The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-20
The clustering Republic Agrees
to Make Reparation.
MESSAGE ETocoNeREss DELAYED
England Tenders Good Offices in
Smoothing Over the Difficulty.
Now That Likelihood OF War IL Over,
Valiant Men Are RattIing Their
swords-why the Refugees Were Not
Guaranteed Safety.

WASHINGTON CRY, JAM 19.-The Post
VIII say tomorrow that it is learned on
good authority that the state department
has received information from the Chilean
government that that country is ready and
willing to make reparation for all losses to
life, limb and honor suffered by
Americans, but the dispatch or let
ter was couched in such terms as
to be unsatisfactory; also that at dinner
given by Bourke Cochran to Senator Hill,
at which about dozen leading Democratic
congressman We're present, nearly all the
conversation turned upon the prospect of
war. At times it developed into stirring
debate, the Southern members declaring
themselves for war and saying that should
1t take place the South would uphold
the presidents hand to the full
est extent, and that from no other
section would the government receive
such support as from south of Mason and
Dixon's line. Congressman Coombs, of
Brooklyn, said this country should make
no attempt to crush little republic now
in state of anarchy. The difference of
opinion, considering the localities from
which the debating came, was very inter
esting, but majority of the gathering
were decidedly for war.
VALPARAISO. Jan. 19.-lNew York World
Special, Copyrighted, 1892. THE Chilean
fleet has had steam up for the last three or
four days, and they have more or less tor
pedo practice every day. The authorities
now give out that the ships are TO go south
for exercise. A generally accepted rumor,
though, is that they have been ordered 10
the Straits of Magellan with tn 2 inten-
tion of lying in wait for Admiral Walker
and the white squadron in case he should
be ordered TO the west coast. This may or
may not be true, but the ships are in fight
ing trim and ready for action.
The report of the procurator fiscal to the
judge of crimes in the Baltimore affair
has been given to the public, and there
has been time to examine it. This docu-
ment contains 5000 words, and says efforts
were directed from the first to ascertain the
origin of the trouble, but were unavailing.
Several different accounts of the affair
were received. The commandant of police
states that the row began in some -un-
known tavern in one part of the city;
another witness says it began by Amer
ican sailors beating Chilean
sailor in an altogether different
part of town; the Chilean police say it be-
gan Will hSul DctWttn ielt-Aduucu
Chilean sailor and an American, and last
of all the incident has been reported as
having commenced by some ChiIeans spit
ting in the faces of two American sailors
in the street. The crowd near by was wait
ing to attack them should they resent the
insult. So it was said at one time the
Baltimores took refuge on tramear, but
the crowd stopped the car and took the
men out, beating them with sticks and
stones, and knitting them. The procurator
fiscal has accepted the story that the trouble
began with the resenting by Americans
of splitting in their faces. For all that my
information leads me TO believe the attack
broke out simultaneously in different
parts Of the city, as charged in President
Harrison's message. This is denied by
the Chileans, and the procurator closes
the Introduction of his report by asserting
that the fight owes its origin TO two
drunken Baltimore sailors striking a
Chilean sailor. He then recounts the list
injured, and said it was only necessary to
establish the culpability of four men.
The testimony of James Johnson and
Charles Langin, two of the Baltimore's
crew, whose testimony was taken here, was
rejected in the following language:
How is IL, II, as Johnson deposes, they left the
house together aud went together TO the scene
of the occurrence, that II results that they did
not know each other, nor had they spoken TO
each other until they met at the scene OF Boat
swain's Mate Higgins death? How is il that
before knowing Langin he deposes that on the
day OF the occurrence they were dining together
in boarding house? Johnson also says that on
the day OF the occurrence he dined, together
with Langin, in an eating house on cochrane
street Moreover, ie il possible that the act of
raising wounded man and knowing If he
walks or not could pass unobseryed under such
or any other circumstances?
The conclusion is drawn that persons
who indulge in such inconsistencies are
not worthy of belief. He says further,
that their testimony is contradicted by
that of numerous witnesses, which fully
proves il is not possio e TO attribute Rig
gins death 10 the police, but that il was
the work of some unknown person thus
far undetected. The procurator continues:
will add that the testimony OF those numer-
Gus witnesses is full OF Inconsistencies. as is
that OF Johnson and Langin. Further, their
testimony confirms much OF Johnson's and
Iangin's relative to the raising of Riggin, cali
ing for liquor, holding Higgins head on John
sons shoulder hearing shots, etc. But no one
testifes who fired the shot
Langin's testimony is substantially this:
When RiggIn rose the first time two police
men came up. They drew short swords and
knocked him down again, then stood him back
aud let the crowd beat him Afterward q squad
OF soldiers approached and marched by tg0s,
under command Of mounted officers. They
marched to within SIX feet Of where Johnson
was holding Riggin in his arms. There they
halted and the nrst two soldiers leyeled rifles
and fired al two American sailors. I was
about fifteen feet on one side. No one was
between me and them, the crowd being back Of
the soldiers at that moment No other shots
were fired by any one / distinctly saw the
soldiers level their rifles al the Batimors's men
ami fire. The crowd had drawn back when tie
soldiers came up. leaving clear passage be-
tween Riggin ana the soldiers. After the hrst
shot WIS Il red the soldiers pressed forward a it-
tie, and / could not see the second man who
fred but am sure il was one OF the leading
soldiers who fred
As many witnesses exist who are ready
To say the shot was tired by the police as
there are that deny. Then follows the re-
port of the expert on the bullet hole. He
says:
opinion is divided on this point among doc
tors still and while they assert the opinion that
il was caused BY rife bullet IL Is rejected be-
cause they give no reason for the opinion.
Doctors Cavallo and Calderon maintain
that they cannot tell il the bullet caused
Higgins death, and give as reason that
they saw the body the day after death
This Is accepted. Two Chilean experts ex-
press the opinion that the holes in the
shirt may have been made by large
sized revolver. but can give no