Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-20


The crowd had drawn back when the
soldiers came up, leaving a clear passage
between Riggin and the soldiers. After
the first shot was fired, the soldiers
pressed forward little, and could not
see the second man who fired, but am
sure it was one of the leading soldiers
who fred"
As many witnesses exist who are
ready to say the shot was fired by the
police, as there are that deny it.
THE BULLET THAT KILLED RIGeIN.
Then follows the report OF the expert
on the bullet hole. He says: "Opinion
ia divided on this point among the doc
tors still, and while they assert the opin-
ion that it was caused by rifle ball, it
is rejected because they give no reason
for the opinion"
Drs. Cavallo and Caldron maintain
that they cannot tell if the bullet caused
Higgins death, and give as the reason
that they saw the body day after
death. This is accepted.
The Chilean experts express the
opinion that the hole in Higgins shirt
had been made by a large-sized revolver.
but can give no opinion as to what
caused the holes in his neckerchief.
Lieutenant McCree expressed the same
opinion, but saws the hole in the shirt
was caused by rifle bullet.
The procurator made strong point of
the fact that the report of the firearms
was 90 slight that Notwithstanding the
evidence that there was great tumult
in the street, there is no evidence of
whether one or two shots were fired.
The procurator tries to make strong
point in the following language, in order
to demonstrate the falsity of the asser-
ton OF Johnson and Langin: "Those
bring to mind a number of incidents
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 fred
on the group formed by them,
and they produce as proof a neckerchief
and sailors shirt pierced by a bullet.
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 depositions Johnson forgets this
incident, which gives greater coloring of
truth to his assertions. !"
He tken asks: 'Is it possible to be-
lieve them?"
The plain answer to this question is a
question of fact. The bullet passed
diagonally downward through the loose
shirt of johnson, and into higgins
neck. It could easily have done so and
passed two inches from his breast.
FINAL FINDINGS.
In the case of Turnbull there is much
conflicting testimony, but on the strength
of an admission by Charles Gomez that
he used knife against Turnbull, and
the evidence of two witnesses that Jose
Aumudha inflicted blows on an Amer
ican and that Federico Rodriguez
stabbed Riggin in the hip, they find
them guilty, but add that there is no
evidence to show thar Turnbull's death
was caused by. the wounds inflicted by
Carlos Gomez.
John Davidson, Baltimore sailor, is
found guilty of hitting with stone a
one-armed Chilean sailor who was knif-
ing an American sailor.
The final findings are as follows: 81
ask the court to condemn Federico Rod
riguez to minor punishment in the min
imum degree, of from 60 to $40 days !;
Carlos Gomez to'minor punishment in
the maximum degree for three years |;
John Davidson to prison, in the medium
degree, from ten to fifteen days; Jose
Armada to prison, in the medium de-
gree, from three years and one day to
five years."
DO THE CHILEANs WANT WAR?
A gentleman who understands the
Chilean people and the government
pretty we'll, says it is difficult to say
what is the motive of some Of the gov
ernment's conduct unless it be war.
Some think it can be explained away,
and others think 1t cannot. Sometimes
they seem bent on making difficulties
and adding insult to injury. They have
very good opinion of themselves, and
fancy they are very great diplomats, but
seem to care precious little for the diplo-
matte rights of others Among some OF
them, SO says my informant, the opinion
prevails that the United States would
not condescend to fight so inferior foe,
but among very many others there
exists an insane belief that she would
not dare to do SO.
aio, MR.. THoAIPsoN's MISCHIEF.
One of the latest disclosures of serious
fact is that Thompson, the correspond
~ent of the London Times, is trying to
sell the Chilean government man Of
war. This man is acting in other direc-
tions. 1t is he who caused to be inserted
in the Chill an papers selections from a
lot of European papers to the effect that
the United States has no navy worth
mentioning, and that Chile could with
no trouble sink all her ships and levy
tribute on San Francisco. The Chileans
when hard pressed are forced to admit
that they would of necessity be COM
PEELED to submit to the United States in
the end, but that their defeat would be
be tempered. and they would be let
down very easy by their superior di-
plomacy.
CHILEAN SHIPS IN FIGHTING TRIM.
The Chilean fleet has had steam up
for the last three or four days, and they
have more or less torpedo practice every
day. The authorities now give out that
the ships are to 60 south for exercise.
The generally accepted rumor, though,
is that they have been ordered to the
straits of Magellan with the intention
Of lying in wait for Admiral Walker and
the white squadron in case he be or
dered to the west coast. This may or
NAV not be true, but there is no doubt
that the ships are in fighting trim and
ready for action.
A BEAR RUMOR.