Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-20
The Former We're Murderers, the
Latter Threw a Stone at
A MAN STABBING A YANKEE TAR.
The Promoter Fiscal at last Makes His
LOng-Expected Report.
MASSES OF CONFLICTING TESTIMONY.

Evans, of the Yorktown, that 1t was un-
able to guarantee the safety of the refugees
on board his ship if he undertook to trans
fer them TO any departing steamers, and
that neither could the Government prevent
any steamer on which thev took passage
from being searched 10 any Chilean port at
which the vessel might touch while on her
way north.
There was no change of mind on the part
of the Chilean authorities in regard to these
refugees. The following statement is from
8 high authority:
The Government of Chile has no right, un-
der the Constitution of the country. to in
terfere with the courts or with the public
prosecutors, and the Government could not
prevent the seizure of the refugees in any
port OF Chile they touched at on their way
In the direction of a neutral port.
The Promoter FiscaPs Report Public.
The report of the Promoter Fiscal to the
Judge of Crimes on the Baltimore affair has
been given to the public This document
contains 5000 words, and says that efforts
were directed from the first to ascertain the
origin of the trouble, but that they were
unavailing.
Several different accounts of the affair were
received. The Commandant of Police states
that the row began in some unknown tavern
in one part of the city. Another witness
states that it began by the American sailors
beating a Chilean sailor in an altogether
different part of the city. The Chilean
police say it began with fight between a
left-handed Chilean sailor and an American.
Last of all, the incident is reported to
have commenced by some Chileans splitting
in the faces of two American sailors in the
street. A crowd nearby was waiting to at
tack them should they resent the insult, so
it was said at the time TIE Baltimore's
men took refuse on a tram car, but the
crowd stopped the car and hauled the men
out, beating them with sticks and stones
and knitting them.
A Host of Conflicting Stories.
The Promoter Fiscal has accepted the
story that the trodble began with the re-
senting by the Americans of the splitting in
their faces bv some Chileans For all that,
my information leads me to believe that the
attack broke ont simultaneously in different
parts of the city, as charged in President
Harrison's message. This is denied by the
ChileanS, and the Promoter closes the in
PRODUCTION to his report by asserting that
the fight owes It's origin to two drunken
Baltimore sailors striking Chilean sailor
He then recounts a list of the injured, and |
says it has only been possible to
establish the culpability of four men.
Many witnesses exist who are as ready to
say that the shot'which killed Riggin was
fired by the>polce as there are that deny it.
Then follows the report of the experts on
the bullet hole. The Promoter saws:
''Opinion is divided on this point among
doctors still, and while they assert their
opinion that it was caused by rife bullet,
it is rejected because they give no reason for
the opinion.
The Bullet Which Killed Riggin.
Drs. Cavallo and Calderon maintain they
cannot tell if bullet caused Higgins death.
Two Chilean experts express the opinion
that the holes in the shilt may have been
made by large-sized revolver, but can give
no opinion as to what caused the holes in
the neckerchief.
Lieutenant McCrea expressed the same
opinion, but says the hole in the shirt was
caused by rife bullet.
The evidence is conflicting as to whether
one or two shots were fired. The Promoter
tries to make strong point in the follow
ing language, in order to demonstrate the
falsity of the assertion of witnesses John
son and Langin:
These bring to mind number OF Incl
dents which admit of no other course but to
reject their evidence. johnson deposes
that he had Higgins head on his breast
when two shots were fired on the group
formed by them, and they produce as proof
the neckerchlef and sailors shirt pierced.by
bullet.
Points Against Johnson's Testimony,
If this had been so, is it possible that a
rifle ball that can perforate several persons
would not have touched him? If what they
assert be true they ought to have exhibited
the blood stains which must have remained
on the shirt. In all his dispositions johnson
torgets this incident, which would have
given greater coloring OF truth to his as
sertions.
He then asks, 'Ts is possible to believe
them?''
The PLAIN answer to this question is the |
unquestioned fact: The bullet passed dag |
onally downward through the loose shirt of !
johnson and into Higgins neck. 1t could |
easily have done so and passed two inches |
from his breast
In the case of Turnbull there is much con- |
flicting testimony, but on the strength of |
the admission by Charles Gomez that he !
used a'knife against Turnbull, and the evil
denee OF two witnesses that Jose Ahumada |
inflicted blows on Americans, and that |
Federico Rodriguez stabbed Riggin in the
hip, they find them guilty, but add that
there is no evidence to show that Turnbull's
death was caused by wounds inflicted by
Carlos Gomez
1he Sentences Recommended.
John Davidson, a Baltimore sailor. is
found guilty Of hitting with a stone one
armed chilean sailor, who was knitting an
American sailor. The final findings were as
follows:
L ask the court to condemn Frederick
Rodriguez TO a minor punishment in the
MINIMUM uegree of from 81 to $40 days:
maximum degree for three wears. Job1, |
Davldson, TO prison in medium degree from 1
10 years TO ID years: Jose Ahumada TO |
prison IN medium degree from wears and |
day to years.
A gentleman who understands the Chilean
people and Government pretty well saws it
is dlflcult 10 say what is the motive of
some OF the Governments conduct unless il
be war Some things can be explained
away and some other things can't, some
times they seem to be bent on making DIFF
fculties and adding insult to injury They
have very good opinion of themselves and
fancy they are very great diplomats. but
they seem to care precious little for the
diplomatic rights of others.
Chilean Ideas of Uncle Sam.
Among some of them, so saws NV inforr,-
ant, the opinion prevails that the United
States would not condescend to fight So in
ferior foe, but among very MANY otbe-.
there exists the insane belief that she wonId
not dare to do so.
One of the latest disclosures is the curious
fact that Thompson, the correspondent of
the London Ii'neS, is trying to sell the