The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-01-26

own choice. They were upon tho shore
by the implied invitation Of the govern.
ment CT Chile, ndwith tho approval OF
their commanding officer.
II there had boon no participation by
tho police, or military in this cruel
work and no neglect on their part to OK.
tend protection, tho casc would still be
ono in my opinion whom Its extent and
character are considered, involving In
ternational rights. 81 n
INCIDENTS OF TIE AFFAIR.
Tho incidents OF tho affair arc briefly.
as follows: On tho 10th OF October last {,
Captain schlcy, commanding tho
United States steamship Baltimore,
gave shore leave to III petty officers and
sailors OF his ship. These men loft tho
ship about 1880 p. m. No incident Of
violence occurred, mono OF our mon
were arrested, no complaint was lodged
against them, nor did any collision or
outbreak occur until about @ D. m,
Captain Schley states that ho was him
self on shore and about tho streets of
tho city until $3.50 p. M; that ho met
very many OF his men who were upon
leave; that they were sober and were
conducting themselves with proprioty,
saluting Chilean and other officers as
they mot them. Other officers OF tho
merchant ship and Captain Jenkins, Of I,
the merchant ship Koweenaw, corrobo-
rate Captain Schley rs to tho general
sobriety and good behavior Of
our men. Tho Sisters OF Charity
at the hospital to which our wounded
men wcro taken, when inquired OF
stated that they were sober when re-
ceived. II the situation had been
otherwise we must believe that the
Chilean police authorities would have
made arrests. About p. m. the as
.sault began, and it is remarkable that
tho investigation by the judge OF crimes,
though so portrayed, does not enable
him to give any moro satisfactory ac-
count Of its origin than is found in tho
statement that it began between drunk.
en- sailors. Repeatedly in tho cores
pondence it is asserted that 1t was imss
possible to learn the precise cause OF
the riot. The minister OF foreign af-
fairs, Malta, in his telegram to Mr..
Montt, under date December 81, states
that the quarrel began between two
sailors in tavern and was continued
in the street, persons who were passing
joining in it.
HOW TIE TROUBLE BEGAN.
The testimony OF Talbot, an appren-
tice, who was with Riggin, is that the
outbreak in which they were involved
began by Chilean sailor splitting in
the face OF Talbot, which was resented
by n knock down. 1t appears that Rig
gin and Talbot were at the time unac-
companicd by any others Of their ship
mates.
Afterwards Riggin and Talbot were
present at the time of the second as
sault. These men were Immediately
beset by a crowd Of Chilean citizens
and sailors, through which they broke
their way to a street car, and Risgin was
so seriously beaten that no fell in tho
street apparently dead. There is moth
ing in the report OF tho Chilean invcsti-
CATION made to US that seriously inn
peaches this testimony. 1t appears
from Chilean sources that almost in
stantly, with a asuddenness that strongly
implies meditation and preparation, a
mob, stated by the police authorities at
one time to number 1000, and at an
other 1000, was engaged in the assault
upon our sailors, who are represented
as resisting with clubs, stones and Z
bright arms l55
The message then gives in detail the
facts connected with the outrage, and
continues: go,
IT WAS BRUTAL WORK. IS S
No amount OF evasion or subteriuce
is able to cloud our clear vision OF this
brutal work. 1t should be noticed, in
this connection, that the American sal.
lors arrested, afteran examination were
during the four days following tho ar Z
rest, every one discharged, no charge or
any breach OF the peace or other crimin-
alconduct having been sustained against
single one OF them. As to the part
taken by the police in tho affair the
case made out by Chile is far from sat-
isiactory. The point where Riggin was Il
killed Is only three minutes walk from (
the police station, and not more than
twice that distance from the Intendcn-S
cia, and yet according to their Official
report a full half hour elapsed after the
assault began before the police were
upon the ground. The evidences of the s
existence OF animosity towards our sai-
lors in the minds of the sailors of the
Chilean navy, and OF the police OF Val, Z
paraso are SO abundant and various as
to leave no doubt in tho mind OF any
ono who will examine the papers SUBJ
mitted. 1t manifested itself in threat.
ening and insulting gestures towards
our men as they passed Chilean man RI
of-war in their boats, and in the derisive
and abusive cpithets with which thcy$e
greeted every appearance Of an Ameri- i
can sailor on the evening OF the riot.
ADDING INSULT TO INJURY.
Captain schlcy reports that boats
from the Chilean war ships several
times went out of their course to cross "
the bows OF his boats, compelling them
to back water. Flo complained OF tho
discourtesy, and it was corrected D That
this feeling was shared by men Of high
er rank is shown by other incidents re- 81
lated in the correspondence. Tho eyi.
dcnce OF our sailors clearly shows that ::
the attack was expected by tho Chilean
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 8
our men had gone, closed his establish
ment in anticipation Of attack which he j
advised them would be made upon thein
as soon as darkness came on. Thesein-
IL - Z -