The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-14


Chilean police and sailors were also present
as witnesses. Evidence was given as be-
fole Wallace identified one Chilean sailor
as the man who robbed him on the day OF
the riot Davidson thought he recognized
another Chilean sailor as one Of the armed
men whom he saw chasing Hamilton with
knife. LangdOn thought he recognized an
ether sailor as one Of the mob that attacked
him. but could not swear to 1t. In the eX-
animation Of the witnesses by the court the
su oject OF tie actions OF the police uuIlhg
the riot was studiOuSly avoided. l so re-
ported to Captain Schley. On the same
DAY l was called TO serve on commission
10 consider from what arm the bullet that
killed Riggin was fired. The board con-
sisted of a Chilean naval officer, Cnilean
army officer and myself. We could not
agree Cd decision. / reported that from
nv investigation | felt certain that the
bullet that killed Riggin was fired from
rife or frOm a revolver of over thlrty-elgnt
caliber. Ii was | believed, from forty
five caliber rifle, such as is used by the
Chilean police. / had not seen In Val
paraisO any TevOlYcrS OF sufficiently large
cdliber to in1ict such wound. Inc
Chilean officers thought II was hred from
revolver At the Investigation Oh December
Isl although some new testimony WAS IN
troGuced, The principal object seemed TO be
TO CffeT opportunities to our sailors LOT
Identifying Cb,lean5 who had assaulted
soldiers, sailors and police present.
Lieutenant McCrae testified at length as
TO the ilI-feelug toward Americans. The
Qu.nterOS affair was the greatest cause OF
tll-leeling. After that the refugee, ltata
ana cable questions came IN the order
named. Valparaiso was filled with lies
and exaggerated stories Of all kinds.
CAPTAIN sCHLEY's TESTIMONY.
CAPTAIN ". 5. Scmey, commanding the
Ill md Il.l In "a
was then called. He testified as follows:
The Baltimore first arrived at Valparaiso
April Z, 1891 She remained little over
one month, when she went To lquiQue TO
act ID connection with the ltata matter
During this stay at Valparaiso tie men
were given liberty on shore repeatedly.
There vas 10 trouble Of any kind. Ihe
city at That time WAS under control OF Adj
miral Well IuteBdtnte, and was admirably
administered. During this stay all the
residents were exceedingly cordial TO us.
When we arrived at Iquique 1t was In pos
session Of Tie CungTesSlOnalIStS. Inc peo-
Ule there, though not hostile were decidedly
cool. The Juuta III suITendcring the ltata
stated they ala 50 because they could not
indorse SO palpable violation OF me laws
OF neutrality, nor could they defend lhe ac-
ton of their officers Ia escaping from tie
Ia unicipal au hurlties Of San Diego. Never
tHeless, after her delivery, the Who're tone OF
tie people changed. The papers stated that
the United States was guilty OF an act ot III
Justice winch could never be forgotten or
forgiven. While at CaliaO the agent OF tile
American Gable Company called on Ad-
niTal Mccain aud requested bis AID IN Sc
curing uninterrupted communication by ca
bic between Valparaiso and C0laO. lhe
cable touched at Iqulque on the way be-
tween the ports and the Junts had refused
TO allow messages to pass through. Adj
N raj Mccain instructed me to aid the con-
pany if they wished 20 Put loop 10 the
cable in the sea beyond Chilean jurisdiction.
I consulted with the Consul al lquique, and
finding the Junta obduTate | notified them
that a ca ble-OOat would cut the cable, and
advised them not 10 interfere. l went out
with tie cSUle-b0at and ascertajDcd point
over five miles from shore. The cable-oUat
cut the C bic and put ~ loop.
SCENES OF DISORDER.
81 then lett IQuique and went 10 Caldera.
