Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-25

McCrea, VINO acted as interpreter, says In his
evidence that when our sailors were examined
before the court the subject of the conduct of
the police was SO carefully avoided that he re-
ported the fact to Capt Schley on his return to
the vessel.
The evidences Of the existence of animosity
towards our sailors in the minds of the sailors
of the Chilean navy and of the populace of
Valparaiso are SO abundant and various as to
leave no doubt in the mind of anyone who will
examine the papers submitted. II manifested
itself IN threatening and insulting gestures to-
wards our men as they passed the Chilean
men-of-war in their boats and in the derisive
and abusive epithets with which they greeted
every appearance Of an American sailor on the
evening of the riot Capt Schley reports that
boats from the Chilean war ships several times
went out of their course to cross the bows of
their boats, compelling them to back water.
He complained of the discourtesy and it was
corrected. That this feeling was shared by men
OF higher rank is shown by an in
Baltimore. After the battle of Placila he. with
other medical officers of the war vessels in the
harbor, was giving voluntary assistance to the
wounded in the hospitals. The son of Chi
lean army officer of high rank was under his
care, and, when the father discovered it, he
flew into passion and said he would rather
have his son die than have Americans touch
him, and at once had him removed from tho
ward. This feeling is not well concealed in the
dispatches of the foreign Office and had qIite
open expression III the OlsreSpectful treatment
OF the American legation. The Chilean boat
men in the bay refused, even for large offers of
money, to return our sailors, who crowded the
Mole, to their ship when they were endeavor-
lrS to escape from the city on the night of the
assault The market boats OF the Baltimore
were threatened, and even quite recently the
gig OF Commander Evans, of the Yorktown,
was stoned while waiting for him at the Mole.
TIE ATTACK ANTICIPATED BY cHILEANs.
The evidence of our sailors clearly shows that
the attack was expected by the Chileaa people,
that threats had been made against our men
and that, in one case somewhat early in the aft
ernOon, the keeper of one house. into which
some of our men had gone, closed his establish
ment In anticipation OF the attack which he
advised them would be made upon them as
darkness came on.
In report of Capt Schlcy to the Navy De-
partment he says:
SIN the only interview that had with Judge
roster, who Is Investigating the case relative to
the disturbance, before he was aware of the
entire gravity of the matter, he informed ME
that the assault upon my men was the outcome
OF hatred for our people among the lower
classes, because they thought we had SYM
pathized with the Balmaceda Government on
account OF the ltata matter, whether with rea-
son or without he could. of course, not admit;
but such he thought was the explanation OF the
assault at that time"
Several OF our men sought security from the
MOP by such complete or partial changes in
their dress as would conceal the fact of their
being seamen Of the Baltimore and found it
then possible to walk the streets without mo-
iestatlon. These incidents conclusively estab-
Hsh that the attack was upon the uniform-the
nationaiity-and not upon the meu.
The origin of this feeling is probably found
In the refusal of this Government to give recog-
milton to the Congressional party before it had
established ITSELF in the seizure of the Itata for
an alleged violation OF the neutrality law, in
the cable incident and in the charge that
Admiral brown conveyed information to
Valparaiso OF the landing at Qulnteros. 1t
is not my purpose to enter here any
defense OF the action OF this Government in
these matters. 1t is enough for the present pur
pose to say that if there was any breach of in
ternational comfy or duty ON our part it should
have been made the subject of official complaint
through diplomatic channels or Of reprisals for
which fuil responsibility was assumed. We
cannot consent that these incidents and these
perversions of the truth shall be used to excite
a murderous attack upon our unOtfending sail
ors and the government OF Chile go acquit of
responsibility. In fact the conduct or this
government during the war in Chile pursued
those lines of international duty which we had
SO strongly insisted upon on the part Of other
nations when this country was in tho throes of
civil conflict We continued the established
diplomatic relations with the government in
power until it was overthrow and promptly
and cordially recognized the new government
when 1t Was established. The good Offices of
this government were offered to bring about a
peaceful adjustment and the interposition of
Mr.. Egan to mitigate seventies and to shelter
adherents OF the congressional party were eff
fective and frequent. The charge against Ad-
mirai Brown is too base to gain credence with
any one who knows his high personal and pro-
fessional character.
SEVERAL DISTINCT ASSAULTS.
Recurring to the evidence of our sailors,
think it is shown that there were several dis
tinct assaults and SO nearly simultaneous as to
show that they did not spread from one point.
press summary of the report of the Fiscal
shows that the evidence of the Chilean officials
and others was in conictas to the place of ORIGIN
several places being named by different wit
nesscs as the locality where the first outbreak
occurred. This. II correctly reported. shows
that there were several distinct outbreaks and
SO nearly at the same time as to cause this
confusion.
The La Pdtria, in the same issue from which
l nave already quoted, after describing the
killing of Riggin and and the fight which from
that point extended to the Mole, says:
''At the same time in other streets of the
port the Yankee sailors fought fercely with the
people of the town, who believed to see in them
incarnate enemies of the Chilean navy"
The testimony of Capt. Jenkins of the Amer
lean merchant ship keweenaw, which had gone
to Valparaiso for repairs, and who was witness
the Baltimore, is strongly corroborative of the
testimony OF our own sailors when he says that
he saw Chilean sentries drive back a seaman,
seeking shelter, upon mob that was pursuing
him. The officers and men of Capt. jenkins
ship furnish the most conclusive testimony as
to the indignities which were practiced towards
Americans in Valparaiso. When American
sailors, even of merchant ships. can only secure
their safety by denying their nationally, it
must be time to readjust our relations with q
government that permits such demonstrations
AS TO the participation of the police. the evil
dence OF our sailors shows that our men were
struck and beaten by police officers before and
after arrest. and that one at least was dragged
with lasso about his neck by q mounted
policeman. That the death Of Riggin was the
result of a rifle shot fired by policeman or
soldier on duty is shown directly by the testi-
mony OF Johnson. in whose arms he Was at the
time and by the evidence OF Charles Langen.
an American sailor not then member of the
Baltimore's crew, who stood close by and saw the
transaction. The Chilean authorities do not
pretend to fix the responsibility of this shot
upon any particular person. but avow their
inability to ascertain who fired it, further than
it WAS tired from crowd. The character Of
the wound, as described by ono of the
surgeons Of the Baltimore, clearly sup
ports his opinion that IL was made by rifle
bail, the oritice of exit being much as an inch
or an inch and quarter IN width. When shot
q