Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-01-21
TROUBLE In BRAZIL
Daring Attempt at Revolution
in Rio JaneirO.
POLITICAL PRISONERS ARISE.
They Overcome the Guards, Capture Two
Forts and Hurrah for Fonseca.

Tho FOrtresses Then Shelled Ivy President
PeixottO's Gunboats and Stormed by
Land FOrce--The Rebels Forced to Sur
render After Desperate Fight--Their
Leader Prefers Death to Capture and
Kills Himself--A British ship Fired On.
Rio JANEIRo, Jan. 21.-This city has
just passed through an exciting attempt
at revolution. Two hundred prisoners,
confined in the Fortress of Santa Cruz at
the mouth of the harbor, broke out in
mutiny Tuesday night. A number of
them were persons arrested for miscon-
duct in connection with the recent politi-
cal disturbances, and these were mostly
partisans of the deposed dictator General
da Fonseca. Others were ordinary Offend
ers, including however, many bright and
dangerous enemies of society.
They formed conspiracy, and at an
appointed hour in the evening, made a
dash on the guards and soldiers stationed
about the prison. These were taken COM
| pletely by surprise. Not anticipating
any trouble they were keeping watch in
their usual careless fashion, when sud
denly the prisoners rushed upon and dis
armed them.
| The prisoners then, numbering about
| two hundred, seized all the arms and
ammunition in the soldiers quarters,
which was sufficient in quantity to equip
them all for effective service. They fol-
lowed the leadership of one man, who
directed their operations. Before the
news of the rising had spread the pris-
oners advanced rapidly upon the two
forts, Pico and Lage, that guard the
harbor.
The men garrisoning the forts were
not on the alert, as they did not imagine
that danger was possible, and the prison
ers quickly captured the two places
along with all the provisions and NUM-
tions of war.
After establishing a vigilant guard
against attack, the prisoners met and
elected as leader the man who had been
foremost in their stroke for liberty.
The leader announced hat their OBJ
iect was the restoration of Gen. da Fon-
SEGA to power, and he made a formal de-
mand to that effect upon the authorities.
The latter simply clapped his messen-
ger into Jail, and proceeded to gather
troops and notify the navy for an attack
{ on the forts.
The insurgents began an irregular can
nonade with the artillery in the forts.
hoping apparently, to compel the au-
thorities to come to terms.
President PeiXotto personally directed
that the insurgents should be first sum-
moned to surrender, and the forts then
carried by assault at any cost. The
firing from the forts inflicted little or no
damage, owing to the unskillfulness of
the gunners.
The mutineers, refusing to surrender,
preparations were made yesterday to
carry the forts by storm. The gunboats
began heavy bombardment of Fort
Lage, and soon rendered the place unten-
able.
The mutineers in that fortress, seeing
no escape and being unable to stand the
storm of shells from the gunboats, threw
down their arms.
Fort Pico was carried by storm, but
when the troops reached the fortress they
met with but slight resistance. the mutt
neers being panic-stricken.
When the troops entered the fort, they
found the leader of the munity lying
dead He had taken his own life because
he feared the vengeance of the authori
ties. The fortress prison of Santa Cruz
where the mutiny began was held by d
portion of the mutineers who yielded
after half an hours bombardment
During the time the forts were in posses
sion of the mutineers the latter fired upon
the British steamship Sorangi. The
prisoners were placed, after recapture
under a strong guard, and the surviving
ringleaders were loaded with manacles.
The sound of the firing caused great con
sternation in Rio Janeiro.
The government is trying to ascertain
whether the outbreak was entirely spon
taneous, or prompted by persons outside
the prison, who desire to effect a revo
luton The rebels will be summarilN
dealt with.