The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-04-12
DE MELLo's THEATRICAL COUP.
The Venezuelan Conspirator's Play
for a Revolution Ten Years Ago.

thew Orleans TimeS-DemOcrat.
4 see by the papers" said q New Or
leans coffee importer, that CuStldiO De
MellO, who is described as a banker,
was arrested in Rio the other day for
conspiracy against the Brazilian govern
ment. No doubt the average reader
passed the little cabiegram by without
recalling the fact that De Melio was the
nero, about ten years ago, OF one OF the
most desperate and dramatic exploits of
modern times 1t is an interesting story.
In 1893 Admiral De MellO was in command
of the Brazilian navy which was I'M
doubleday the queereSt conglOmeratiOn in
the world. 1t consisted of half a dozen
old scOws and one tip-top.- bang-up, first
class battleshiD-the AQuldaban-the equal
at the time of anything afiOat. 1t was
the admiraIs flagship and one fine day
he astOnished everybody by sailing into
Rio harbOr and calmly sending word to
President Piexotto that he wanted his
resignation. when PleXotto recovered
from his astonishment he tod him to go
to blazeS. and De MellO thereupOn de-
clared the city under blockade. Rio lies,
as YOU know, on the inner side of a large
bay with very narrow entrance. There
were no guns at the town heavy enough
to do the big battleship any damage, but
at the harbor mouth there were two forts
that could easily blow her out of the
a rat trap, stalking everything on the
chance of bluffing PieNOtto out He could
terests, and for three solid months he cir
cled round and round the bay, trying
peatedly 70 make a landing and a dash
into the city He was enormously out
numbered by the shore garrisons. and al
ways beaten back with loss and eventu-
ally his situation became about as des-
perate as can be readily imagined. Food
and water had both run short: it was i'm
possible to get more supplies; all hands
including De Mello himself were reduced
to walking skeletons. and meanwhile the
batteries at the harbOr mouth had been
powerfully reinforced. In this plight
PleXotto supposed he would be only 100
glad TO surrender and sent a demand to
that effect. You are bottled up he said
IN substance; you can't get out and you
can't make a landing. It's a case of sur
render or staTve' De Mello sent back
word that they would starve. In the next
Aquldaban of actual starvation. Then
De Mello decided to end it all in a grand
coup de theatre, and one night he started
at 1ul speed for the harbor mouth. Con-
ceallnent was out of the question, and the
battleShlp made its dash with lights blaz-
Ing. nags flying and band playing I met
the admiral a1terward in Caracas and he
told me they had no expectation what
ever of getting through, but their sheer
audacity so Disconnected the gunners at
the forts that they failed to land a Single
eTectlVe shot As she passed the mar
rows the Aquidaban let loose a double
broadSide and steamed triumphantly out
TO sea De MellO was in exile for Years
put ne was finally pardOned and returned
70 Rlo. This Is the man who has lust
Dsen arrested Tor new conspiracy, and
l think you will agree with me that he is
an indlNlduai VINO is apt to make things
pretty hot when he gets started If
were president of Brazil I'd put him in
the bastlie and throw away the key