The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-10
BARRIOS ASSASSINATED
DICTATOR OF GUATEMALA KILLED
BY A POLITICAL ENEMY.
One of the Vice Presidents Immetii-
ateIy Installed as President-Career
Of the Dead Central American.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Senor LaZo Ar
riaga, the Guatemalan minister to the
United States, this afternoon received an
official cablegram from t Minister of for
eign affairs of Guatemal pouncing the
assassination of President ios and the
succession to the president. of First Vice
President Manuel Estrada Cabrera. The
dispatch came from Guatemala City, the
capital where President Barrios has lived
and the government departments are car
ried on. 1t added that entire calm prevails.
This last assurance, coupled with the i'm
mediate succession of the first vice presi-
dent, in accordance with the constitutional
methods of the country, is special source
OF qualification to the officials of the Guate-
malan legation here and to some extent al
leviates the shock with which they re-
ceived the news of the tragedy The rela-
tions between the late President and the
Guatemalan minister to Washington, Senior
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 per-
sonal 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 forty-two years old. The siX-year
term of service for which he was elected
terminated March 10 next but the National
Congressional Assembly had already ex-
tended this term for further four years
The new President, Mr.. Cabrera, is man
of prominence in Guatemala, and is one of
two chosen by Congress to fill the presi-
dency in case of vacancy. The system of
the country is dif4Nrent from that in the
United States, there being no Vice Presi-
dent elected with the President. The duty
of filling the executive chair devolves on
the congressional branch and, accordingly
two Vice Presidents, first and second were
designated some time ago. They are eIigi-
BILE in the order of their choice. When the
excitement of the tragedy has passed a
presidential election may be held.
General D. Jose Ma Reyna Barrios was
born at San Marcos in 1859. He was a
nephew of the former President, Justo
Rufino Barrios, who was killed in 1885. Nine
years ago General Barrios was consul in
Hamburg Germany, in 1892 he succeeded
Barrilas as President, his term of office of
six years expiring in March of this year.
Last June he publicly declared himself die
tator of Guatemala. His partisans say that
under his administration the country pros
pered and developed extensively
Well Known at San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9.-The news of
the assassination of President Jose Maria
Refine Barrios, of Guatemala, created great
excitement in the city to-day, as both the
murdered President and his wife were well
known here and also because of a number
of San Francisco merchants having extern
sive interests in that republic. To the little
...,f,., q
some months ago and located in this city to
escape the wrath of the Dictator the an
nouncement was not SO surprising, as the
insurgents threatened some time ago to kill
Barrios before the expiration of his term
on March 15 At the time of his election to
the presidency Barrios was residing tenn
porarily in this city, and during his three
years residence he and his wife an Amer
ican lady who he married i'm New Orleans
made many stanch friends Mrs. Barrios
was in San Francico also when her husband
proclaimed himself Dictator in June last. os-
tensibly en- route to Europe, but she did not
cross the Atlantic, and soon after the news
of this proclamation had been received here
she returned to Guatemala
Private dispatches were received here to-
day from Proper Morales, formerly leader of
the insurgents in Guatemala, to the effect
that he was en- route to this city. He had
been informed of the death Of Barrios, but
dsclaimed all knowledge of the assassina-
ton.