Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-20
HOME FROM CHILL.
Talk with Admiral Brown of the
San Francisco.
INCIDENTS OF HIS SOUTHERN TRIP.

Inc aofu saw from fNonle 10
the News'' Inustrated-The Escape of
Colonel yidaurre-- Compliments for
Einister Esan-That Lively Herald
.sorrespoudent-AnI Impossible Task
Uncle Sam aud Honoluiu-An Enter
prisins Revolutionist Wants a show.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 20 Admiral
Brown. of the cruiser San Francisco,
when approached for an interview said:
sWe bring very little news In fact, al
most everything that happened was
known in the United States before it be-
came public in Chill. Correspondents of
American papers would telegraph news
TO New York and then it would be tele-
graphed back to Valparaiso aud appear in
the afternoon papers, The San Francisc
arrived from Valparaiso yesterday morn
ing. Admiral Brown says she behaved
splendidiy all through her voyage.
A Case of Mistaken Identity.
Admiral Brown was reminded of the
report that Balmaceda had succeeded in
getting on board the San Francisco and
replied:
oh it was simply case of mistaken identi-
ty. They thought Colonel vidaurre was the
president. The people of Valparaiso would
have been almost as well pleased 10 have
either of them got into the hands of their enc
mics their lives would not have been worth n
moments pnrchase. They would have been
torn limb from limb. Colonel Vidaurre was
president of the court that ordered twenty
college boys shot. The boys had formed an
organization favoring the insurgents, and they
were found out Many escaped, but about
twenty were shot This aroused the people to
state of frenzy and made them egsr to Sc
cure Vidaurre He dressed himself up as n
fix.rsar
reach our ship. He was accompanied by one
of his officers, and we landed both them in
Peru"
Defense of Minister Esan.
Minister Egan has been very severely criti-
cised for the way he has conducted affairs in
Chill, and it is said that Americans are thor
oughly disliked in consequence Do you know
anything about it?''
Il know this much: Minister Egan conducted
himself in the most dignified manner ON all
occasions. He saw that all respect was paid
to his country's flag, and acted on many trying
occasions with great tact and Judgment From
what saw while in Chilli Americans are as
well liked as any other nationality. / under
stand that both Minister Egan and myself
were criticised for not sending word of the
taking of Valparaiso, but the wires were down,
SO how could we send a dispatch? The only
message which got through was sent by a
reporter named Wolf.
How Wolf Got His Telegram OF
He is a San Francisco man and credit to
his profession. After the city was taken a
reign of terror ensued. Soldiers tore off their
uniforms and began firing on friend aud foe
Every house and shop shut up and tn
operators fed from the telegraph office. Toward
evening u iull in the killing took place and the
streets were partly cleared. Wolf slipped
ashore. interviewed q number of people
hunted up telegraph operator, and got his
dispatch away. a few moments after the dis
patch had been sent the firing broke out again,
and the mob cut the telegraph wires and
burned down a number of poles.
Bennett's Order to Wolf.
at took me twenty'-seven hours with the aid
of the police TO get the break repaired. and
then sent on my communication to the gov
ment. The wires to Santiago were also cut
so Minister Egan could not telegraph. either.
The condition of affairs in Chill at that time
does not appear TO have been very well under
stood. For instance, James Gordon Bennett
of the New York Herald, telegraphed Wolf
after the fall o: Valparaiso as follows: Find
Balmaceda and interview him. As about 3d.
600 Chilians were at that moment seeking the
same man and thirsting for his blood, Wolf
was in a dilemma. He did his best, however,
. but of course failed. Balmaceda was at that
time in hiding in Santiago.
Absurd stories Telegraphed.
ave were at Iquique when the Itata put in,
and we seized her according to instructions.
Some of the stories telegraphed to San Fran
cisco were very ridiculous. For instance, you
had Iquique bombarded several times. The
nearest any man-of-war ever came to the
place was about five miles. We could hear
firing, but we never even saw the splash of one
of their missi 'es in the water. After the cap
ture of Valparaiso and the final surrender of
Balmacedas troops, many of his most promi-
nent adherents took refuge on the San Fran
cisco, and We afterward landed them at
Callao. .s
Twenty Refugees on the Ship.
ave had about twenty of them on board at
one time among them being the wife. four
daughters and two sons of Admiral Well the
intendente of Valparaiso; Julio Banados Es-
pnos, Balmaceda's minister of foreign affairs:
Senator Domingo Godoi, minister OF Justice;
Ismael Perez Montt minister of war; Manuel
Diaz; Daniel Balmaceda, brother of the presi-
dent, and q number of others. Some of these
have found their way back to Chill, hut Others
will make Peru their home for some time to
come" =
OUR FLEET AT HONOLULU.