Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-01-29
RICK, NORTH DAKOTA, FRIDAY JAM 29 l8!
Attack Was Premeditated

The evidence of our sailors clearly shows
that the attack was expected by the Chill
ian people: that threats had been made
against our men and that, in one case
somewhat early in the afternoon the
keeper of one house into which some of
our mon had gone closed his establishment
in anticipation of attack which he advised
them would be made upon them as dark
ness came on.
Several of our men sought security from
the mob by such complete or partial
changes in their dress as would conceal
the fact of their being seamen of the Bal
timore and found it then possible to walk
the streets without molestation. These
incidents clearly establish that the attack
was upon the uniform and the nationality
and not upon the men.
The origin of this feeling is probably
found in the refusal of this government to
give recognition to the congressional party
before it had established itself in the seZ-
ure of the Itata for an alleged violation Of
the neutrality law in the cable incident
and in the charge that Admiral Brown
conveyed information to Valparaiso of the
landing at Quinteros. 1t is not my pur-
pose to enter here any defense of the action
of the government in these matters 1t is
enough for the present purpose to say that
if there was any breach of International
comfy or duty on our part it should have
been made the subject of official complaint
through diplomatic channels or of repris-
ais for which full responsibility was as
sumed. We cannot consent that these Incl
dents and perversions of the truths shall be
used to excite murderous attack upon our
unoffending sailors and the government
OF Chill go acquitted of responsibility. In
fact, the conduct of this government, dur
ing the war in Chill, pursued those lines
of international duty which we had so
strongly insisted upon on the part of other
nations when this country was in the
throes of active conflict. We continued
the established diplomatic relations with
the government in power until it was
overthrown, and promptly and cordially
recognized the new government when it
was established. The offices of this gov
ernment were offered to bring about
A Peaceful Adjustment
and the interposition of Mr.. Egan to miti-
gate seventies and to shelter adherents of
the congressional party were effective and
frequent. The charge against Admiral
Brown is too base to gain credence with
any one who knows his high personal and
professional character.
Recurring to the evidence of our sailors,
think it is shown that there were several
distinct assaults, and SO nearly simultan-
eous as to 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 Chilian officials and others
was in conflict as to the place of origin,
several places being named by different
witnesses as to the locality where the first
outbreak occurred This, if correctly re-
ported, shows that there were several dis
tinct outbreaks, and so nearly at the same
time as to cause this confusion. The tes-
timony of Captain Jenkins, of the Ameri-
can merchant ship Keeneewa, who had
gone to Valparaiso for reports and who
was witness of some part of the assault
upon the crew of the Baltimore. is
strongly corroborative of the testimony OF
our own sailors when he says that he saw
Chilian sentries drive back seaman seek
ing shelter upon mob that was pursuing
him The officers and men Of Captain
Jenkins ship furnish the most conclusive
testimony as to the indignities which were
practiced toward Amer leans in Valparaiso.
When American sailors, even Of merchant
ships, can only secure their safety by de-
nying their nationality, it must be time
to readjust our relations with a govern
ment that permits such demonstrations.
AS to the participation of the police, the
evidence of our sailors shows that our
men were struck and beaten by the police
officers before and after arrest, and that
one at least was dragged with lasso
about his neck bya mounted policeman.
hot tho of lo ,f
a arifle shot
Fired by Policeman
or soldier on duty is shown directly by the
testimony of Johnson, in whose arms he
was at the time, and by the evidence of
Charles Langen, an American sailor not
then member of the Baltimore's crew.
who stood close by and saw the transac-
tion. The Chilian authorities do not pre-
tend to fix the responsibility of this shot
upon any particular person, but avow
their inability to ascertain who fired it.
The com munications of the Chilian gov
ernment in relation to this cruel and dis
astrous attack upon our men, as will ap-
pear from the correspondence, have not in
any degree taken the form of manly and
sss ene1 Of regre mue
rious character that if the injuries suf-
fered by our men had been wholly the re-
suit of accident in Chilian port. the in
cident was grave enough to have called
for some public expression of sympathy
and regret from the local authorities. It
is not enough to say the affair was lamen-
table, for humanity would require that
expression, even if the beating and killing
of our men had been justifab1e It is not
enough to say, that the incident is re-
GREETED, coupled with the statement that
the affair was not an infrequent occur
renee in ports where foreign sailors are ac-
customed to meet. 1t is not for govern
ment to seek for words of small or eguivo-
cal meaning in which to convey to a
friendly nation an apology for an offense
SO atrocious as this. In our note of Oct.
% last, after receiving the report of the
board of officers appointed by Captain
Schley to investigate the affair, the Chill
ian government was advised of the aspect
which it then assumed, and called upon
for any facts in its possession that might
tend to mpdif the nnfayorabie impress
sions which our report had created. 1t Isl