The Portland daily press., 1892-01-26
NATION |NSULTED!
EcoNTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE1

OAAO ob1ONS3 t'SARNf~S
passing joining in it,.
The testimony of Talbot, an apprentice
who was with Riggin, is that the out
break in which they were involved began
by Chilian sailor splitting in the face of
Talbot, which was resented by a knock
down. 1t appears that Riggin and Talbot
were at the time unaccompanied by any
others of their shipmates.
These two men were beset by a crowd
of Chilian citizens and sailors, through
which they broke their way to a street
car entering it for safety. They were pur-
sued, driven from the car, and
Riggin Was SO Seriously lBeaten
that he fell in the street apparently dead.
There is nothing in the report of the
Chilian investigation made to us that
seriously impeaches this testimony. 1t
appears from Chilian sources that almost
instantly, with a suddenness that strong
ly implies meditation and preparation, a
mob, stated by the police authorities at
one time to number 1000 and at another
1000, was engaged in the assault upon
our sailors, who are represented as resist
ing with stones, clubs and bright arms. :"
The report of the Intendente on Octo-
DCI OO SUtUCo UllebU DOSSttll Np " p
m. in three streets, which are named !;
that information was received at the In
tendentecia at 6.15, and that the police
arrived on the scene at $50, a full half
hour after the assault began. At that
time, he says that mob of 1000 men had
collected, and that for several squares
there was the appearance of ''real bat
tlefield.'' The scene at this point is
very graphically set before us by Chilli
ian testimony. The American sailors
who, after SO long an examination, have
not been found guilty of any breach of
the peace so far as the Chilian authori-
lies are able to discover, unarmed and
defenceless, are
Fleeing for Their Lives,
pursued by overwhelming numbers and
fighting only to aid their own escape
from death or to succor some mate
whose life is in greater peril. Eighteen
of them are brutally stabbed and beaten,
while one Chilian seems, from the report
to have suffered some injury. But how
serious, or with what character of wea-
pom, or whether by a missile thrown by
our men or by some of his fellow rioters,
is unascertainable.
The pretence that our men were fight
ing with stones, clubs and bright arms
is, in view of the facts, incredible.
1t is further refuted by the fact that
our prisoners when searched were +abso-
1utely without arms, only seven knives
being found in the possession of the men
arrested, while there were received by
our men not less than thirty stab wounds
every one of which was inflicted in the
back and almost every confused wound
was in the back or back of the head.
The evidence of the ships officer of the
day is that even the jack knives of the
men were taken from them before leav-
ing the ship.
No amount of evasion or subterfuge is
able to cloud our clear vision of this
brutal work It should be noticed, in
this connection, that the American sail
ors arrested, after an examination, were,
during the four days following the az
rests, every one discharged, no charge of
any breach of the peace or other crimi-
nal conduct having been sustained
against single one of them. 1t has been
stated that all but two of our men said
that the police did their duty.
The evidence taken at Mare Island
shows that if such statement was pro-
cured from our men, it was accomplished
by requiring them to sign writing in a
language they did not understand, and
by the representation that it was mere
declaration that they had taken no part
in the disturbance. Lieutenant McCrea,
who acted as interpreter, says in his evi-
dence that when our sailors were exam
ined before the court, the subject of the
conduct of the police was SO carefully
avoided that he reported the fact to Cap
Lo.x GIL, l.. +r,+ +I,a al
AS to the participation of the police.
the evidence of our sailors shows that
our men were struck and beaten by po-
lice officers before and after arrest, and
that one at least, was
Dragged With Lasso
about his neck and by a mounted police
man. That the death of Riggin was
the result of rifle shot fred by po-
iceman or soldier on duty is shown di-
rectly by the testimony of johnson in
whose arms hewa at the time, and by
the evidence of Charles Langen, not then
a member of the Baltimore's crew, who
stood close by and saw the transaction.
The Chilian authorities do not pretend
to fix the responsibility OF this shot upon
any particular person, but avow their in
ability to ascertain who fired it, further
than that it was fired from crowd.
In report of Capt. Schley to the navy
department. he says:
HIn the only interview that had with
Judge Foster 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 sympathized with the
Balmaceda government on account of
the Itata matter, whether with reason or
without, he could of course, not admit,
but such he thought was the explanation
of the assault at that time.
'sSeveral of our men sought security
from the mob by such complete or par
tial changes in their dress as would con-
ceal the fact of their being seamen of
the Baltimore and found it then possible
to walk the streets withoutmolestation.
These incidents conclusively establish
that the attack was upon the uniform,
the nationality, and not upon the men.
The origin of this feeling was probably
found in the refusal of this government