Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-14

obtain the release of our men in the jail
and hospital. / found sixty-one men in
jail and five in the hospital. The chief
OF police assured me a number OF the
men would be released that evening as
there were no charges against them.
Later in the day procured the release
OF twenty men. The judge OF crimes
offered to release the rest If / would
guarantee their return if wanted by the
Chilean court. / declined to give the
guarantee, and eleven men were re-
tanned in Jail. The judge stated that
there were no charges against the
twenty released but that the eleven
retained showed wounds and appeared
to have been implicated in the disturb
ance and might be wanted in the in
vestigation of the affair. While / was
collecting the men to return to our ship,
clerk appeared with paper which he
asked the men to sign. | told them to
stop signing and asked the man what
the paper was. He replied that it was
a mere formality stating that the men
were not engaged in any disturbance
ashore. The paper signed was in Span
ish. On the clerks statement per-
mitted the men to sign it. did not
read the paper. / was only slightly
familiar with the Spanish language.
Next day returned to the Jail 10 at
tend to the comfort of the men and to
secure their release if possible. L
pressed the judge to hurry the investi-
cation, but got no satisfactory reply.
Monday, Oct. 10Th, saw Higgins
burial and tried to have the men in the
hospital released. The judge, refused,
as the men had not been examined.
Next day. October 10th, | was sent by
Captain Schley to attend the examina-
tion of the eleven men. l was present
when few preliminary questions were
asked by the clerk of the court, but
when they were taken before the Judge
was not permitted to be present, on
the ground that examination was secret.
In the evening the men were released.
Captain Schley had given guarantee
for the return of any OF them that might
be wanted by the court. 1 was informed
by some of the men several days later
that at the examination they were re-
CURED to sign a paper written in Span
ish, which they were told was a mere
formality, stating they had taken
no part in the riot of the 10th
of October. 1t becoming reported that
the men had signed an exoneration. I
asked them whether they had done so.
They all stated that they had not, so
far as they knew. When first, on Oc-
tober 18th, saw the articles alleged to
have been taken from our men by the,
police, there was among them several
pocket knives. small revolver. two
short knives and an iron pestle four
inches long. Later, on October Goth, /
was again shown these articles. They
then consisted of seven pocket knives
and an iron pestle, and l was told those
we're all the weapons it was charged had
been found on our men. None of those
knives could properly be called weapons.
The men were searched before they ar
rived at the prison."
LIEUTENANT M'cREA's EVIDENCE.
Henry McCrea, lieutenant, U. S. N,
attached to the Baltimore, testified as
follows: son October 18th went to
the police station, saw the Judge OF
crimes and asked why our men were ar
rested, and If they could not be released.
He replied that they could not go until
an investigation was held. On Novem-
Der Goth conducted nine men OF the
Baltimore's crew to court at Valparaiso.
l was permitted to be present as inter
prefer. Each in turn testified to the
circumstances OF the riot, and was called
upon to look at three Chilean sailors
who were present, and identity them, if
possible, IS participators in the riot. In
no case could our men identity them.
The three Chi.eans also testified. The
testimony Of the men was dictated to
writer from the judges notes.
/ remained listening to this
dictation, while the men were allowed
to go out in the plaza for dinner. The
dictation lasted three hours. Then the
men were recalled, and / at once no.
ticed that one of them, named McWill-
Jams, was drunk. All the other men
signed their testimony, but McWilliams
was too drunk to do so. | translated
each mans testimony to him before he
signed it. On December 1st I again at
tended court with five sailors. A num-
ber OF Chilean police and sailors were
also present as witnesses. he evidence
was given as before. Wallace identified
one Chilean as one who robbed him on
the dav of the riot. Davidson thought
he recognized another Chilean sailor as
a one-armed man whom he saw chasing
Hamilton with a knife. Langdon
thought he recognized another sailor as
one Of the mob that attacked him, but
could not swear to,it. In the examina-
tion of the witnesses by the court the
subject of the actions of the police dur
ing the riot was studiously avoided.
THE BULLET THAT KILLED RIGGIN.
"On the same day Twas called to serve
on commission to consider from what
arm the bullet that killed Riggih was
fired. The board consisted OF Chilean
naval officer, Chilean army officer and
myself We could not agree on de-
cision. | reported that IRON my in
vestigation ielt certain that the bullet
that killed Riggin was fred FROM rifle,
or from revolver OF SO caliber. 1t was,
believed. from As calber rife. such
as is used by the Chilean police had
not seen in Valparaiso any revolver of
sufficiently large .aliber to inAict such
a wound. The Chile an officers thought
it was fred from a revolver"
CAPTAIN scHLEY TAKES THE STAND.
Capt. w. Schley, commanding the
Baltimore, was then called. He testified
as follows. HTha Baltimore Fl rat arrived