The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-31
CHILE FAR FROM QUIET.
THE GOVERNMENT FEARFUL OF A
NEW REVOLUTION.

resting suspects and Searching
Their Residences The Foremost
General in the Country Prisoner.
Special Correspondence Associated Press.
SANTIAGO DE CHILE, Jan. 30.-Besides
the Inauguration of President Montt, the
principal event which has occurred during
the past week was the adoption by both
houses Of congress of the amnesty law pro-
posed by President Montt The general
opinion here is that, owl ng 10 the number Of
exceptions, no one will be benefited by the
law beyond minor officers and soldiers and
sailors who served under ex-President Bal
maceda. More arrests of persons who sup
ported ex-President Balmacede have oc-
CURED in the last week or two than at any
other time since the first month after the
war. Houses have been searched by the
police, and the municipal authorities have
been closing all saloons and
similar resorts at midnight. All this is due
to the fact that quantities of arms, etc.,
have been stolen from the artillery barracks
recently and the government is apprehen-
sive Of a revolt A large number of arms
have been taken aboard Of the Chilean war
ships in Valparaiso harbor recently for safe
keeping.
GENERAL ARRESTED.
Among the persons arrested last week
was Gen. Velasquez, and the circumstances
attending his arrest have been pronounced
disgraceful, even by the Chileans them
selves. Gen. Velasquez is an aged man who
has served in the army of Chile for forty
years, and has long been regarded as the
most able officer in the country. When the
lighting was over and sacking commenced
in Santiago Gen. VelasqueZs house was
among those pillaged by the mob. He was
in his bed with a broken leg, due to
fall at that time, and some of the mob
entered his room and attempted to kill him
with hatchet, and were only prevented
by his daughters, who threw themselves
upon their fathers body.
BEFRIENDED BY EGAN.
Minister Egan intervened in his behalf
and entreaUed him to allow himself to be re-
moved to some place of safety, but be
refused to leave his house, saying that be
had only done his duty as a soldier and il
the victorious party desired to kill him for
that, they could do so. Some time after
| ward he was arrested. but released on bond,
aud for three months past he has been
| living quietly at the house of friend in
| Santiago. When the stories Of stolen arms
and conspiracies were first circulated a few
| weeks ago, Gen. VelasQuez was pointed out
as being engaged in plots, but he is a
man who commands universal respect and
has as many professed friends among the
| leaders of the congressionalists as among
the supporters of ex-President Balmaceida,
and it is believed that he had nothing
| whatever to do with any stolen arms or
| plots against the government.
MET BY A MOB.
| However, he was arrested here last week
| and taken to Valparaiso to be placed aboard
| the gunbost Megellanes. Upon the arrival
Of the train at Valparaiso Gen. Velasquez
was met by a mob who heaped all manner
Of insults and indignities upon him. and
| while he was taken co the pier, in charge of
| officers, the men insulting him became so
| violent that they could hardly be restrained
| from throwing him into the bay.
THE TREATMENT OF EGAN.
The situation of affairs as regards the at
| titute of the government toward the United
| States legation remains the same. The
| Argentine minister as dean of the dipIo-
matte corps here called upon Minister Malta
ia the interest Of foreign relations and en-
| tered protest against the treatment of the
United States legation in surrounding it with
| policemen and spies. Minister Malta promised
| to have the spies removed but said that the
| police would have to remain. That was
the only result of the deans protest. for
both policemen aud spies remain at the
legation still. although no arrests have oc-
Cured within the past week.
The investigation of the Baltimore affair
by Judge Foster, at Valparaiso, has been
concluded, but the result is not known yet.
The matter will have to be passed upon by
one or two tribunals before it is made
public.
THREE CHILEANS CONFESS.
1t is known that three men have confessed
that they took part in the attack upon the
American sailors, but they do not include
those who assisted in the killing of Riggin
and Turnbull. 1t is said that the court is
in possession OF affidavits which were
signed by thirty-fve of the Balti-
more's sailors who were arrested in which
each of the thirty-five men makes an ad-
mission that be was intoxicated during the
disturbance. These affidavits were written
in Spanish and we're not understood by the
men, who signed them simply to secure
their release. This was done when there was
no American officer present aud before In
structions were received from Washington
not to allow the men to sign any paper
which was not properly translated in the
presence of an officer
CHILx's NAVY WEAK.
1t is the general opinion of the American
naval officers and Others familiar with the
subject that there is not a ship in the
Chilean navy fully available for war purs
poses. All OF the vessels received Ill usage
during the war and very little has been
done since to repair them. The Esmeralda
and Cochrane are in very bad condition.
Even the ErrazuriZ, which is a new snip
and arrived only last week, is said to be IN
the same condition as the others IL is re-
ported that her boilers are burned out and it
will be necessary to send her to Europe for
repairs before she can be Of any service.
A slight international incident occurred
in Valparaiso harbor on the night that the
Errazuriz arrived. She commenced using
her search lights about / o'clock in the
morning, and threw the glare all over the
bay In an effort to find the Yorktown. Sbe
finally threw her light across the forecastle
of an American gunboat. The blues Jackets
were aroused from their slunbers by the
light, and a number of them
went on the forecastle and sang
''The Star SpanRled Banner" until
the illumination ceased.
PRESENT FOR EGAN.
Minister Egau has been presented by the
refugees who have been living in asylum
at the American legation for four months
past with handsome gold card, which is
said to be the most artistic affair Of the
kind ever made in the country. 1t cost
81, 900.
An article published two days ago In La
Democrdctd, a paper recently established
in Santiago, has a tone entirely different
from anything recently published in Chile
Following are extracts;
''BuJ unfortunately we are not in pos
session of all the data with which it is