The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-20
LIKE A COMIC OPERA
An Incident That Shows How the
BraZilians Make War.
An Uprising at Rio de JaneirO, How 1t
Was Plotted and What Became of
1.-THE Harbor Deserted.

NEW YORK, March 19.-The following
letter has been received from the Associated
Press correspondent at Rio de Janeiro, I'M
der date of Feb. IA:
When the unsophisticated young person
from the country first attends an opera
ana sees a gang OF conspirators openly dlS-
cussing their plot on the street corners, or
hears a tribe of robbers, singing at the top
OF their voices, not to make any noise, he
thinks the whole thing nonsense. But, If
the aforesaid young man could spend a few
weeks watching a Brazilian revolution he
might come to think the opera real life after
CURED here. 1t was in connection with a
proposed uprising in the city in favor Of the
rebels in which a number of citizens and a
volved. 1t was a really very pretty little
plot, and there was no earthly reason why
1t should not have succeeded IL the
conspirators had used ordinary common
sense. The details of the plot were worked
out on a FRIDAY, night. The citizens. with
Monday morning TO the San Sento, Con-
eeicao and Sande hills, garrtsoned by the
were to admit them and then join them
with as many of their soldiers as they
could persuade to do so, the other soldiers
to be overpowered or killed. The rebel
fleet. at the first shot or at a given signal,
was to hurry in and land it's men to help
the plotters. Their total force would be
somewhat not over a thousand men, but
IL would occupy a strong position and would
probably be rapidly increased by volunteers
from the city.
So far, the plot was strictly business. But
now the comic opera element comes in. To
the eXuberant BraZilians, a plot so we'll
laid must succeed; ergo, 1t had already sue
ceeded; ergo, they might as we'll boast about
Ii, and so they did. Nearly every conspira-
tor went about town telling all his friends
on the streets, in the horse cars, anywhere
that the next day PeiXoto was to be
humbled and the revolution was to be sue
cessful. The British, who are very init
mate with the rebels, were, of course, noti-
fed, and the two principal banks went so
far as to post notices informing their clerks
that they need not come to business on
Monday IL there was heavy firing. o.
course in less than an hour everyone in the
commercial quarter knew that something
was going to happen on Sunday and Mon
day. And, Of course, the government knew
1t too. Even then the plot came near sue
ceeding through the influence of another
opera bouffe idea. On the stage. as all
know, a murderer may openly form his plot
on one side while the victim complacently
makes love on the other. 1t would. how
ever, be contrary to all precedent for the
victim to overhear the murderer and spoil
the denouement. So in Brazil. 1t seemed
somehow unfair for the government to dis
cover the plot before the rebels were ready,
and, consequently, prevent the fun. Hence,
all day Sunday nothing was done or said
TO obstruct the success of the uprising.
rebel fleet anchored close TO the city, that
any action was taken. The suspected reg
iment was then moved, and a number OF ar
rests of officers and citizens were made.
1t Is said that fifteen officers were shot.
If so, it was done secretly. A member OF
President Peixoto's Cabinet informed the
correspondent positively and mysteriously
that fifteen persons really were shot, and
another Minister, with equal emphasis, de-
clared that none was shot.