Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-16
CHILE WAS WARNED
By England's Minister to Eat Humble
Pie, but at First
MATTA WAS VERY DEFIANT
American officers Meekly Submit to Insults
by Valparaiso Hoodlums.
BALMACEDIsTS CRUELTY WORKED OFF

ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE ASSOCIATED
| PRESs1
SANTIAGO DE CHILE, Jan. 9.-At the
time of the Inauguration of President Jorge
Montt on December 26 last, there was con-
siderable doubt expressed about the ability
to form a new Cabinet. There was very
evident unwillingness on the part of num-
Der OF prominent men to enter the new
Cabinet and attempt to carry out the policy
IN reference to the United States which had
been adopted by the Provisional Govern
ment. The men who accepted the various
portfolios finally did so with the under
standing that they should be permitted to
adopt policy in accordance with their own
views, without reference to what had been
done by the preceding administration.
Just about the time of the appointment
of this Cabinet there was an uneasy feeling
existing in official circles here as well as
among the public generally. Reports had
been received here in various ways Of con-
siderable naval activity in the United
States, and to the effect that men-of-war
and transports were being fitted out to send
| to Chile. 1t was just about this time also
| that several dispatches of 4 similar nature
were received by Mr.. Kennedy the British
Minister, from his Government.
Minister Malta Was Defiant.
The former Cabinet had not retired when
Minister Kennedy called upon Minister
Malta and informed him that he had re-
| ceived official advices which indicated that
| the United States was preparing to enforcs
certain demands which would place Chile
in an embarrassing position. Minister
Kennedy also intimated that it might be
well for Chile to assume a more reasonable
attitude toward the United States before it
was too late to do so.
Minister Malta received the British Min
1ster's communication in a most defiant
manner, and gave him to understand that
Chile was not alarmed at the attitude OF the
United States and was prepared to meet any
emergency. Other Cabinet Ministers were
known to express similar views and to dis
play a most hostile feeling toward the
United States. The substance of the con-
ference between the British Minister and
the Minister of Foreign Relations found its
way into the local newspapers and in
creased the general feeling of alarm.
Americans Excuse Matta's Action.
There has been recently an evident dispo-
sition to lay upon Mr.. Malta, the ex-Min-
lister of Foreign Relations, all the censure
for causing the present state of affairs be-
tween the United States and Chile, and the
greatest condemnation which he has re-
ceived has been on account of the public
telegram of instructions which he sent to
Minister Montt at Washington on Decem-
ber II. But Americans in Chile are not
disposed to regard this general criticism of
Mr.; Malta as entirely just, for he stated
distinctly in a speech before the Senate
,-b., othar CahinoJ ofioars uara
present, that kilograms had been sent after
receiving the approval of his colleagues,
and he also afterward informed Mr.. Egan
by letter that the telegram was an official
act of the Chilean Government.
Minister Pereira assured Minister
Egan that he was not satisfied with the
policy which the Foreign Office had pur-
sued recently. in respect to the United
States, and that he had entered the Cabinet
only with the understanding that he was
to be permitted to adopt policy in accord
ance with his own views.
the spies who have surrounded the Lega-
tion for several months past have been re-
moved within the past week, though there
are still eight policemen constantly on duty
in the block in which the Legation is situ-
ated. This is the only change which has
come from official sources.
American Officers Insulted Ashore.
The Yorktown is practically in state of
siege, the same that the Baltimore expert
enced The officers go ashore only in uni
form and the members of the crew do not go
ashore at all. Captain Evans consulted the
Intendeute of Valparaiso as to the advisa-
bility of sending his men ashore, as he was
advised to send them only in very small
numbers. This advice was given, and that
in such way that he concluded it was best
in order to avoid all possibility of trouble
not to send the men ashore at all. Captain
Evans and other officers of the Yorktown
have been insulted on the streets of Val
paraiso by men of the lower classes, but
they have paid no attention to these incl
dents.
There has been no indication recently of
any intention to withdraw from the policy
of retaliation against the followers of the
late President Balmaceda. A number of
political prlsorers-officers in Balmaceda's
army and others-who have been confined
in Jail in Santiago since the close of the
war appealed to the Supreme Court recently
for release. They alleged that they had
been flogged in Jail and otherwise brutally
ill treated, and also that they had been
threatened with death when it was desired
to e1tort some confession from them. The
Supreme Court refused to consider their pc
tition on the ground that it was not couched
in proper language.
Cruel Fate of a Balmacedist.
Another case which is well authen ticated |
has just come to light. A number of these
political prisoners have been confined at |
Quillota, a small town near Valparaiso and |
a soldier who was ON duty there was MUIR
dered recently A prisoner who was |
formerly an officer in Balmaceda's s army was |
accused by some Congressional sympathizers |
of killing the soldier. There appears to
have been no evidence against him beyond |
this, but he was selected to pay the penalty |
of the soldiers death. The dead body of |
the soldier aud the prisoner were tied to- |
gether face to face for "a hours, and at the |
end of that time the prisoner was taken into |
the Jail ward and shot and killed.
The Columbus Detective All Right.