Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-25
Prisoners Awaiting Sentence.

Prisoners Awaiting Sentence.
All the time our conversation went OMIT
was something over an hour-first with
myself, and at intervals with visitor after
visitor who came to pay his respects, there
were three or four poor fellows down in
the bowels of the ship, revolutionstG taken
with arms in their hands, who were wait
ing the void of this imperturbable die
t&tor to determine whether they should
live or die.
The president spoke without reserve of
the errors of the Haytien nation and de-
nounced the unwisdom Of their reDel!ant
attitude toward foreigners. He recOg-
rized the fact that the future progress Of
his own country lay in the encouragement
CT foreign enterprises within its borders.
Above all he would be chary of provoking
the ill-will of the United States of
America. Some day, he declared, all of the
be under the protectOrate of the American
republic. There was but one sensible
course for Santo Domingo or for Haiti.
That was to cultivate the best political
and commercial relations with the United
States.
On the subject of neutrality, Gen. Heu-
reaux was somewhat ambiguous. He was
indisposed, he said, to offend either Spain
or the United States. The enmity Of the
former might be as disastrous for his
government as that Of the latter. Still, he
allowed it to be understood, that If 1t came
to a choice he must decide to stand with
the Americans.
1t was when the conversation turned to
the late abortive uprising at Monte Cristo
that the real opportunity to study the
character of the mulatto dictator presented
itself. To begin with, it was curious to
observe the words and manner of certain
Of the Dominicano and prominent Haytiens
who came aboard to pay homage to Heu-
reaux. Some of the former had been hand
in-glove with the conspirators. 1 know per-
sonally that this was the case. One In par
ticular, a bosom friend of a relative of the
president, who had interceded for him, APP
peared with most exquisite bow and q
careful smile, both learned in Paris, and
addressed some honeyed phrases to the
great man In a voice pitched high In an
effort to hide its lack Of assurance. Just
before the president had been talking east
ly and evidently much to his own satisfac-
ton about the attempted revolution.
Smile Changes to n Frown.
Instantly, as his eyes rested on the Do
minican, a shadow, dark, almost menacing
and ugly, fitted across his face, but 1t was
only for an instant. The next, one might
we'll have felt establishment at the paternal
quality Of the smile. not unmixed with a
suggestion of pity. with which he regarded
the young man. 1t was as If he realized
the futility of the Vaccinations of the per-
sons of this type and had a prophetic Wis
ion OF the fate he might mete out when
this same boyish meddler again engaged
in revolutionary. undertaking. 1t GER
tainly would matter very little to Heu-
reaux who of his own family interceded
with him in favor of one Of his enemies
His conduct toward his own brother-in-
law Is still wildly remembered. He took
the man to live with him in the presidential
palace at Santo Domingo, clothed him, fed
him and gave him official dignities Twice
the beneficiary conspired against the bene-
factor. The first time he was forgiven.
The second time Heureaux called him to
him and said: II have tried to make a
gentleman of you. Now I want you to
put on your full-dress costume. In one
hour you will be shot. There Is no use
for you to say anything. 1t must be. Only
| 1 particularly request that You behave like
| n gentleman" And the brother-in-law was
shot dead at the hour and minute.
The prominent Haytiens who visited the
president all hold Offices related more or
less to the administration of the port of
Cape Hayden. With the exception of Gen.
Jules Paricien, whose wife Is a cousin of
Heureaux, they all presented yelled ex-
cuses or statements in exculpation of them
selves in connection with the shipping of
insurrectionists here when the Fantta- de-
parted for Monte Cristo. It was In effect
an implied acknowledgment Of the COM
parative impotence of their own govern
ment and of the force and much-dreaded
| viii power OF the president OF Santo Do
mingo.