Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-09-25
Failing to Escape From Chill Bal
maceda Shoots Himself
With a Pop.
The Act Committed in a Room
at the Argentine Legation
in Santiago.
A Statement Left by the Unfortunate
E~x-President to 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 $50 a. m. Saturday. Itnow
seems that Balmaceda left Santiago on
Aug. 10 in 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. 2 and went direct
to the Argene;ne legation. After the
disastrous battle neal Valparaiso and
The Surrender of Santiago,
on Aug. 80, in company with ex-Alcalde
Victor E%chauren, he took a carriage and
drove to a point two miles outside the
city. Here a special train Of one car
and a locomotive was in waiting. The
train went at high speed as far as Lin
deros. forty-fve miles south of Santiago.
There more carriages were in waiting.
Hurriedly alighting from the train 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
Torpedo Boat Had Sailed.
Since his return to the Argentine lega-
ton in Santiago, Balmaceda had been
in an extremely condition. No
one, with the exception of the minister
of the Argentine Republic and one other
man who was devoted to the unfortunate
ex-president's cause, was permitted to
talk to Or v see him. All the differ
ent schemes of flight were considered by
the hunted ex-president. Senior Urri-
buria had a long and earnest talk with
Balmaceda relative to the ~latter's ideas,
previously preached, about the advisa-
bility of giving himself up to the junta.
Balmaceda and Senior Urrihuria went
to bed at midnight. Senior Urriburia,
about s o'clock a. H.,
Heard a 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 were heard cries
congratulating the unfortunate Balma-
ceda, that in taking his own life he had
escaped a worse fate. Balmaceda left
the press of the United States a state
ment. AS almost the last declaration of
a dying man it is of especial Importance.
He says:
I acted all during the last eight months
"AOh OAS 4 VII ASSlOu I1lIU l. was IlSlU,
l had no one in the army in whom I could
place any trust. My generals were false
to me. My heart all through this trouble
has been with Chilli. I sought to rescue
country from foreign domination. I
strove to make her the first republic of
America. My enemies say that I was
cruel. Circumstances compelled me to
sanction certain acts, but many deeds that
hQ va hppn ~affpihJfaH 70 INV orIo,,e 1,o,
never known to me until they had been
committed. Inow know those who ONLY
pretended friendship for me because of the
Your minister, Patrick Egan, many times
make peace with those opposed to me and
wise advice, for I thought that he was I'M
der 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.
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. Balmaceda's
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 Zorro. There is a
guard stationed at the cemetery.
Mexican Revolutionists Located.