The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-02-05

ian sources that almost instantly, with sud
denness that strongly implies meditation and
preparation, a mob, stated by the police su-
thorities at one time to number 1000 ADD ut
| another, 1000 was engaged in the assault upon
our sailors, who are represented as resisting
with stones, clubs and bright arms" The re-
port of the intendente OF October states that
the fight began at p. m. in three streets which
are named, that information was received at the
intendencia at 6:l5. and that the police arrived
on the scene at $50, full half hour after the
sault began. At that time he says that mob
of 1000 men had collected and that for several
squares there was the appearance Of real
battlefield"
The scene at this point is very graphically set
before us by the Chilian testimony. The Amer
ican sailors who, after 50 long an examination.
have not been found guilty OF any breach OF the
peace, so far as the Gillian authorities are able
to discover, unarmed and defenseless. are flee
ing for their lives, pursued by overwhelming
numbers and fighting only TO cid their own
escape from death or to succor some man whose
life is in greater peril
Eighteen of them are brutaIly stabbed and
beaten while one Chilian seems, from the re-
port, to have suffered some injury; but how
serious or with what character Of q weapon or
whether by missile thrown by our men or by
some of his fellow rioters, is unaSceItained
The pretenSe lhat our men were fighting
with stones, clubs and bright arms" in view OF
these facts is incredible. It is further refuted
by the fact that our prisoners when
searched were absolutely without arms, only
seven penknives being found in the posses
sion OF the men arrested, while there were re-
ceiyed by our men more than thirty stab
wounds, every one of which were inflicted in
the back and almost every confused wound was
in the back or back OF the head The evidence
of the ships of1cer OF the day is that even the
jackknives of the men were taken before leaving
the ship.
As to the brutal nature OF the treatment re-
ceived by our men the following extract from
the account given Of the affair by the La Patria
newspaper of Valparaiso of October IL, cannot
be regarded too gravely.
The Yankees, as soon as their pursuers gave
chase, went by ways of the Gala del Arsenal
towards the city car station. In the presence
of an ordinary number OF citizens, among
whom were some sailors, the North Amer
| leans took seats in the street car to escape
| from the stones which the Chilians threw AT
them 1t was believed for an instant that the
North Americans had saved themselves from
popular fury, but such was not the case.
| Scarcely had the ear begun 10 move when q
crowd gathered around TO stop its progress
| Under these circumstances and without any
cessation OF tlte howling and throwing OF
stones at the North Americans, the conductor
entered the car End, seeing the risk OF the sit
uation to the vehicle told them to get out At
u
shower of stones, the conductor receiving
stone blow on the head. One of the Yankee
/ sailors managed 10 escape in the direction OF
| the Plaza Heright but the other was felled 10
| the ground by stone. Managing TO raise him
self from the ground waere he lay, he staggered
| in an opposite direction from the station. In
| front of the house of Senor Mazzini he was again
wounded"
| No amount OF evasion or subterfuge is able TO
4 cloud our vision Of this brutal work. 1t should
/ be noticed. in this connection. that the Ameri-
can sailors arrested. after an examination
were during the four days following the arrests
| every one discharged no charge or any breach
| of the peace or other criminal conduct hav-
/ ing been sustained against single one Of
them The Judge Of crimes, Foster, in a note TO
the intendente under date OF October p, before
| the dispatch from this government OF the follow
ing day aroused the authorities of Chill to bet
ter sense Of the gravity Of the affair, says:
Having presided temporarily over this court
in regard 10 the searnen of the United States
| cruiser Baltimore, who have been tried On ac-
count Of deplorable conduct which took place
| etc"
The noticeable points here are that every
sailor had been tried before The 22d of October
and that the trial resulted in The aeguittal and