I will advise you of the result of the trials.
[Inclosure in No. 338.]
Mr. Grant to
Mr. Thompson.
Florianopolis, January 24,
1895.
Sir: Your telegram of the 3d instant was
duly received, but as I wished to give you some definite information
I delayed answering until I could see the papers relating to the
police investigation of the case, in which I have only succeeded
to-day.
In addition to my letter of December 17, I found the wounded men in
such a bad condition that they could scarcely answer any
questions.
The information I could get from them at the time was to the effect
that at about 8 o’clock on the evening before they were all four of
them together in a street at the end of the town which turns down to
the quay, one of them playing an accordion and the others standing
around or dancing. There were also some soldiers in the street, who
suddenly and without any provocation attacked them and commenced
stabbing them with knives. They, feeling themselves wounded, ran
down the street and to the wharf, where the English bark Elcho was moored, and took refuge on board
her, the soldiers pursuing them and murderously stabbing them all
the way to the ship, or very near to her.
Ingvald Ramstad had eight wounds, two of which were mortal; Charles
Jonson four, one of them being mortal, and Fred Jensen also four
dangerous. Nils Johnson had a number of slight cuts in his back. The
clothes of all of them had a number of cuts which did not reach
their bodies.
When Fred Jensen got better I questioned him more closely and he
stated that on the said evening, when the captain told them to go on
board, they had not positively refused to go, but had simply said
that they would get on board later with the assistance of the crew
of the bark Elcho, on which the captain left
them.
They then continued their walk toward the end of the town, and on
reaching the street that turns down in the direction of the wharf
where the Elcho was lying they went into a
tavern and had a glass or two of wine and sat together in
conversation for a short time until it got dark. At this time, the
owner of the tavern wishing to close for the night, they went out
and stayed a short time in the street, one of them playing an
accordion and the others listening and talking. None of them were
intoxicated. There were also a few soldiers standing about the
street, some talking to women at the windows of the houses round
about. They (the sailors) not understanding the language of the
country, took no notice of the soldiers, but just continued amusing
themselves as described. He (Fred Jensen) walked down the street a
little way, thinking of going on board, when suddenly he heard the
noise of a scuffle, and turning back he saw his companions attacked
by a number of soldiers. One of the sailors was lying on the ground
and the soldiers striking at him.
[Page 57]
He (Fred Jensen) immediately went to the rescue and assisted his
companion to get on his feet, he being in his turn attacked by the
soldiers. Feeling himself wounded, he made for the bark Elcho, defending himself as best he could
from the soldiers, who pursued him, and took refuge on board the
bark, where he found his companions wounded, and all remained until,
with the aid of the police, they were removed later on to the
hospital.
From all information the seamen were all orderly and well-conducted
men, not given to drinking, and were none of them intoxicated, nor
did they give the slightest provocation to anybody.
During the police investigation fourteen witnesses have been
examined. In the beginning the proceedings were very difficult, as
the first who were examined, fearing the revenge of the soldiers on
the witnesses who should denounce them, denied all knowledge of the
affair. Some of them who had seen it all had, in fact, been
threatened with death by the soldiers in case they should make any
disclosures. Fortunately indications were discovered which forced
some of them to confess that they had witnessed the crime and to
name the perpetrators, who are proved to have been Durval Peixoto,
Manoel Cerino, Joao Galdino de Oliveira, and Elias Torquato da Roza,
all soldiers of the Seventh Battalion of Infantry, stationed at this
city, who seem to have been led to the perpetration of this odious
crime only by their perverse instincts, as it has been impossible to
discover any other motive.
The evidence of a number of the witnesses confirms the statement of
the sailors, viz, that they were in the said street, which is called
Padre Roma, one playing the accordion and others listening and some
dancing, when without any previous altercation or provocation
whatever, they were attacked and wounded by the said soldiers, who
pursued them as far as the English ship, on board of which they took
refuge.
The case is proceeding slowly in spite of all my efforts to get
things done more rapidly.
The murderers have not yet been committed for trial, but I believe
they will be within the next three or four days.
Fred Jensen is now quite well, and I send him to Rio to day. He will
present himself to you and personally state all about the case.
I am, etc.,
Robert Grant,
Consular Agent
.
