The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-16


A Rio de Janeiro letter to the Sun
gives some singular details concerning
the recent murder of the Brazilian
minister of war, Marshal Bittencourt.
and the attempted assassination of
President Moreas They are taken from
an C1liCial report on the subject, and in
the opinion " the official who made
the investigation responsibility for the
crime rests not only on the murderer.
but also on nineteen accomplices,
among whom are the vice-president of
the republic and six members of con-
gress.
The crime was political; so some ex
PLANTATION of the political conditions
in Brazil is necessary President Pru-
dente de Moreas, when he took office
on Nov. Is, 1894, was regarded with
profound distrust by the personal ad-
herents of Marshal Floriano Peixoto.
Still greater distrust, however, and
positive dislike bordering on hatred
were felt by the Florianistas toward
Vice President Manoel Victorino.
Though unwilling to adopt Floriano's
methods, the president sought to con-
ciiate the Florianistas, whose influence
adversaries, and in doing this he was
obliged to shape his policy so as to
involve himself in difficulties and rem
der his administration utterly barren.
His attempts at conciliation were only
partly successful. In the difficult and
dangerous situation in which he found
himself his health finally gave way.
and in November, 1896, he was obliged
temporarily to quit office. Had his en-
emies been resolute and united they
would doubtless have availed them
selves of this occasion to get rid both
OF him and the vice. president The
latter, however, was permitted to take
the presidents place, and he seems at
this period to have found means of
arriving at an agreement with the
Florianistas in accord with whom he
has ever since acted. He and they
were apparently very much discon-
certed when in the beginning of last
March the president, who had recov-
cred his health suddenly returned here
and resumed office.
THE WAR IN BAHIA.
1t was during the presidents illness
that the disastrous war against the
fanatics in Bahia was begun. On the
very day on which he resumed office
the death and defeat of Moreira Cesar
occurred. Four days afterward. that
is, on March I, three printing offices
and Colonel Gentil de Castro's resi-
dence were wrecked by a Jacobn mob,
and on March Gentil was murdered,
a crime that stirred the government
profoundly, owing to his prominence in
political affairs and the revelation ii
AtfOrnpd Of tr,,
ing TO overthrow the administration.
These events had the effect of leading
the president to decide upon a definite
rupture with the Florianistas, who
were most closely connected with the
Jacobins. Among the politicians who
then abandoned him was Francisco
Glycerio, the congressional leader of
the party. This man, who is a nearly
white mulatto, has the reputation of
being one of the most cunning politi-
cal tricksters in Brazil. He is said to
have outwitted even the crafty Mar
shall Floriano Peixoto and to have con-
tributed powerfully toward preventing
the latter from marking himself per-
manent dictator. He worked strenu-
ously for the election of President Pru-
dente de Moraes, whom he doubtless
hoped to control. He is one If the con-
gressmer whom the police official in
his report considers responsible for the
murder of the minister of war and the
attempt on the life of the president.
CONsPIRACIES.
With the return to power of the pres
ident began a series of conspiracies to
overthrow the government, which are
described at length in the report. Prom.
inent in them was Deocleciano Martyr,
editor OF a. small incendiary sheet call
ed the Jacobino. He first made himself
notorious in 1890, when he was arrest
ed for posting in streets Of this city
documents which the provisional gov
ernment considered seditious. 1t was
alleged in his defence that he had been
actuated by excessive republican zeal
and after being held in custody for a
rev DAYS he was set at liberty About
two years afterward he again attracted
PUBIC attention by an ATTEMPT to
change the name of q square in this
CITY, 10 which he wished to give the
name of Marshal Floriano Peixoto The
method which he adopted consisted in
merely removing the plates containing
the name OF the square and replacing
them with others bearing Florianos
name. During the reign of terror un-
der the government of that Marshal
in 1898 and 1894, he made himself con-
spicuous by publishing lists of sus-
rected persons. He afterward estab-
lished the Jacobino, a journal noted
for the violence of its language and for |
It's attacks on foreigners, especially the |
Portuguese, Another of the alleged |
conspirators was Captain Marcos Cur |
ius, who is commonly believed to have |
taken an active part in the murder or |
prisoners under the government of |
Marshal Floriano Peixoto. The con- |
spirators decided that the republic was |
In danger and that to save it il was |
necessary TO murder President Pru- |
dente de Moraes, Rear Admiral CustO-
dlo de Mello, leader of the revolution
ary movement of Nov. 23, 1891. and of |
that of Sept. &, 1898, Councillor Silyeira
Martins and Others. The principal OH
stacle seems to have been the difficulty
in finding favorable opportunity for
assassinating their intended victims
without risk to themselves MANY su.
gestions were made for CARRYING ont
their purpose. II was proposed, for in
stRlce, that house should be rented
near the presidents palace or on one
or the streets on which he had TO pass
and that Marcos GURUS, who As said
TO be good shot. should take his stand
al window and kill the president
When the latter came within range.
There appears to have been an agree
meIt among the conspiTators that each
ana every one of them should avail
hlmsel- or any favorable opportunity
Tor numbering the persons designated.