Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-01-21

l found thirty-five men in Jail and five in
the hospital. The chief of police assured
me that number of tho men would be
released that evening, as there were no
charges against them. Later in the day
l procured the release OF twenty men.
The judge of crimes stated that there
were no charges against the twenty re-
leased, but that the eleven showed
wounds and appeared to have been i'm
plica!ed in the disturbance and might be
wanted in the investigation Of the affair
While was collecting the men to return
to the ship clerk appeared with paper
which he asked the men to sign. / told
them to stop signing, and asked what the
paper was. The clerk replied that it was
a mere formality stating that the men
were not engaged in any disturbance
ashore. The paper was in Spanish. On
the clerks statement ! permitted the
men to sign. I did not read the paper as
was only slightly familiar with the Ian
guage. Monday, October 10, saw Rig
gins burial and tried to have the men in
the hospital released. The Judge refused,
as the men had not been examined. l
was informed by some Of the men sew
eral days later that at the examination
before the judge OF crimes ttey were re-
quired to sign paper written in Spanish
which they were told was mere formal
ity, stating that they had taken no part
in the riot of October 16. 1t becoming
known that the men had signed an ex-
oneration OF the police, asked them
whether they had done So They all
stated that they had not, so far as they
knew.
Lieutenant Henry McCrae, U. S. N,
attached to the Baltimore, testified. On
November 20 conducted nine men OF
the Baltimore's crew to the court at Val
paraiso. l was permitted to be present
as an interpreter. Each in turn testified
to the circumstances of the riot and was
called upon to look at three Chilean sail
ors who were present, and identify them
if possible, as participators in the riot
In no case could our men identify them.
The three Chileans also testified. All
the men signed the testimony, which l
translated to them before they signed it.
December again attended court with
five sailors. A number of Chilean police
and sailors were also present as witnesses.
Evidence was given as before. Wallace
identified one of the Chilean sailors as
man who had jabbed him on the day Of
the riot. Davidson thought he recognized
another Chilean sailor as one of the
armed men whom he saw chasing Ham
ilton with knife. In the examination
of the witnesses the subject of the ac-
tons of the police was studiously avoided.
On the same day was called to serve on
a commission to consider from what arm
the bullet that killed Riggin was fired.
The board consisted OF Chilean naval
officer, Chilean army officer and my
self. We could not agree on a decision.
l reported that, from my investigation, 1
felt certain that the bullet that killed
Riggin was fired from rife or from re-
volver OF over thirty-eight caliber. 1t
was, I believed, from forty-five-caliber
rife--such as is used by the Chilean pc.
lice. l had not seen in Valparaiso any
revolver OF sufficiently large caliber to IN
f1ict such wound. The Chilean officers
thought it was fired from revolver.
Captain w. S. Schley, commanding
the Baltimore, was then called. After
describing his cruise to Chile, he testified !:
While at Callao an agent OF the Amer
lean Cable company called on Admiral
Mccain and requested his aid in secur-