The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-13
HIGH OFFICIALS ACCUSED.
rHE CONSPIRACY TO NURDER TEE
PRESIDENT or BRAZIL.

WI IN Sa1- ASs ~ a'N-
cation that lasted moro than two months the
police authorities have made a report concern
ing the murder OF the Minister Of War. Marshal
Carlos Machado Bittencourt. and tho attempt
on tho ifc Of tho President Of the republic. The
rsport was read 20 the President and hts Minis
tsrs on Jan. 2. and several alterations. It 10
stated, wcre made in u. On Jan. 10 Il was
stunned by the official in charge Of the investiga-
don and on Jan. IL u was made public. currec-
lions being made. II il asserted. even after IL
had been sent to.the Official jonrnal for publ.
cation. In the opinion of the official who made
the Investigation responsibility for tho crime
rssts not only on the murderer, hut also on
ninrtsen accomrlices. among whom are the
Vice President o. the republic and six members
ef Congress.
The crime was political; so some EXPLANATION
Of the political conditions IN Brazil Is neces-
sary. President Prudcnte de Moraes. when he
took Office on Nov. Is. 1894. was regarded with
profound distrust by the personal adherunts Of
Marshal Florianu Peixnto. still greater dis
trust however. and positive dislike bordering
ON hatred were felt by the Florianistas toward
Vice President Manoel Victorinn. Though nn-
willing..t TO adopt Florianos methods. the Presi-
dent sought to cnnciliate the Florianistas.
whose influence with the army made them for
midable adversaries. and-in doing this he was
Obliged 10 shape his policy 30 as TO involve him
salf in difficulties and render his administration
utterly barren. His attempts at cancellation
were only partly successful. In the difficult
and dangerous situation in which he found him
self his health finally gave way. and in Novem-
Der. 1896. he was Obliged temporarily to quit
Office. Had his enemies been resolute and
united they would doubtless have awaited them.
selves of this occasion to get ria both OF him ana
the Vice President. The latter. however. was
.ar,nftta ~ nla tho D-,t1aDF1a rluna AVID ha
seems at this period to have found means OF
arriving at an agreement with The Florianistas.
in accord with whom he hns ever since acted.
he and they were apparently very much dis
concerted when in the beginning NJ last March
The President. who had recovered his health.
suddenly returned here and resumed office.
II WAS during the Presidents illness that the
disastrous war against the fanatics in Bahia
was begun. On the very day on which he re-
sumed office the death and defea Of Moreira
Cesar occurred. Four days afterward, that is.
on March :, three printing offices and Col. Genttl
de Castro's residence were wrecked by a Jacobin
mob. and on March : Gentil was murdered, "A
crime that stirred the Government profoundly.
owing to his prominence in political affairs and
the revelation il Afforded Of the methods of those
trying to overthrow the administration. These
events had the effect OF leading the President to
decide upon a definite rupture with the Florinn.
istas. who were most closely connected with
the Jacobins. Among the politicians VINO then
abandoned him was Francisco Glyceriu, the
Congressional leader Of the party. This man.
who is a nearly white mulutto. mas the reputa.
ton Of being one Of the most cunning political
tricksters in BRAZIL. He is sai.. 10 have out.
witted even the crafty Marshal. Floriano Peix-
oto and to have contributed powerfully toward
preventing the latter from making himself per.
manent dictator. He worked st-rnuousIy TOR
the election of President Prudente de Moraes.
whom he doubtless hoped 70 control. He is one
Of the Congressmen 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.
With the return To power OF the President
began "A series Of conspIrac!es 20 overthrow tho
Government. which are described at length in
the report. Prominent n thoIn was Deoc.ecIann
Martyr, editor OF a small incendiary sheet called
the JdcobInO. He drst made himself notorious
streets Of this city documents which rha pro-
visi0nal Government constituted sed!tious. 1t
was alleged N his defence that he had been
actuated by excessive republican zeal ana
after being held in custody for a few days he
he again attracted public attention By an at
tempt TO change the name Of a square in this
city, to which he wished TO gre the name OF
Marshal Floriano Peixoto. The method which
he adopted consisted in merely removing the
nlases containing he name Of the square and re
~.AcinB them with others bearing FlOrianos
name. During the reign OF terror under the
government of that Marshal in 1898 and 1894.
he made himself conspicuous by publishing
lists OF suspected persons. He aftsrwari es.
rablished the Jdco6iHo, a journal noted for the
violence Of its language ana for its attacks on
turclgners, especially he Portuguese. Another
of the alleged couspirators was Capt. Marcos
GURUS, who is commonly believed 10 have
taken an active part IN the murder Of prisoners
under the Government Of Marshal FlOriann
Pelxoto. The conspiratOrs decided that the re-
public was IN danger and that to save lt IL was
necessary 10 murder President PrudCnte do
Moraes, Rear Admiral Custodio is Mellu.
%, 1891, and Of that NJ Sept. II, 1898, Councillor
Stlveira Martins and others. The principal
obstacle seems to have been the iitffculty in
finding a favorable opportunity for tssassinat-
ing their Intended victims without risk TO
themselves. Many suggestions were mads for
carrying out their purpose l. was proposed.
for instance, that a house should he rented near
the President palace OF on one NJ The streets
on which he had 20 pass and that Marcos GURUS.
who is said 10 bs n good hot, should take mis-
stand &C a window anu kill the President when
the latter came within range. There appears
TO have been an agreement among the cnnspirl.
tors that each and every one or them should
avail himself OF any favorable opportunity for
numbering this persons designated.
While prominent politicians 10 not seem 10
havs attended he meetings Of the conSpirators.
many OF them. according tn the evidence fur
nIshed by the police authorities. weru aware OF
the plots and actually gave the runspirators
leader OF the Florianistas. Con FRESHMAN Fran.
cisco Glyceriu. has admitted that he at least
he took stops for warming The President OF the
republic. In what purports to be Deoclecianu
Martyr testimony II ~ stated that Glvrer'O
on one occasion asked DsOCleciano 20 suspend
operations. since il was expected that the tuur-
dee would be rendered unnecessary ny a mill
tary tnsurrection in Bahia, which would over
throw FIRST the President OF that state and after
ward President Prudente de Murnes.
Vice President ManueI VictorlnO has not adj
mitted that he was aware OF the plot. The
evidence against him rests principally upon
the alleged testimony ot DeOc.rrIanu Marty,
which is thought tn be currIbCrared nv a .etter
II which rhe Vice-Presldent is represented 20
have said that he could not be a candidate for
ths Presidency OF the %republic, since he would
Thereby be- disqualified rom taking aharye "
the Government IN any critical emergency that
may occur during the present PRESIDENTIAL
term. He has not been arrested, hut 8 report.
Ell TO 10 closely watched. ANA II Is asserted chat
ne never leaves his house.
sun another prominent politician Accused OF
being implicated in thu plots IS senator Jnas
C~orteiro. who IL reported To nave said. IN be-
Ing informed of one conspiracy, that he heartily
approved uf IL as a rapid ami practical solution
or the situation. The remark attributed 10 him
Is in keeping with his antecedeuts. In The be-
ginning OF MS public career he made himself
known by tho violent, unsCrupulous, ana law.
less methods which he empluya,t m maA.nG
war On slavery ANA slave holders. ON beng
informed that the Emperor Dom Pedro H.,
NEhn air n.tn Ht.A- III ~