Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-01-05
CRUELTY IN VENEZUELA.

Residents Look Back Upon the Late Revo-
luton As Upon Nightmare.
AS soon as peace became assured, all
the residents Of La Guayra looked back
upon the past anarchy and chaos as up
on some dreadful nightmare. None save
those who lived there during the dark
days of the revolution can realize the
imminent danger through which every
one passed. Had it not been for the
presence of seven men-of-war in the
harbor, the barbarianS that controlled
that city would have hesitated at no
act of violence. Indeed, Mendoza an
nounced that he respected no flag, and
declared that he would massacre every
foreigner in the place if any one inter
ferred with the little scheme of plumber
and imprisonment.
And the death roll Of those poor
Wretches who were without foreign pro
lection? This will ever remain a secret
of the revolution. The American consul
could a tale unfold, however, for the
prison was in a building adjoining his.
/ had the good fortune of sharing the
consulate with him during two of the
worst months, says w. n. King in Harp
ers Weekly, and each morning awaken
ed from the memories of the night be-
fore. At all hours you would be aroused
by the rude challenge Of the guard al
most under your window. If a prompt
reply was not forthcoming from the ap-
preaching party, a bullet sometimes set
tied the doubt.
Only the Sunday afternoon before the
fall of La Guayra several officers from
the Chicago were sitting in the cOnsul's
| office. The sun was shining as it shines
only in the tropics, and the cathedral
bell was calling the faithful to the YES
per service. Suddenly a man cried out
down the. street, and before we could
reach the balcony the poor wretch was
lying in a pool Of blood, completely
hacked to pieces with a murderOus ma
chete. Two assistants came out of the
prison and dragged the body, head
down. over the rough stones. The chief
Of police was sitting on chair in front
| Of the prison at the time, but did not
even turn his head while the fellow was
being killed not twenty yards away. AS
the guards passed with the body he
said:
'Bueno. que ha hecho el?'' well,
what did he doD
''Oh. ell es resistio 70 lie di un ma
| chetaZo, ESQ es todo." ooh, he resisted
and gave him the machete, that's ALL
The poor fellow, it seems, was taken
from his home to be impressed into the
| army. AS the guard was dragging him
to prison, he protested on account Of his
age. A few yards from the gate he fell
down from exhaustion, and failed to
rise at the command This was the re-
sistance for which the poor fellow was
given the machete."
There was a story in La Guayra be-
fore | left that this same guard was
captured by the murdered mans broth
er, who was revolutionary soldier. and
treated to dose of his medicine. With
both hands tied behind his back, he
was carried out into the harbor in a
small boat. There his head was taken
off with the keen-edged machete, and
the body thrown overheard.
1t is from such lawless acts and bar
barous deeds that Crespo has delivered
his country. Is it strange, then, that
all good people in Venezuela, both ma
tive and foreign, should have sympath-
lied with the revolution, and prayed for
the overthrow Of Andueza Palacio and
his tyrannical hirelings?