The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-10
DICTATOR BARRIoS is DEAD.
GUATEMALHs PRESIDENT SLAIN EY
AN ASSASSIN.

ton, But None of the Details of the
killing Given-Tbe First Vice
President Assumes the Presidency.
The News NO Surprise to the Lit
tie Colony OF Refugees at Sam
Francisco.
Washington. Feb. 9.-Senor Lazo Arria-
ga, the Guatemalan minister to the Uni
ted States, this afternoon received an Of
ficial cablegram from the minister of for
eign affairs of Guatemala announcing the
assassination of President Barrios and the
succession to the Presidency of First Vice
President Manuel Estrada Cabreera- No
details accompany the information.
The dispatch came from Guatemala
City, the capital, where President Barrios
has lived and the government departments
are carried on. 1t added that entire quiet
prevails.
This last assurance. coupled with the in-
mediate succession of the First Vice Pres
ident, in accordance with the constitu-
tIonal methods Of the country. Is a special
source OF qualification to the officials of
the Guatemala legation here, and to some
extent alleviates the shock with which
they received the news OF the tragedy.
Tho relations between the late
President and the Guatemalan
minister to Washington, Senor
Lazo-Arraga, were much more than
of an official character. They were close
personal friends and the death Of the
President at the hands OF an assassin
COMES as a personal bereavement to the
minister Senor Arraga said President
Barrios was a man of wide attainments
and marked executive ability. He was
comparatively young, being only AZ years
old. The six-years term of service for
which he was elected, ended March next.
but the general assembly had already ex-
tended this term for a further four years.
The new president, Senior Cabrera, Ia
one of two chosen by Congress to nll the
presidency in case of a vacancy. The
system of the country is different from
that in the United States, there being no
vice president elected with the president.
The duty of filing the presidential chair
falls upon the congressional branch. and
accordingly two vice presidents, first ana
second, are designated. They are eligible
in the order of their choice. When the
excitement qf the tragedy has passed a
presidential election may be held.
San Francisco, Feb 9.--The news of the
of President Jose Marena
Reina Barrios OF Guatemala created
great excitement in the city to-day, as
both the murdered President and his wife
We're well known here, and also because a.
number of San Francisco merchants have
extensive interests In that republic
To the little colony of refugees who fed
from Guatemala some months ago and To-
Gated in this city to escape the wrath of
the dictator, the news was not surprising.
as the insurgents threatened some time
ago to kin Barrios before the expiration
of his term on March 10.
At the time of his election to the Presi-
dency Barrios was residing temporarily In
this city and he and his wife, an Ameri-
can lady, whom he married In New Or
leans. made many staunch friends.
Private dispatches were received here to-
day from Proser Morealas, formerly Lead
er of the insurgents In Guatemala, to the
effect that he was en- route to this city.
He had been informed of the death of
BaIrios, but disclafmed all knowledge OF
the assassination.
New York, Feb. 9-Gen. Jose Marena
Barrios, President of the republic OF
Guatemala was Born at San Marcos in
1859 He was nephew of the former
killed in 1856
Nine years ago Gen. Barrios was con-
sui In Hamburg, Germany, in 1892 he
succeeded Barrillas as president, his term
of Office, six years, expiring In March
of this year. Last June he publicly de-
clared himself dictator of Guatemala. His
partisans say under his administration the
country prospered and developed extern
slvely.
New York, Feb. TO- a. m.-The Herald
says this morning.
IS. Malet- Provost, who returned recent
ly from Guatemala, where he spent sew
eral months, in an interview recounted
the circumstances which, In his opinion
resulted in the assassination of President
Barrios
g The first financial plunder of Barrioss
he said, was the Central American Expo
sition, which cost Guatemala a great deal
OF money and which brought no CORES
ponding benefit.
Another enterprise which exhausted
the available funds was the railroad pro-
Jected to connect the capital with the east
ern coast.
"'As his term of Office approached its
close he declared himself dictator
/" The revolution which swept through
the country last fall is matter involved
In mystery. There are those who say the
President was cognizant of II before 1t
began and in q certain sense responsible
for IL. After the arrest OF Juan Aparico.
the government troops being In possess
sion of the Queseltango, the revolutionsts
made but a faint effort 20 take the city.
That the city was taken and that the gov
ernment troops were driven out was duo
not to the revolutionists, but to the people
of the city who rose in body to avenge
Aparlcio
. The shooting of Apariclo was grave
political blunder on the part of Barrfos
and arrayed against him the best element
OF the country. The feeling became gem
eral that his administration was not to be
trusted and a sense of impending danger
seemed to pervade the whole communi-
ty.'"
VERDICT FOR MRS. GEORGE.