Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1877 — Assault Upon the American Consul At Acapulco, Mexico. [ARTICLE]

Assault Upon the American Consul At Acapulco, Mexico.

The officers of the United Sfateß steamer Pensacola, arrived from Acapulco, bringing reliable information concerning the origin of the Acapulco Consular difficulty, which has not yet been'published in this country. It seems that Mr. Sutter, United States Consul at Acapulco, was standing in the street before his office one day when he insolently accosted by a notorious ruffian who had been driven from Mazatlau for being too ierocious and lawless for even the rough population of that port to endure. The fellow was insolent beyond measure, and Sutter, who was an old man, quietly requested him to move on. The desperado replied with blasphemous oaths, and signiticantly exposed the hilt of along and keen knife. Upon this menace /the Consul withdrew into his office and took a revolver from his desk. The buily outside, seeing preparations for defense, hurled a brick at Suiter, who* preoeivting that hostilities had commenced, fired. He had intended merely to fire over

the desperado’s head, but he aimed low and the ball furrowed his scalp. The Mexican fell, not dead but stunned. Sutter was immediately arrested. lie was tried before a Judge who was hostile to him, but who, with commendable justice, acquitted him. On the day following, the lower class in Acapulco, probably instigated by the Mexican or his asociates, made a raid upon the extensive plantation of a German-Ainerican citizen named Ivastan, one ofthe richest rancheros in the region. The mob sacked Ivastan’s dwelling, defoliated his orchards, ravaged his fields and dispersed his flocks. The indignant American reported the outrage and demanded Consular interference. Suiter immediately laid the matter before President Diaz, claiming damages of from SIOO,OOO to $150,000. Diaz forthwith wrote an official account of the outrage to Gen. Jiminez, his commandant at Acapulco, desiring him to make as speedy restitution as possible. Jiminez was at that time Military Governor of Acapulco. lie received Diaz’s instructions with jeers, and refused point blank to move in the matter. Sutter, preeeiving the state of affairs, wrote a formal protest to Diaz and oiie to Foster, the American Minister at the City of Mexico. He had hardly performed this necessary act when he was

again arrested, at whose instigation he was unable to discover, and thrown into thje town jail. This was, in fact a noisome dungeon, and after the lapse of eight or ten days the unfortunate Consul was seized with a malarial attack, and his situation became so dangerous that the military surgeon recommended his release from prison. Accordingly he was liberated ton a kind of parole, in which he an instrument which bound r> him to appear for trial upon notification. Foster, hearing of this additional outrage, sent to Diaz a mandatory request for satisfaction. Diaz forthwith apprised Jimin6z that the seizure was illegal, and that Sutter’s procedure wasunjustified. The President also dispatched a Senator as a Commissioner to adjudicate the liastan claim, in conjunction with another Commissioner to be appointed by Sutter or Kas tan. Jiminez positively refused to recognize the order. Affairs were

in this critical condition when the Pensacola, which had been ordered to the spot from Panama by the Navy Department, arrived and dropped anchor in the harbor. Sutter reported his outrage to Admiral Murray of the flagship. The Admiral immediately trained his big guns on the town, ordered marines under arms, and, landing, had an audience with Jiminez. He stated in a few terse sentences what he desired, and wasted no time in unnecessary ceremonies. Sutter should receive instant unconditional liberation; Kastan’a claims should be speedily adjudicated and reembursements made; the American flag was to be raised, and, with the Consul, was to be Baluted by the Mexican guns; otherwise —and Jiminez needed no extraordinary accuteness to preceive that the stern old Admiral meant what he said—the Pensacola would immediately batter the town down about' Jiminez’s ears. Cannon instantly effected what protest failed to achieve. Jiminez became very affable and tractable. He guaranteed the Consul’s immediate unconditional release and the settlement of Kastan’s claims. The Stars and Stripes were flung to the breeze, and the Mexican guns roared a salute and another to the Consul. The Pensacolacourteously responded with a salute. It was agreed by the Admiral’s stipulation that Kastan should appoint a Commissioner to act with the Senator, and the affair was settled. — San Francisco Chronicle.