The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-12-03
AFFAIRS AT VALPARAISO.
The Brutal Treatment shown the Cruiser Balti.
m0re's Men.

The Brutal Treatment Shown the Cruiser Balti-
more's Men.
One Of the best accounts OF the massacre of
United States sailors at Valparaiso, Chile, by a
mob, assisted by the police, is contained ia a
Baltimore, to his father, who is a prominent
business man Of Chicago. The letter is dated
Oct 90, and throws a food Of light upon the
whole affair. Ensign Wells says:
''Since writing last there have been occur
rences here which for US are Of the most excIt-
ing nature Since we were in COquimbO. along
in the middle Of August. our men have had no
liberty whatever. The state Of affairs here Las
been such that il was believed unwisc TO allow
them on shore and in consequence they have
been kept on board. The Captain has been
anxious 10 give them a run, but feared 20 do so
previous 70 several days ago. Before letting
them 90 he went to the police and requested
that in case there should be any trouble our
men would be protected. This, believe, was
assured, and on the 10th the men went ashore
during the afternoon, and were seen strOlling
about the streets in quiet and orderly man
ner.
"About o'clock one Of our very best men,
n boatswain's mate, had some words with a
Chilean sailor, although no blows or anything
Of that sort had passed between them. About
this time another Of our men came up and said
sor1eihug, when the Chilean turned on him
and spit in his face and was promptly knocked
down. This precipitated a row, and.s0on these
two men Of ours were surrounded and probably
blows iuterchanged between them and crowd
gathered, consisting Of Chilean sailors. rOughs,
b0atmen, outnumbering them 40 to one. The
bOatswain's mate (Isiggin by namej was stabbed
in the neck, and our other man, fearing q like
fate. started 10 run, but was pursued by the
mob and vas stabbed. He has seven wounds
/ think. Meanwhile Riggin had sunk to the
ground from the loss of blood and the crowd
had gone away. Another Of our men came
along about this time and picked Riggin up in
his arms TO carry him away, when a squad Of
police am informed, came along and fired at
them. The shot passed through the shirt of the
man who was holding Riggin, and piercing
Higgins neck lodged uador his shoulder blade.
The other man, seeing these brutes starting to
load again. dropped Riggin aud ran. The next
we hear Of Riggin is that lie was seen in a cart,
dying. Some Of the crowd got up on the cart
and said something about Yankee. etc. The
poor fellow died shortly afterward.
1--WE have found people who saw the shot
fired and say that they could identify the
policeman who did il. About p. m. one Of
our men was brought of, stabbed twice in the
back. one Of the wounds penetrating the lung.
Ali that night this bowling mob were.after our
men and caught them siugly, and brutally beat
I
saw mob after one man, saw him knocked
down and big rock flung on his head. He is
now IN the hospital with u stab wound in the
back and one in the abdomen. We have another
man stabbed in the lung from the back. He
/ was arrested and stabbed from behind while
the police were dragging him to the station.
/ So was the man | mentioned above with the
wounds in the back and abdomen. Then we
| have three others in the hospital badly stabbed
/ These are the serious eases inciose our sick
list as a curiosity, showing part OF the men that
/ were wounded. We have a lot of men in jail
who are held-nObody knows what for.
"The whole thing was brutality and eowardly
/ and should receive the attention it deserves.
| am sure none of our boys expected any diff
Guilty, but were set upon without warning, aad
don't lose sight of the fact that Riggin was
shot by policeman while probably dying from
| his stab wound. Several others of our men
while running away to save their lives, were
| cut at by officers with swords. Our men were
| held up aud robbed in broad daylight in the
| streets of Valparaiso. Yesterday, while one Of
our officers was walking down to the landing
he was spit at. This morning, even, l believe
! our Stewards were molested to such an extent
that they are not TO be allowed 20 20 on shore
| aud we shall have TO depend for our provis
ions on some man who will bring them Off Il
the ship. Besides all this there are dozen o
other little things that go to make us no
under the collar such as splitting on the flag
Of our boats while at the landing, etc. On
of our men was kicked in the head while ii
the boat. The night of the disturbance on
man was so hard pressed that he jumped OFF tn
landing, aud stones were thrown ut him Will
in the water. When n boat from an American
merchant ship tried TO pick him up stones wer
thrown at il and il was driven OF. The police
from all accounts, Allotted the whole thing ant
this would make the Government responsible
for il. / inelose the report Of sick. after we go
portion Of the men off. 1t is bad enough 70
a regular battle"