaped through
the snow-blocked passes in the mountains
| to the Argentine Repupilc.
| Tho Government and every one else De-
came convinced finally that the eX-Presi-
dent was still III Chile. There seemed to
general belief that an he a hrd s0v Which rf
VS. supposed he might DO concealed were
searched.
Inst before the San Francisco sailed last
Monday was informed by gentleman IN
! whom [ had confidence and who had on
other occasions given me important infor-
nation which had afterward been officially
confirmed, that Bslm nae al hs sh;o been "Sa
wnnTf soon be safely at sea. 1t was too
late late to 60 on board the San Francisco and
aad pqqS w:s That ancS Ssae Ba
!no' To- fold me of Balmaceda's alleged
disguise dis use as drunken sailor in uniform,
said to have been furnished by Admiral
brown was so circumstantial ana seemed
| <bat I f,,ily believed IL and sent