While there seycra, Chilean vessels came III
and l sent an officer to express nay cOmpli-
meuls. The officer on bOa,dug one vessel
was met TN the saut8t.0n that they all
knew We were B lmaceda's allie. My Of
fyeT said he did not come 10 discuss that
but to convey my compliments left next
day for CuQulmbO, where L saw Admiral
Brown and uu August 2U,A returned 60 a.
paIuiso Wien l arrived there / found
great excitement prevailing and / Thought
j. best not t. give the men leave 20 90
ashore. Within week the battles II ina
del Mar and P.aCiila took place near the
city. The last battle began al 500 O'clock
In The morning ana by $3.50 o clock the bat
tie seemed over and tie BamaCeGlstS Nere
seeking refuge on foreign ships. The larger
number OF The most distinguished sought
refuge Oh the German SHIPS. During the
night tile city was given over TO pilIHge and
rapiue and in the morning over 30 men,
women and children lay dead n the streets
Many fires occurred the same day and
naval force vas landed from the san Fran
cisco to protect the American Consulate,
In q few days they were recalled, and tie
Baltimore sailed Tor M0Uendo, Peru, to land
the refugees aboard. returned at once TO
Valparaiso, where / arrived September
14th. Tie San Francisco at once sailed for
San Francisco. a few days atterwaTd the
American legation at Santiago was sur
rounded by police and every one leaving
there was arrested. Minister Egan at once
sent for ME. went 10 Santiago and con-
suited with him for several days. We finally
sent a vigorous note 10 the Junta. This was
followed by great excitement increased by
report that BalmaCeda had escaped on the
San Francisco. The Chilean authorities
knew this to be false, as Admiral Brown
hai told them that baimaceda was not on
board. Nevertheless, they made no denial
and let the excitement grow.
QUIET AND ORDERLY.
Under the circumstances gave no leave
to Tie men for a long time But as affairs
quieted down a little. and as all the other
men-uf-w8r were giving leave TO men, / al
lowed III men TO 90 on liberty on October
10Th, at 30 O'Clock. This was One-third IF
the ships crew. When the vessel returned
10 Valparaiso, on September 14th. the city
officers had offered 10 me, for myself and
crew, all the cCuTtesies and Inequalities of
the city. At 2:30 O'clock, on October 10th, /
and the First Lieutenant went ashore for
walk. w saw a large number OF our sailors
walking in the streets ! was much I'M
pressed with the cleanliness, s0briety and
good conduct Of the men. The First Lieu
tenant aud l commented on this. Imet
Hamilton, one Of the crew who was
afteIward badly wounded. He was en-
tiTely sober and orderly. l saw also Jerry
Anderson, whO.was afterward stabbed. lie,
too, was sober. l spoke to both men. |
saw Talbot, Rggin, Stewart, Wallace and
Williams, all about 3 o'clock. left shore
for the ship at $40 O'Clock. l had seen
fully seventy of the men on liberty. All
was then quiet. About $3.50 O'clock an
American sea captain came out 10 the ship
with Chilean gentleman and told Us that
an assault had been made on my men. lie
said one had been murdered aud the affair
was dastardly assault on quiet sober, un-
armed men. The young Chilean corrobO-
rated everything.
TRIAL DEMANDED.
THE next day / called on the Intendente
and made urgent demand for the instant
trial # our men that had been arrested.
The Iuteadente stated that the affair had
been turned over to the Judges, and he had
nothing to do with the subject. He re-
ferred NE to the Judge / refused TO deal
with an underlng. That afternoon / wrote
him letter stating that # my men were
shown to be to blame they should be pun
she1, and saying that l hoped similar
action would be taken by the Chileans If
Sears to assist the men before the court
but they refused 10 admit him. The next
day / called on the Judge, and he said to
me: This affair is the direct result of the
hatred felt ny the lower classes to your men
because you sided with the dictator lie
aIteTward qualified the statement by say
ing: 1t might be with reason or without,
/ cannot say This was on the 18th of
ncLnLar lie a.aLaL LL.L La Laa 1879.