The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-09
PRES. LECONTE OF
HAITI KILLED
IN EXPLOSION
Many Dead and Injured in Des-
tructiOn of National Palace
MUCH POWDER IN CELLAR
Leconte, Who Succeeded President
Simon, Had Been in Office Less
Than Year.
MUCH POWDER IN CELLAR

Port-au-Prince, Hayti, Aug. 9.-The
national palace was blown up by a
powder explosion and burned to the
ground yesterday and the president of
the republic of Hayti, Gen. Cincinna-
tus Leconte, persisted. The members
of his family, who were awakened by
the terrific shock found themselves
almost surrounded by flames, but
managed to make their way to safety.
Thefirst explosion was followed by
others when the fire reached the eel
lars of the palace. where great
quantity of ammunition was stored.
So great was the force of the explos-
ions that a number of small cannon,
fragments of iron and shells were
thrown for great distances in all di-
restions, in some cases over 200 yards
Many of the palace attendants were
killed and 1t is estimated that the
casualty list will reach 400 killed or
injured.
For a time a great panic prevailed
and the military authorities immedi-
ately took charge of the situation.
The explosions occurred soon after
o'clock in the morning, and within
an hour, when the fire, which was
confined to the palace, was ex-
tinguished the structure was a mass
of ruins from which il will be impos-
sible to recover the body of the presi
dent
At joint meeting of the Chamber
and Senate yesterday afternoon, Gen
Auguste, minister of public works,
was named as president. Senator
Luxembourg Cauvin, formerly minister
of the interior, was also a candidate
During the fire a great number OF
explosions succeeded one another
caused by the enormous quantity OF
amunitions of war which had been
stored in the cellars below the palace
and these prevented the large force
of firemen, who had been quickly
called, and the population, which was
endeavoring to help. from fighting
the flames. All the houses around
the palace were greatly damaged by
the explosion, but as the palace Itself
was isolated, the firemen succeeded il
their efforts to localiZe the fire.
| President Cincinnatus Leconte o.
the Haytian republic was elected un
animously by Congress on August 1.
last year. He first gained promin
ence in Haytian affairs in 1908 wher
as minister of the interior in the cab
NETT of President Nord Alexis he wa.
credited with ordering the summary
shooting of 10 prominent revolution
aries at Port-au-Prince.
When the regime of Nord Alexi!
was brought to an end soon afterwarC
Leconte went into exile in Jamaica
While there he intrigued against tn,
new president, Simon, and in Janu
airy, 1911, started a revolution against
him which was, however. short lived
The insurgents were defeated and lie
conte took refuge in the German cor
sulate at Cape Haythien. later beinl
sent from the island under German
protection. Leconte returned e
Hayti in May last year and succeeded
in oNerthrowing President Alexis anC
was later in the year chosen pres
ident Of the republic. He was a mu
latto of between 40 and 60 years O
age and belonged to the legal profes
sion.
The death of President Lecont,
came just as the relations between
Santo Domingo and Hayti wer,
strained almost to the breaking point
The Dominicans regarded him as tn,
moving spirit in the revolutionar,
movement now in progress in thei
own country, and the prospective lea,
er of an invading Haytian army nov
assembled on the border. Whethe
there was plot against Leconte'
life or whether he was a victim Il
the extraordinary precautions n
had adopted for his own protection
has not been learned. He kept tn
large store OF arms and ammunition
near his palace where they could b
Immediately available for his own us
in case OF an uprising.
A cablegram to the state denart
ment at Washington from America
Minister Furniss stated simply tina
the president was killed yesterda
morning at 3 o'clock by an explosio
OF magazines which DESTROYED IN
palace. Haytian Minister Menos ha
longer dispatch conveying the sam
information. II added that the pres
dents family was saved and that IN
presidents body had not been recor
cred. Minister Menos scouts the ide
that the explosion was the work {
persons with malicious intent. an
says he believes il was purely an a
cident.
AT the instance Of the state depar
ment in Washington Acting Secretar
winthrop Immediately ordered N
gunbOat Nashville from Cuantanar
to POrf-au- Prince a da,-,s -, -, -,