The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-08
TRAGEDY IN THE HkRBOR.
Sailor of the Argentine Training Ship shot
bvau Officer.

! bv an Officer.
From tss San Francisco Cali
/ story Of exceptional local interas,. a
| volying 4 tragic incident and The SUD-
J preston of even an insiLuation ug tra
/ facts, has just become public u-rrr-t,-
! through information received from Homo
lulu 1t will be remembered that a month
{ ago the Presidente Sarmiento, the --.l-
+ training ship OF the Argentine Rerut..
/ was in the harbOr. The officers and men
l were feted and Toasted By s0cirti-- AMI
| individuals, particularly by Representa-
I tiVes OF the Latin races. The coming ~
/ the Presidente Sarmiento was an event ~
unusual Importance, as II was the frs.
time that an Argentine ship OF war hal
ever been IN the harbor
While the vessel was I'm the Earb5-
there was apparently nothing in its af-
Iairs that indicated anything but a reign
OF good feeling and good fellowship. OH.
GERS, crew, and apprentices were seem NJ
~ on the best OF terms with each other
and the thought OF a tragedy on board
was the last which could reasonably be-
! entertained. Ii appears. however that
I aHalrs on board the Presidente Sarmi-rrs
were not altogether as they seemed. ami
information has been received that Will.
the ship was in the harbor a man wts
shot and killed and the facts OF the kill
ing were suppressed.
The Incidents OF the affair are Of moro
thdh ordinary Interest The man who
III Gu the shot OF death was the mastef-lt-
aims oI the vessel. The man who was
Killed was sailor. The master-at-aruI4
Is the chief petty officer of the shin Man.
OF the executive duties fall 70 his lot. AM
ne acts tho
the sailors and the officers II is his duty
TO instruct the apprentices and look afrer
the crew. On the Prcsideute Sarmieut,
the master-at-arms IS reputed 10 be- .
man VINO insists upon the most rigid dis
cipline.
II was said that he was not InfreaueutIy
harsh 10 the men beneath him. and on
more IMAM one occasion earned their III
Will Whatever the cause OF the fight be
tween the sailor and the master-at-arms
may nave been, the facts Of the combat
are very clear -Four nights before the
snip leIt the harbOr one Of the sailors a
great powerful, ill-tempered fellow. en-
IeIeu the CABIN OF the master-at-arms.
me TWO men, 1t Is said. had not been
lleh1ly Tor some time. In the Journey
70 THIS port the master-at-arms had more
man once Tepuked the sailor. and the lat
leT awaited his time for revenge.
.. Eh inns particular night he believed that
~ hau come, and, knife in hand. ne gtg's
INTO the cabin or the magter-af-srr,-
1T DtneVed that his prospective victim
was asleep. and his belief cost him Ms
lie. lie approached the couch OF the or
~ anu raised MS knife 10 strike As
ne oId 50 the mastsr-at-arms drew pls-
lol that was within reach and fired m.
sailor dropped dead
Ihe tragedy created an uproar on board
the snip. FOR d While the officers were at
a loss 10 know what TO do. They did moi
care 10 risk an Investigation. and with II
lhe trlal or the msstcr-at-arms by the
authorities or San Francisco This would
mean an unwelcome delay, and the killing
had been done clearly in seJf-fefsUs,
Only two Of the officers OF the shin could
fecuy.
The decision was reached, therefore. 10
ignore the authorities OF San Francisco
nIde the evidences and all knowledge 81
the crime and secrete the body OF the
sailor until the ship put 10 sea. Notwith-
standing the fact that the sdIlOr had al
tempted deliberately TO commit murder.
the ofilceTs or the vessel decided 10 allow
MS companions 10 give him a naval fun
eral with ali the hOnoTs due 10 a man-Of-
WSTsman.
A space IN the forecastle was prepared
ana was draped in black adorned with
white crosses. II made a weird burial
OF the snip were permitted 20 enter. The
BODY or the sailor was rObed ia white
and draped with the cOlOrs Of Argentine.
The vessel set sail on June - for Homo
IuIu. No one IN san Francisco had heard
or the tragedy on board. a mans life
had BEEN taken where the authorities OF
THIS city have Jurisdiction, but no word
was salc. The officers Of the ship took
the matter into their own hands and
without the fOrmality OF a trial had ex-
onerdtcf the man who had sent the sailor
20 death
When the training-ship was a day out
from this port II was decided 10 bury the
body OF the sailor. All hands were called
on deck at $50 O'Clock IN the morning
AT signal the ships band began. % play
a dead march. The sailors marched 30
funeral procession, carrying their dead
cOmrsde toward am!dships and resting e.
upon the guuwale 10 await It's final con
signment 20 the sea. a few words weg-
spoken. a lesson was drawn from the
ragedy and the body, Canyas-cased, shot
into the water
These particulars or the tragedy lu the
harbor and the weird burial al sea have
just been received IN a private letter from
Honolulu.