No. 536.
Mr. Caldwell to Mr. Evarts.
Montevideo, November 15, 1877. (Received December 31.)
Sir: After the failure of the revolutionary movement of last April, some of the leaders have remained in prison awaiting trial, although the chief Rivarola has never been captured.
The most important of these prisoners was Col. José D. Molas, a prominent actor in the assassination of the late President Gill. The advocate or defender of this Molas was Don Facundo Machain, minister of foreign relations under President Gill. For some indiscreet utterances Machain was arrested by the present executive, and had remained in prison several weeks. According to the official account, on the morning of October 29, the prisoners, having corrupted a portion of the guard, and overpowered the remainder, were preparing to march upon the police when they were attacked by a force under the orders of the government, and after a sharp contest were beaten, five of the prisoners being killed, among them Machain and Molas. Some of the government force were wounded and twelve prisoners escaped. On the same day the President in council with his ministers declared martial law for two months. At latest dates the country was entirely quiet.
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Señor Machain was a young man of brilliant promise and universally esteemed. He was the plenipotentiary of Paraguay in negotiating the treaty of Buenos Ayres.
Very respectfully, & c.,