Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-08

kept about four days, and then sent to
the Baltimore. While there we
were examined as to the
row by government officials Of
some sort. We gave an account, but
l was not required to sign it. No charge
was made against me by the police for
misconduct. l never made any state
ment to any one approving OF the action
of the Chilean police on the occasion of
the riot. All the Baltimore sailors were
sober, as far as could see. On other
occasions when we we're ashore people
would shake their fists and make faces
at US. / was stabbed twice, once in the
back and once in the shoulder, and was
in the hospital torty-five days. None
eqcept American sailors were attacked
by the mob"
The next witness was James M.
Johnson, armorer of the Baltimore,
who has been in the navy nine years.
He was one of the liberty party on the
day of the assault. He told the follow
ing story of his experience: Sat $50
1 went into restaurant and boarding
house owned by Peter Nelson. While
sitting there was told they were kill
ing our men outside and warned not to
go out. went up stairs and looked out
of a window and saw the street car
stopped at the corner. A man was
lying dowmin the middle of the street.
Two or three policemen and a mob of
citizens were around him. They were
stabbing him in the back as he lay
there The police made no effort to
stop them, though present. left the
hotel and went to the place. The man
was Boatswain's mate Riggin. turned
him over, and he seemed to be dead,
but I found his pulse still
family beating. I gave him glass
of liquor and a moment after, he re-
yived and said: For Gods sake, John,
take me out of this before they kill mel
lifted him and tried to draw him to
side when saw squad of soldiers ap-
preaching, followed by a bowling mob.
When only six feet away the soldiers
fred two shots; one grazed my cheek;
the other bullet struck Riggin in the
neck and his head fell from my shoul-
der as if his neck was broken. I had
backed against a wall. Seeing Riggin
was dead laid him down and slipped
off to side, past the soldiers and got
back, into the boarding from
which saw the row. The first shot
fred by the soldiers SO blinded me by
the smoke, that l did not see the man
who fred the second shot at the
time he fired, but | did see
smoke come out of his
rife, and am sure it was soldier.
heard no other shots fired. Nelson,
who keeps the boarding house, gave me
disguise in which | reached a place of
safety, where l remained all night.
Next morning several of the Baltimore's
s1~~ .v,ko 10
new mob. Several Chilean army
officers were there and they escorted the
sailors down to boat and sent them
aboard the Baltimore. The men who
fired the shots were soldiers. They
wore red pants and blue coats and were
armed with rifles. The policemen, on
the contrary, wore blue entirely and
carried sword bayonets."
At the close of the examination of
Johnson he testified that he and the
crew of the, Baltimore had been warned
a week before not to go ashore, as
the Chileans were laying" for them.
He disguised himself in citizens clothes
the morning of October 18th, and was
not molested. This was because he was
not recognized as an American Tor.
Chilean boatmen refused to put him on
board the Baltimore, though he offered
$40 for 81 trip. They gave as the
reason that he was an American sailor.
Johnson also said that he had refused
to express an opinion favorable to the
conduct OF the Valparaiso police, though
asked to do so on two occasions.
The investigation will probably last
at least week, although efforts are be-
ing made to hasten it. There are two
stenOgraphers and two tVpeWriters
present, and the written testimony is
kept close up to its actual proceedings.
Instructions from Washington are to
finish as soon as possible.
A large force of men is at.work on the
Baltimore, the orders being to get her
ready for sea as soon as possible. Extra
electric lights have been fitted up, and
overtime work is being done. So far it
has not been developed that any very
extensive repairs are necessary.