The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-09
COURTESY TO EGAN.
The New Chilean Foreign Min
lister Pays Him a Visit.
TWO ACCOUNTS OF THE RIOT.
Tho Statements or the Valparaiso Dis
trict Attorney Contradicted Point
Blank by Baitimore's Sailors.


pressed that the difficulties between the two
countries would be speedily settled.
WASHINGTON CITY, Jan. 8-senor Aontt,
Chilean minister, had another conference with
Secretary Blaine today. He laid before Blaine
the following information received from the
Chilean minister OF foreign affairs:
The voluminous summary of the judicial
proceedings before the regular court in refer
ence 70 the Baltimore incident has terminated.
From this extensive report the district attorney
draws the following conclusions:
FIrst-The Incident originated in brawi be-
tween intoxicated sailors of both nations, and
grew in proportions on account of the ward in
which it occurred. full OF houses of bad repute
and saloons.
second-The policemen from the first did sll
they were directed to do 10 suppress the riot.
This has been acknowledged By ell the witnesses
except two American sailors.
Third-Only one isolated shot was fred. It
was from revolver. The police carry car
hines.
The district attorney indicts Carlos Gomez, a
Chilean: Frerico Rodriguez, Chilean: Ahmak-
de. Chilean, and Davidson, an American, and
asks that the first be given three 10 i've years
confinement; the second two to eighteen
months. and the latter two twenty 10 ferty
days imprisonment
Minister Montt declines the request of the As
ISOLATED Press TO be interviewer on the subject
OF the foregoing statement. He explains that
the presentation of the report of the district at
torney, or proeurator fiscal, as the officer is
called in Chile. carried with it an indictment,
and the men will now be tried before the Judges
who heard the evidence originally taken. The
minister THINKS trial will follow speedily, and
believes that the result will be known within q
few weeks
VALLEJO, Jan. s.-The investigation into the
assault on the Baltimore's sailors in Valparaiso
on October 16 last, was continued today by
Judge-Advocate Remy and District Attorney
CARRIER A l O'Clock two typewriter copies of
a fret dav Nd hslFf
mailed in registered letters to the secretary of
the navy at Washington City. The facts ad.
duced today, while mostly in confederation of
yesterdays testimony regarding the murder of
Riggin, also brought forth more strongly than
ever the fact that the assault had
been planned beforehand. At the time
Riggin was lying on the pavement
while two policemen idly watched mob plung-
ing knives into his back, two negro coal
beavers in distant part of the city were flying
before mob of Chilean man-of-war's men, who
finally overlook them, stabbed one and robbed
the other of all his money. Another man in
still a third part of the district was chased and
thrown into the bay, and would have been
drowned but for the protection given him BY a
French naval officer. The only thing to the
credit of the Chileans so far is that q squad of
army officers escorted five or six of the Balti-
more sailors to the wharf and sent them aboard
the ship
The claim made by the procurator fiscal of
Valparaiso, that all but two witnesses testified
that the police had done their duty, has been
completely demolished. OF the seven witnesses
SO far examined, five state that they testified to
the exact contrary before the Chilean court 1t
is also becoming evident that the Baltimore men
were really sober when on shore that October
afternoon. Not only do they assert this them
selves, but the statements of their officers and
the character of the men prove it. Captain
Schley says he saw a number of them only
twenty minutes before the row began, and was as
tonished to see how sober and well-behaved they
were. Forty-three of the men who were ashore
were petty officers, and all were men who had
received special privileges on account Of long
continued good conduct, so that all had reputa-
tions to lose. Petty officers are men promoted
to that rank for efficiency long service sobriety
and general good conduct, and are not accus-
toned to get drunk and lose what they have at
tanned.
Charles Langen, seaman, testified:
He enlisted on the Baltimore in Valparaiso a
week after the assault on the sailors He had
been one OF the crew of the Maryat, q vessel
listment Langen was in the International hotel
with Johnson. He left the hotel few minutes
before Johnson and witnessed the assault on
Riggin and Talbot. The crowd was armed with
knives. They knocked Riggin down. Langen
pulled them of, and Riggin rose and ran, bus
was followed and again knocked down.
gen saw man stab him twice
in the back with knife. The whole crowd
jumped on him and struck him. The man who
stabbed Riggin first wore the uniform of Chill
eau man-of-war's man. The crowd consisted of
about forty men, including fifteen Chilean sail
ors. No police were present at first, but after
up. drew short swords and knocked him down
again. They then stood back and let the
crowd stab and maui him. Riggin seemed
TO be asking the protection of the police when
knocked
fed. the crowd stoning him. He met some of
the Baltimores sailors and warned them to flee
The crowd came up and stoned them, knocking
Hamilton down in gutter and rendering him
unconscious.
About half an hour after Risgin was stabbed
i went back TO the place and saw squad of
soldiers approaching. They were marching by
twos, with mounted officers. They wore the
regular Chilean army uniform, consisting OF red
dressed entirely in blue. They marched
right up 10 SIX feet from where
Johnson was holding Riggin in his
arms. There they halted, and the first
two soldiers leveled their rifles and fred at the
two sailors. / was about fifteen feet or to one
aide. No one was between me and them, the
crowd being back OF the soldiers at that mo-
ment No other shots were fired by any one. |
saw the soldiers distinctly level their rifles at
the Baltimore men and fire. The crowd hsd
drawn back when the soldiers came M lpaying
q clear passage between Riggin and the soldiers
Alter the nfst shot was fred the soldiers
pressed forward little, and / could not see the
other
leading soldier that fred. AT this time it was
close 10 O'Clock.
J. E. Larson, a seaman, testified:
He had lived in VALPARAISO for n couple OF
months before enlsting on the Baltimore in
May last. on October Is he went ashore with
the o'clock party. Near the wharf ne met a
friend named George Smita, a resident OF VAL
paraiso, who warned hin nos 70 remain out
after dark, as the Chiicaus were preparing
10 mob the Baltimore men. After
wandering around town awhile he
met Z. Johnson sud other Baltimore
sailors, who told him hight vas going on down
was about o'clock. Tie disguised himself
however, in q citizens coat and hat, and went to
tae plaza on the way he passed q squad OF
soldiers with mounted officer. He Thought
this was about twenty minutes before Rlggia
was shot some Tine ait-r this he went to the
drug store where higgins body was, but WIS
not admitted Two policemen were guarding
tue body The .a0o was sta outside. shouting
and exUitlag. The mob stayed there till .
4 clock. Larson remained in the house across
the plaza until the next morning, when he
started Tor the shlp, On the wsy he was attacked
by three Chilean sailors with knives, but es-
capped. 4 l.tt.C while sfregward n mob OF sailors
sDd citizens attacked him with stones. Jus;
then several Chilean army officers came I'D
with more Baltimore sailors and protected him
finally taxing al the sailors to the landing and
sending them 10 the ship. Larson maintained
that he was perfectly sober. ana had not seen
any sailors OF the Baltimore thai were not
John II. Davidson, another OF the Baltimore
crew. testified
He went ashore at O'Clock and was warned
BY the blfuhoatlnsu AZ the wharf that the Chile
ans were preparing TO mob The sailors Alter
wandering around the cits he went with Talbot
kig@ia aQd others 10 the Shakespeare SALOON
The bartender warned them 10 leave the place a.
there was going 20 be trouble between the Chile
ans ana the Baltimore men. We then went TO
the True Blue saloon, where We found other Bal
trnore men. Al left the piece before / did
when we2t cut saw Talbot running from the
ID hEa~-f Nssr EHsA