River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-08-01

w. Ada a brigantine of 300
~ IM tons and got a general car
4 No. go for Rosario, Brazil, on
the River Parava. From
Rosario l went 100 miles
up the river to st. Stephens and took on a car
go of wheat for Rio Janeiro While the cargo
was being unloaded my expectant eye distin-
guished signs of nice little revolution which
was just being shaped up, SO l sold my ship and
took quarters at the Hotel Freitas to watch
developments.
When the last emperor of Brazil, Dom
Pedro H.. dragged out of bed at night
and deported without the firing Of shot in
the peaceful revolution" of November Is,
1889, Deodora da Fonseca was made presi-
dent. Before his weakness had become
apparent he was made constitutional presi-
dent, and F1oriano Peixotto was elected
Vicepresident. Deodoros policy was weak
and Vacillating, and his popularity waned
rapidly. A revolution had been quietly
formed by Floriano, the vce-presdent
He soon had the army at his back and
gained the support of Admiral Mello, ranking
officer of the Brazilian navy, and Admiral Sol
danha da Cana, commandant of the naval acad
envy They brought matters to head on the
morning of November 3d. 1891 Mello took up
a position at the foot of the main street of Rio
in the cruiser Riachuelo, the finest ship in the
navy trained his guns the palace Itumary
and sent word to Deodoro that he would
open fire on him in two hours if he did not
abdicate in favor of Floriano. Deodoro abd-
Gated in two minutes, dropping dead soon
afterward from heart disease and F1oriano was
proclaimed president.
Before he had time to get his new chair
well warmed he had a with Meo, who
considered that he was rightfully entitled to
be the power behind the throne.
Mello worked chiefly among naval officers
aristocrats, adherents of San Pedro and the
Catholic clergy, and in the end they all became
his allies
AS Mellos plot shaped up I began to sus-
pect that his real purpose was to restore
Dom Pedro to the throne and make himself
the power behind it.
1t was amusing to watch the DEVELOPMENT of
Mello's revolution. One would have thought
two friendly leaders were planning rival sur
prise parties, in which there was TO be nothing
more serious than the throwing of confetti
1t along in July of August, 1893, that
Mello sent for me and expressed wish that
/ go down to Santa Catarina island off the
southern coast of Brazil and blow up the
Republica the one Brazilian warship whose
officers had SO far remained loyal to Floriano.
While we We're still negotiating 1 received
call from of Floriano's aids, who asked
me to accompany him to the palace. He took
me in the rear entrance and up a back stairway
to Florianos private sala where, after present
ing me, he left me, alone with the president.
Il understand" said Floriano chat you
were in Venezuela with President Guzman and
have had military training and experience.
THAT is correct, sir"
Il am told, too that you have made study
of high explosives. and have invented remark
able torpedo"
THAT is also true"
Would you be willing to undertake
a mission that would involve considerable
40 hut .Vybi
Il am open to anything except vulgar assas-
ination. That is my business"
What do you charge for your services?"
THAT depends entirely on the nature of the
work"
Consider yourself, then, in the service of
Brazil"
A few days later the revolution was declared
under conditions such one would look for
on the light-opera stage, but never in real life
not even in South America On the evening
of September 5, Floriano went to the opera
accompanied by Mello, Soldanha and several
other officers of the army and navy and they
all sat together in the presidential box Meuo
and Soldanha excused themselves after the
second act. They left their coaks in the box
and said they would be back in few min
utes Knowing full we'll the reason of their
departure F1oriano bowed them out with an
ironical excess of politeness.
At daybreak Mello seized all of the gov
eminent shipping in the bay and announced
a blockade of Rio harbor He then sent
word to Floriano that If he did not abdicate
without naming his successor, by four
o'clock that afternoon, he would lombard
the city
Floriano's reply was emphatic refusal
to abdicate, and precised at four o'clock
Mello answered it with one shell from a
three-inch gun, which exploded near the Amer
lean consulate and killed foreigner. During
the next week Mello fired 40 or so shots into
the city every day, but they did little damage.
Very soon after the firing of the first shot,
italian, English, German, Austrian and Portu-
guese warships appeared at Rio, ostensibly to
protect the rights of their citizens
About a week after the firing of the first
shot l was on my way to the water front to
witness the regular afternoon duel between the
Aquidaban and Fort Santa Cruz, when / was
overtaken by a government carriage, and Colo