Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-26

our men had gone closed his establish
ment in ANTICIPATION of the attack which
no advised them would be made upon
them as soon as darkness came on.
TESTIMONY of JUDGE FOSTER.
Tn a report of Captain Schley to the
Navy Department be says: " In the only
interview that had with Judge Foster.
who Is investigating the case relative 20
the dlstur bance before he was aware OF
the entire gravity of the matter. he in-
formed 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 oil
the ltata matter, whether with reason or
without, ne could. of course, not admit;
but such he thought was the explanation
OF the assault at that time"
THE ATTACK UPON TILE UNIFORM.
Several of our men sought security from
the mob by such complete or partial
changes in their dress es would conceal
the fact of their being seamen or the BAL
tlmore, and found II then possible to walk
the streets without molestatiou. These
incidents conclusvely establish that the
attack was upon the uniform--the nation
ality-and not upon the men.
ORIGIN OF TIE FEELING OF HATRED.
The origin of this feeling is probably
found in the refusal of this Government
to give recognition TO the Congressional
party before II has established itself. in
the seizure of the Itata for an alleged yio-
lation of the neutrality law, in the cable
incident, and in the charge that Admiral
Brown conveyed information 10 Nalpa-
raiso of the landing at Quinteros. 1t Is
not my purpose to enter here any defence
OF the action of this Government IN these
matters. IL IL enough for the present
purpose to say that If there was any
breach of International comfy or duty on
our part il should have been made the
subject of official complaint through di-
pionatic channels or OF reprisals, for
which full responsibility was assumed.
We cannot consent that these incidents
and these perversions of the truth shall be-
used to excite murderouS attack upon
our unohending sailors. and the Govern
ment OF Chile go acquit OF responsibility.
POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES.
In fact the conduct of this Government
during the war IN Chile pursued those
lines OF international duty which she had
so strongly insisted upon on the part Of
other nations when this country was IN
the throes of civil conflict. We con-
tinued the established diplomatic relations
NtAM ll' AfONtIHiUful DDMiA uLAAA ~
was oyerthrown. and promptly and cor
daily recognized the new government
when it was established. The good offices
OF this Government were offered to bring
about peaceful adjustment, and tho in
terposition of Mr. ECan 10 mitigate Sc
Yerities and To shelter adherents of the
Congressional party We're effective and
frequent. The charge against Admiral
Brown is too base 10 gain credence wth
}. J. fsal nj
professional character.
SEVERAL DISTINCT ASSAULTS.
Recurring TO the evidence of our sailors.
/ think il Is shown that there were several
distinct assaults and so nearly slmultane-
Gus ~ 20 show that they did not spread
from one point. A press summary OF the
report of the Fiscal shows that the evil
dence of the Chilean officials and others
were in conflict as 10 the place OF origin.
several places being named by different
witnesses as the locality where the first
outbreak occurred. Tins, If correctly re-
ported shows that there were several dis
tinct outbreaks and so nearly ut the same
time as TO cause this confusion.
La Pd'rid in the same issue from which
have already quoted. after describing the
killing of Riggin and the fight, which from
that point extended to tho mole. says
AT the same time ~ other streets OF the
port the Yankees fought tercely with the
people of the town, who believed 20 see IN
them incarnate enemies or the Chilean
navy"
THE TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIS JENKINS.
OF the American merchant ship Kewee-
nav, which had gone 20 Valparaiso for re-
pairs, and who was a witness of some part
OF the assault upon the crew OF the Balti-
more, IS strongly corroboratiyc OF the tes-
| timony OF our own sailors when he saws
| that he saw Chilean sentries drive back a
seaman seeking shelter upon mob that
| was pursuing him. The officers and men
OF Captain Jeukin-'s ship furnish the
most conclusive testimony as to the In
| dignities which were practlced towards
Americans in Valparaiso. When Ameri-
can sailors, even of merchant ships, can
| only secure SAFETY by denying their na-
| tionality it must be time to readjust ouI
relations with u government thai permits
such demonstrations.
PARTICIPATION OF THE POLICE.
As TO the participation Of the police, the
| evidence of our sailors shows that our
men were struck and beaten by police of
ficers before and after arrest. and that one
at least, was dragged by lasso about his
neck by mounted policeman. That the
| death of Riggin was the result OF a rifle
shot fired by police OF soldier on duty is
shown directly by the testimony of John
son, in whose arms he was at the time. and
by the evidence OF Charles Langen. an
American sailor not then a member OF the
Baltimore's crew, who stood close by and
saw the transaction. The Chilean authori-
ties do not pretend to fix the responsible
ty of this shot upon any particular per-
son, but avow their inability to ascertain
who fired 1t further than that II was fired
from crowd.
THE IoLICE STORY DTsPEoyED.
The character of the wound. as described
by one of the surgeons of the Baltimore.
clearly supports his opinion that II was
| made by a rifle ball, the ortice of exit be-
ing as much az an inch or an inch and q
quarter in width. When shot the poor fel-
low was unconscious and III the arms or a
comrade who was endeavorIng to carry
him TO a ueighboring drugstore for treat
ment. The story of the pollce-that IN
coming up the street they passed these
men and left them behind them-is lncon-
sistent with their own statement as to the
direction of their approach and with their
duty TO protect them, but Is clearly DIS
proved. In fact. Rggin was not bshind,
but in front of the advancing force, and
was not standing in the crowd, but was
UNCONSCIOUS and supported III the arms OF
Johnson when he was shot.
The communications OF The Chilean
Government in relation to this cruel and
disastrous attack upon our men, as Will
appear from the correspondence, have rot
in any degree taken the form Of manly
and satisfactory expression of regret, much
less of apology. The event was OF so Sc
rious a character that If the injuries suf-
fered by our men mad been wholly the re-
suit of accident in a Chilean port the mel
dent was grave enough TO have called Tor
some public expression OF sympathy and
regret from the local authorities. Ii IS not
enough to say that the affair was lamenta-
BILE. for humanity would require that ex-
preston, even if the beating and killing Of
our men had been justltable. IL is not
enough to say that the incident Is regretted.
coupled with statement that the affair
was not Of an unusual character In ports
where foreign sailors are accustomed TO
meet. II is not enough for generous and
sincere government to seek for words or
small or equivocal meaning in which 10
convey to friendly power an apology for
an offence so atrocious as this.
THE Nrw ORLEANS INCIDENT OF 1851.
In the case of the assault by mob in
New Orleans upon the Spanish consulate
in 1851, Mr.. Webster wrote To the Spanish
Minister. Mr.. Calderon. that the acts COM
planned of were "disgraceful, and ha-
grant breach of duty and propriety.. and
that his Government regrets them as deep