Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-09
Was the Battle Cry of the
Valparaiso Mob.
The Cowardly Assault on the
Baltimore Sailors.
More of the Injured Men Give Their
. Testimony.
They All Declare That They Did Not Say
the Police Did Their Duty-The
Tars Were All Peaceable
and Sober.
Press DISPATCHES.


VALLEJO, CAL, Jan. S.-The investiga-
ton into the assault on the Baltimore's
sailors in Valparaiso on October 10th
last was continued today by Judge Ad-
vocate Remy and District Attorney Gar
ter. At o'clock two typewriter copies
of the first day and half's proceedings
were mailed in registered letters to the
secretary of the navy at Washington.
The facts adduced today, while mostly
in corroboration OF yesterday testimony
regarding the murder of Riggin, also
brought forth more, strongly than ever
the fact that the assault had been
planned beforehand. At the same time
Riggin was lying on the pavement while
two policemen idly watched the mob
plunging knives into his back, two
negro coal-heavers in distant part of
the city were flying before mob of
Chilean men-of-war's men, who finally
overlook them, stabbed one and robbed
the other of all his money. Another
man in still third part of the district
was chased and thrown into the bay,
and would have been drowned but for
the protection given him by French
naval officer.
Tie only thing to the credit of the
Chileans 80 far, is that a squad of army
officers escorted five or six OF the Balti-
more sailors to the wharf and sent them
aboard their ship. The claim made by
the procurator fiscal OF Valparaiso that
all but two witnesses testified that the
police had done their duty, has been
completely demolished. OF seven wit
II Exya ofoka hat
they testified to the exact contrary be-
fore the Chilean court.
1t is also becoming evident that the
Baltimore men were really sober when
on shore that October afternoon. Not
only do they assert this themselves, but
the statements of their officerA and the
Characters of the men prove it. Captain
Schley says he saw number OF them
only twenty minutes before the row be-
gan, and was astonished to see how sober
and we'll behaved they were. Forty
three of the men who were ashore were
petty officers, and all were men who re-
>ceived special privileges on account OF
long continued good conduct. All had
regulations to lose. The petty officers
were men promoted to that rank for
efficiency, long service, sobriety and
general good conduct, and are not ac-
customed to get drunk.
Charles Langen, a seaman, was the
first witness today. He enlisted on the
Baltimore in Valparaiso week after
the assault on the sailors. He said he
had been on the Marryatt, vessel
wrecked on the beach ten days before
his enlistment. Langen WAS in the
International hotel with Johnson. He
left the hotel few minutes before
johnson, and witnessed the assault on
Riggin and Talbot. The crowd was
armed with knives. They knocked
Riggln down. Langen pulled them off
and Riggin rose and ran, but was fol-
lowed and again knocked down. and
while on the ground Langen saw man
stab him twice in the back with a
him and struck him. The man who
stabbed Riggin first, wore the uniform
of Chilean man-of-wal's man. The
crowd consisted of about forty men, in
Guiding fifteen Chilean sailors. No
police were present at the first, but
after Rlggin rose the first time, two
policemen came up, drew short swords
and knocked him down again. They
then stood back and let the
crowd stab and maui him. Rig
gin seemed to be asking protection
of the policeswhen they knocked him
down. After this Langen fed, the
crowd stoning him. He met some Bal
timore sailors and warned them to flee.
The crowd came up and stoned them,
knocking Hamilton down in the gutter
and rendering him unconscious.
Langen continued: "About half an
hour after Riggin was stabbed went
back to the place and saw squad OF
soldiers approaching. They were
marching by twos with mounted Off
GER. The wore the regular Chilean army
uniform, consisting OF red pants, blue
coats and red caps. The officer was
dressed entirely in blue. They marched
right up to within six feet OF where
johnson was holding Riggin in his arms.
There they halted and the first two SOL
diers leveled their rifles and fred at the
two sailors. 1 was about fifteen feet
off to one side; no one was between me
and them, the crowd being back of the
soldiers at that moment. No other
shots were fred by any one. l saw the
soldiers distinctly level their rifles at
the Baltimore men and fire. The crowd
had drawn back when the soldiers came
up, leaving a clear passage between
Riggin and the soldiers. After the first
buOb WAS uICO3 btlC oOiNiOic PASboSA AoA
ward little, and l could not see the
second rifle fired, but am sure it was the
other leading soldier that fired at this
time.'
The next witness was J. B. Larsen, a
seaman. He had lived in Valparaiso
for few months before enlisting on the
Baltimore in May last. On October
10th he went ashore with the o'clock
party. Near the wharf he met friend
named George Smith, resident of Val
paraiso, who warned him not to remain
out after dark, as the Chileans were
preparing to mob the Baltimore men.
After wandering around town while,
he met P. johnson and others of the
Baltimore sailors who told him fight
was going on down town, and advised
him not to 60 down. This was about 6
O'Clock. He disguised himself, how
ever, in a citizens coat and hat, and
went to the plaza. On the way he passed
squad Of soldiers with mounted
officer. He thought this was about
twenty minutes before Riggin was shot.