The record-union., 1891-06-19
Special to the RrcoRp-uN1ox.


New YORK, June 1S.-A letter dated
June Sth from an agent in Port-au- Prince
of one of the principal merchants in this
city largely interested in the Haytian
trade was received here to-day.
There was at the time, it says, a reign Of
terror in Port-au-Prince, which had then
lasted for nearly fortnight Men were
being executed every day by the
score, and nobody knew when or
how the massacre would end.
On May 30th Hippolyte's soldiers en-
tered by force the Mexican Consulate
and dragged out of the house General
Souli, Rossier Leger Couvin, recently
Minister of Justice under Hippolyte, and
Couvin's brothers. These men were shot
under the cathedral walls
The diplomatic corps, on hearing of the
outrage, at once went in q body TO the
palace and demanded an audience of the
President. Tweedy, acting Consul for
the British Government, was spokesman.
He demanded by what right the Presi-
dent had broken one of the most solemn
obligation Of ono Government to another,
and wanted to know what security the
other Consular houses had, speaking in
unmeaSured terms of the insult offered to
the whole Consular body by the outrage
committed on the Mexican Consulate.
This plain language was not agreeable
to the sable President, who lost his tenn
per and said: us this the way to talk to
me, the President of this country2"
Saying this, Hippolyte turned his back
on the representative, and without a
word, bounced out of the room, slamming
the door behind.
The Consuls looked at one another Gin
actor nichf 1nY1t hpl I,
ened few moments later when they
heard the President playing on fluteSin
the next room.
The Consuls were on the point of re-
turning, when Lacheud, Hippolyte's
Minister of Foreign Affairs, rushed into
the audience chamber and begged the
Consuls to remain. He pointed out
that the President had a great deal of
trouble, and asked them TO make allow
ances for him under the circumstances,
promising at the same time that he would
bring the President back.
The COnsuls waited, and soon the Pres
ldent returned, in company with his
Minister, and said: "Gentlemen, you are
not going2 l was compelled to go out
and give an order to the Commandment"
Then he apologized to the Consuls for the
rude behavior.
The French Consul accepted the apol-
ogy, as representing his country.
The German Consul, however, said that,
though personally he would accept tho
apology, he, as representing the Ger
man Emperor and the empire, must re-
sent the insolent behavior of the Presi-
dent, and that he would certainly report
the affair to his Government.
The English Consul supported his Ger
man associate.
Hippolyte was much frightened over
the turn of affairs, and patted the Ger
man Consul on the back and promised
that nothing of the sort would occur
again. He said he had received tele-
gram from President Diaz of Mexico
authorizing him to enter the Mexican
Consulate and take the rebels who were
seeking shelter there.
The former partisans of Hippolyte are
tired of his cruelty and government, and
his downfall is only question OF weeks.
Some years ago, when a refugee in Ja-
maica, Hippolyte went raving mad, and
was for some time confined in Kings
ton asylum, and was even placed in q
Strai2ht-iaCket,