Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-26
THE PRESIDENT TO CONGRESS.
[Continued from Seventh Paqe. !

his offense being, so far asI have been able
to ascertain, that he attempted to defend a
shipmate against an assailant who was
striking him with knife. The perfect vfndi-
cation of our men is furnished by this re-
port; one only is found to have been guilty
of criminal fault, and that for an act clearly
justifable.
As to the part taken by the police in the
affair the case by Chile it also far from salts
factory. The point where Riggin was killed
is only three minutes walk from the police
station, and not more than twice that dis
cording to their official report full half
hour elapsed after the assault began before
the police were upon the ground.
Statements Obtained Under Compulsion.
1t has been stated that all but two of our
mon have said that the police did their duty.
The evidence taken at Mare Island shows
thatif such statement was procured from
our men it was accomplished by requiring
them to sign writing in a language they
did not understand, and by the representa-
tion that it was mere declaration that they
had taken no part in the disturbance. Lieu
tenant McCrea. who 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 reported that fact to Cap
tain Schley on his return to the vessel
The evidences of the existence OF ami
mostly toward our sailors in the minds or
the sailors of the Chilean navy and of the
populace of Valparaiso are so abundant ana
various as to leave no doubt in the mind OF
anyone who will examine the papers sub
mitted. 1t manifested itself in threatening
and insulting gestures toward our men as
they yassed the Chilean man-of-war in their
boats, and in the derisive and abusive
epithets with which they greeted every ap-
pearance of an American sailor on the even
ing OF the riot. Captain Schley reports tha6
boats from the Chilean war ships several
times went out of their course to cross the
hrrrr 1. + AIay,. A<Nh ho o0l
water. He complained of the discourtesy,
and it was corrected.
That this feeling was shared by men OF
higher rank is shown by an incident related
by Surgeon Stitt, of the Baltimore. After
the battle of Placilla, he, with other medical
officers of the war vessels in the haroor, was
giving voluntary assistance to the wounded
in the hospitals. The son of Chilean
officer 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 the ward.
This feeling is not well concealed in the dis
patches of the foreign Office and had quite
open expression in the disrespectful treat
ment of the American legation. The
Chilean boatmen in the bay refused, even
for large offers OF money, to return our
Sailors who crowded the mole, to their ship
when they were endeavoring to escape from
the city on the night of the assault. The
market boats of the Baltimore were threat
ened, and even quite recently the gig or
Commander Evans, of the Yorktown. was
stoned while waiting for him at the mole.
The Attack Not Unexpected.
The evidence of our sailors clearly shows
that the attack was expected by the Chilean
people, that threats had been made against
our men and that in one case somewhat
early in the afternoon the keeper of one
house into which some of our men had gone
closed his establishment in anticipation of
attack which he advised them would be
made upon them as darkness came on.
In report OF Captain Schley to the Navy
Department he says: "ln the only inter-
investigating the case, relative to the dis
turbance before he was aware of the entire
gravity of the matter, he informed me that
the assault upon my men was the outcome
or hatred for our people among the lower
classes because they thought We had
sympathized with the Balmaceda Govern
ment on account ofthe 1tata matter, whether
with reason or without he could of course
not admit; but such he thought was the ex-
PLANTATION of the assault at that time"
Several of our men sought security from
the mob 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 molestation. These incidents con-
clusively establish that the attack was upon
the uniform-the nationality, and not upon
the men.
The origin of this feeling is probably
found in the refusal of this Government to
give recognition to the Congressional party
before it has 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
to Valparaiso of the landing at
QuinteroS 1t is not my purpose to en-
ter here any defense of the action of this
Government in these matters. 1t is enough
for the present purpose to say that If there
was any breach of international comfy or
duty on our part, it should have been made
the subject of official complaint through
diplomatic channels, or of reprisals tor
which full responsibility was assumed.
Not Time to Allow Rubbing In.
We cannot consent that these incidents
and these perversions of the truth shall be
used to excite murderous attack upon our
sailors and the Government of
Chile go acquitted of responsibility. In
fact, the conduct of this Government DUR
ing the war in Chile pursued those lines of
duty which had been so
strongly insisted upon the part of
other nations when this country was in the
throes of civil conflict. We continued the
diplomatic relations with the
in power until it was over
and promptly and ordially recog-
nized the new Government when it was es-
tablished. The good offices of the Govern
,nent were offered to bring about q peace
full adjustment, and the interposition Of Mr..
Egan to mitigate seventies and to shelter
adherents of the Congressional party were
effective and frequent. The charge against
Admiral Brown is too base to gain credence
with anyone who knows his high personal
and professional character.
Several Distinct Assaults.
Recurring to the evidence of our sailors
I think it is shown that there were several
distinct assaults, and SO nearly simultane-
Gus as to show that they did not spread from
one point. A press summary of the report
of the Fiscal shows that the evidence of the
Chilean officials and others was in conflict
Rs TO the place of origin, several places being
named by different witnesses as the locality
where the first outbreak occurred. This, II
reported, shows that there were
several distinct outbreaks and so nearly at
the same time as to cause this confusion.
The La IPGtriG, in the same issue from
which 1 have already Quosed, after describ-
ing the killing OF Riggin 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 fiercely with
the people of the town who believed to see
in tnem ncarnate enemies of the Chilean
navy" The testimony of Captain Jenkins
of the American merchant ship Keweenaw,
which had gone to Valparaiso for repairs,
and who was a witness to some part of the
assault upon the crew of the Baltimore, is
strongly corroborative of the testimony of
our sailors. when he says that he saw Chilean
sentries drive back seaman seeking
shelter upon a mob that was pursuing him.
The officers and men of Captain Jenkins
ship furnish the most conclusive testimony
as to the indignity which were practiced
toward Americans in Valparaiso. When
American sailors even if merchant ships
can only secure their safety by denying
their nationality, it is time to readjust our
relations with Government that permits
such demonstrations.
Struck and saten by Policemen.
AS to the participation OF the police, the
evidence OF our sailors shows that our men
were struck and beaten by police officers