The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-11
A CITY DYED IN BLOOD.
TIE METROPOLIS OF Argentine
7HESCENE or 4 RETOLUTION.
A yIrgirinn In,ulted by tho Police ana
Thrown into Prison--finds His Chance
for Rcyenge-A True story.

CWritten for the Times by a Virgin'an)
A few years ago | became a passenger
ply between Europe and South America
my objective point being Buenos Ayres
in the Argentine Republic. Every nation
OF Europe seemed to have furnished its
quota OF passengers FOR the voyage. but
the American contingent consisted only OF
m, self and young southerner who
proved to be a very genial and amiable
person.
As he figured rather conspicuously IN the
dramatic episodes which / am going 10
! relate it may not be amss for me to
say, en- PEASANT that although, in char
! acter, nc was a typical cavalier, yet there
| was nothing striking in his personal APP
pearance. lie was about thirty years old,
ot nervous temierament, little less than
six feet ia height, and slightly bulls: with
mild gray eyes, a patrician profile brown
hair, and he wore the characteristic
slouch hat OF Dixie
Though born and bred in Virginia
there was a conspicuous absence OF the
provinciaiism Of speech and manner PEE
j.
having been modned-cosmopolo
/ might say-by the attrition OF travel.
for. as 1 gathered from frequent CONVEX
sation with him. he mad been a rolling
stone from early youth and il was only
When such topics as American politics,
the late war, or the legitimacy of the
code dueliO were discussed. that he be-
trayed his southern birth and breeding.
You would not have taken him for
revOlutionist. Ills delicate physique his
bland voice, his gentleness OF speech his
sedate and dignihed bearing. his suayity
of manner. his fastidiousness with regard
to food, drink. and apparel. his fondness
for books and refined amusements. his
love for the comfort and luxury of elegant
leisure, his DISLIKE OF restraint. his preGi-
lection for the society of the fair sex,-in
short, his whole personality and habits
OF life denoted the man Of peace, and one
10 whom war would be especially odiOus.
Immediately upon arriving at the South
American metropolis. the Nirsinian devot-
ed himself assiduOusly to the study OF
the Spanish language. and when he had
mastered 1t sufficiently for business he
plunged at once into the stock speculation
that was at this time rampant The po-
litical and economical condition Of Ar
gentne were peculiar. Speculation ran
stocks and securities ranged from five to !
forty points daily. At last prices re- |
NAMED hrm and the bottom seemed to |
have been reached. Many Of the stocks |
had been wiped Oft the boards, while the |
most sterling Of them had lost an average |
of lG9 points one morning at breakfast |
the Virenian said to me: Il have done
pretty we'll at this mad game Of chance;
am something over fifty thousand ahead.
and now that the market has struck rock |
bottom. ! will invest what money / have
In single deal and make q final bold
plunge for fortune. l man make il in a
few months, and then I'm of for gay
Paree"
Within two hours the transaction was
concluded, and the Nirginian, with the
confident assurance that his fortune was
made. went 10 the pampas for a fort
nights shooting But the unexpected al
ways happens II was suddenly discoY
cred that dozens OF companies whose
stocks We're quoted on the exchange had
been capitalized on paper, and were less
than worthless.
For instance, ten or n dozen men OF
good repute would organize a great cor
poration by subscribing for the capital
stock and paying for it with their promi-
issory notes. which were hypothicated
with the various banks for funds with
which TO run the business: the stockhOid-
ers in turn. hyp0thicating their stock.
which was issued "full-paid and non
assessable," 10 raise funds FOR further
speculation. The National banking sys
TEN was conducted on pretty much the
same principle and hundreds OF millions
of dollars Of bank notes were found TO
have been frauduently issued. These and
other startling disclosures plunged the
country in the meshes Of a financial cri
sis unparalleled I'm modern times.
There was an abundance Of paper mon
ey. but it was deprecated and hard 10
get; gold was scarce. and had scared 10
the disastrous climax Of a three hundred
per cent premium; food was plentiful |
hut Incredibly dear. and men were starry
ing IN the midst Of plenty; the bark Of
commerce and the ships Of State, steered
by dishonest and unskilful hands were
being dashed 80 pieces on the rocks. and
TO make ruin and disaster still more dis
nal and complete the crews had become
and there were alarming ru-
mors Of political conspiracies. which.
with all their CHASTITY possibilities. intensi-
fed the work Of ruin, and procluded all
hone Of Improvement.
The blind infatuatOn Of the government
and the people had hurried them to the
brink Of an abyss from which there was
no possible escape. They had sowed to
the wind, and had now 10 reap the whirl-
wind The nemesis that swayed the des-
lines OF the Republic, and lowered over
he capital like a hideous nightmare had
IL the torch of political discori. inhamed
he passions OF men, and swept across the
,oundless pampds with dircfu threats
IF strife and dissolution.
On his return TO the capital the Nir-
sinan FASTENED to the office of his broker
With the intention Of selling while he
night yet save n fragment of his fortune
IN his pathway lay street guarded by
lundreds 81 soldiers and police. which 10
me was ailowe1 % cross, for il was being ,
leld open for passage OF a process
ion headed by the President and his cabi- .
net. It was necessary that the Virginian .
should cross this street al this point. or &
90 twenty or thirty blocks out OF his way, :
md moments We're precious to him H. ,
politely asked permission 10 cross; it ,
Nas refused him. Dense crowds packed !
he pavcments TO the curbs. but there ,
vas no one ia the middle Of the street !
Except the guards. The cOrte@c was not d
yet in sight, and no one could tell when q
{ would come. The fortune OF the Viz r
inian was hanging by a thread. His
nerves We're drawn 10 their highest ten y
sion. The action OF the police seemed 20 v
hin to be arbitrary and unjust. and he [
dashed across the street. lie
.as detained on the other side and or C.
Tered back. lie tried 90 explain the ur- a
cent nature Of his business, but the po- 5
ice would NOT hear 10 IL. = policeman n
leld him by the sleeve, and an officer il