The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-10
~PRES'TBARRIOS MURDERED
THE STORMY CAREER OF THE DC
TATOR ID ED AT LAST.

Ein sIinIster or Agriculture Succeeds Him-He
IL Abio and Conservative. and May Pre-
servo Order In Guatemala - The High
Handed Methods OF the Late Prcsident.
ton here received news this afternoon of tho
assassination Of President Barrios.
1t was said that Manuel Estrada Cabreda,
First vice-President had assumed the Execu-
tive chair.
The only information received at the State
Department beyond the nero announcement
was furnished by Senior Arrioga, the
Guatemalan Minister. and was contained
In a telegram from his Government that
the circumstances attending the murder were
such as would indicate that 1t was not q politi-
cal assassination. The Minister was further
informed that Senior Estrada Cabreda had
assumed the Executive chair.
Central America appears to DO on the verge of
u general revolution. There ia q revolutionary
outbreak in Nicaragua. President Barrios has
been assassinated in Guatemala, and 1t was
learned at the Navy Department to-day that
III pICbuhNu u NV w kuhbuhb
Marietta at La Libertad was due to reports
that an outbreak was imminent in Salvador.
Commander Simons of tho Marietta cabled the
department this afternoon that tho country
was quiet. No additional details of tho progress
of the Instruction in Nicaragua have been re-
ceived hero. The report that an uprising had
occurred In Costa RIGA referred to the trouble
at San Juan del Sur. Nicaragua
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9.-The only details OF
the assassination Of President Barrios of Guate-
mala received here came in private messages to
wealthy coffee planters. They all ngree in the
fact that no uprising followed the death Of the
President, but they do not tell who committed
the act. Prospero Morales, whit was at the head
Of the recent revolu ton, sent q despatch to-day
from Mexico saying that he was on his way
here. In the message no declared that he was
not q party to the assassination. and that the
news was q great surprise to him. as he ex-
pected to SEQ Barrios overthrown by a popular
uprising.
Morales did everything q man could do to
make the recent revolution successful, but soon
after 1t began he warned his friends here not to
mix in 1t, as the revolt was premature. inasmuch
as the people were not thoroughly aroused.
Since the revolution ended. however. the feel
ing against Barrios has increased In bitterness,
and had the revolution been delayed six
mOuLQb IL "Oulo uAN0 utbu buCCeS6Iu j.
Just after the revolution ended q num-
Der of Guatemalans. who were greatly In
censed by the cruel assassination OF PROM
inent men who had refused to contribute
to Barrios's cause. ofieyed a reward Of 300. 600
guaranteed, and it Is thought by the. Guate.
malan colony here that the assassination was
Ing this reward. Very recently Iorsies's SYM
gathers issued q proclamation declaring that
AnnNvArAnFv n MI aIanNfnn
nike rs two "s Eaes Sas Sssause he was a qafss man.
Market and Kearny streets. Gen. Antonio Ezeta
was known to every one here. because he de-
style. an .undress uniform of a blue coat and
white duck trousers, and stalking up and down
Market @,n street S.l Bar sIL .. howe ever sSp psnto s Sy.
Hotel. His habit was to sit in the hotel office
to anh hi sG close wn frie Mss soHih is s sto;l Pa' face ne SS pnd t SnsE
turn manner gave the impression that he was
topic. and he. was especially we'll Informed on
military 1 Nha1I, F He spoke and fiuSsn atg. besides de-
wife was popular In society here.
Manuel Estrada Cabsada, who has succeeded
Barrios temporarily, was Minister Of Agrienl-
G~uatemalans hero think he will be able to keep
the country from revolution, as he did not APP
himself dictator and nuIiifying the power Of
Congress-.
Gen. J. M. Reina Barrios was the nephew of
Don Justo RufDo Barrios. who was President of
Guatemala in 1885. when the effort was made
to bring into one union the five republics of Cen
trail America-Guatemala, Honduras. Salvador,
Nicaragua and Costa Rica. This led to q war,
in which Salvador. Nicaragua and Costa RIGA
were allied. against Guatemala and Hon
duras. Barrios was killed in q battle In
which the nephew took n prominent part.
After this Reina Barrios became Minister OF
War under Gen. Barillas. who succeeded the
uncle as President. He afterward became Vice
President. and then Gen. Barillas became jealous
of him and banished him from the country. He
went to San Francisco. He remained there for
q considerable time. and meanwhile married
Miss Algerie Benton Of New Orleans. He re-
turned to Guatemala with his wife. and In 1892
he was elected President OF the republic. His
term was to expire this year, and under the
Constitution he was not eligible for reelection
for the term Immediately succeeding that which
he had filed.
There is no telling. however. how far Barrios
would have gone TO override the Constitution In
this respect as he had done in others. During
his incumbency he 80 far subverted the laws OF
the country to his own will and pleasure that he
became. in fact, the dictator of Guatemala; and
he improved tho opportunity of which Central
American Presidents have 30 often availed
themselves to accumulate q large private for
tune. which is estimated at over $4,000 O0.