New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-06
AN INTERESTING STORY OF THE REVOLT
ROW THE INsURGENT LEADER BEGUILED THE
NAVAL OFFICERS on SHORE WITH THE
OPERA, AND THEN SEIZED THEIR SHIPS

THE SITUATION
The steamship Wordsworth. of the Lamport &
Holt Line arrived yesterday from Southern Brazii.
She is the first vessel leaving Rio de Janero after
the fighting began to reach this port She sailed
from Rio on September IL. and from Bahm lew
days later The accounts from her passengers Oh
the fighting and of the causes that led up 70 IL
throw a new light the situation one OF the
Wordsworth's passengers was DIR. III. NJ Lane OF
No. us Montague-st., Brooklyn. who mas hved IN
Brazil for more than thirty years. He Is president
OF the Protestant College at Sac Pauo, not far
from the capital.
1.-THE whole trouble arose" said he. yesterday
afternoon from personal quarrel between
Peixotto and Mello. who is bold, dashng ielIow'
always dabbling in intrigue and revolution He
helped overthrow the Emperor, and later he over
threw Fonseca, and put his friend Peixotto in his
place
Peixotto rewarded him with the post OF Minister
of the Navy Mello expected to be the power behind
the throne, but Peixotto was too shrewd for him.
He used him. but gave him no power and no
patronage Meo became enraged at this, and found
his chance for revenge in PeiXotto's treatment or
Admiral Vandenkock. Nandenkocl had engineered
a foolish little revolution which no one took
seriously. Peixotto captured him and treated him
rather harshy. As he was an old man, popular
with the navy. the officers became disconnected
and many of them were ripe for revolt. or this
feeling Mello took advantage.
On the night OF September all the rank and
fashion of Rio de Janeiro attended the opera house
Mello as Minister of the Navy. had so managed
that the commanding officers Of every warship in
the harbor were the play So. also. was every
officer of high rank in the navy that was not
a proved friend of Mello.
When all lost In the enhancing music OF the
opera Mello slipped out OF his box and left the
theatre. With him went two deputies OF hieh
rank one Of whom had been in past years exied
| through Mellos influence, but had now become his
! IN beac hey
friends and. with mufed oars rowed out to the
/ nearest warship. There the subordinate officers
received them with open arms. and the crews were
| soon persuaded over Great changes Of rank took
Mace officers of the lower grades becoming com
manders and first officers in twinkng. one
after another the ships visited, until when day
dawned the President and high naval officers
learned that their feet had been stolen from under
their very noses and was full-iedged insurBent
force.
Nello thought by this coup d'etat 10 win the VIC
! tory at one stroke. But Pcixotto defed MS rebci
! Minister ON September the Admiral OF the Navy
who had not joined Mello called meeting OF an
the naval officers shore. Considerably over nan
of all In the service responded. nearly all oi hsh
rank showing that Mello had only subordinates at
his command on the night Of September MeHo
attacked the town. After that there was not inuch
real lighting When we left the harbor at noon
September r. the rebels were attacking frali
| Grandc on the opposite side Of the bay from hio'
! and they seemed to be succeeding. ms " "he''
the powder works and ammunition stores are To-
Gated
o,inion IN shore IS Of course divided. The gen
oral feeline however is that Peixoto must be sus-
! tanned A prominent Deputy told me mat al
though he and his delegation were political oppo-
nents of Peixotto. they would support MN uh'l
| order was restored. Mellos ships are provisioned
! for saw four months If he chooses TO establish
a base of supplies across the bay somewhere he
| can hold out Indefinitely PeiXotto has nothing
a1oat with which TO attack him lie must 40
| something soon. Meo has only one good gunner
a German on board the Aqudaban one OF inc
o,bcr sbips fired at a town half mile off, dead
ahead and wrecked the steeple OF a church nan Il
,oua IN the left of it, Mclo will never be captured
alive If all else fail. ne will run close TO the Guy
and fight until sunk, or, If necessary dow up MS
own ship with all on board.
Captain f. Hairby commanding ohcer Oh '"'
Wordsworth. says he was glad to get away from
Rio II don't mind few shots once IN "hiic
said he .but when a Hotchkss gun with 800 shots
&C. turned on | have had quite enough we lay IN
the thick of the firing for six days. win 'he
bullets singing through the rigging from Do'h 'ne
rebels and the Government troops. we couIu not ~
shore at all for five days. one day "A coxswan
from an Italian man-of-war was Killed by Il pa
rror, the beach Peixotto at once paid an enormous
indemnity nearly $4,000 In our money. Inc Ie''
lutionists ran alongside some cattlc shipS Hoi'
Ruenos Ayres and killed and stole the catte u"''
a British warshp ordered them OIL aa p'"'V9
Nolo.s men are deserving continually. They were
hecuiled into expecting the army to hep thenh
and are now getting frightened
"rhere were over thirty steamers at Rio "her
u,e sailed. Hardly any could get cargoes OF cou'o
get away at all. We brought only lo'VV0 ""eo ~
&C. instead OF 1900 bags our usual cargo
Sar Rahia we were fred on, ana forced 10, 10 ~
~ and anchor but were not detained long iidu'
| is AT a standstill. . ,,,,or,h s,id that
While Peixotto personally was II dece, ,s,,ns in
VIZ rolitcally he Hun, iu'uIeS,a, IL
rratc who to power on other me, b Won
an an ,ried TO do this with Melo, VINO revenge
must S;onger ex-I ned States Minister 10 bIi
r. "a. also n passenger on the WORDSWORTH H
a., ID not talk for publication
, THE DETROIT SAILS FOR RIO
.u.asbincton. Oct. 5.-According to dispatc'