THE ASSASSINATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA,

Evening Post, Volume IX, Issue 84, 21 May 1873, Page 2

THE ASSASSINATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA,

An extraordinary account of the assassination of Morales, $he late President of Bolivia, is given in a letter from that country published in the Cologne Gazette, The assassin, Federico Lafaye, is of Irish origin, and the nephew of the late President's widow*. His engaging manners made him a great favorite in Bolivian society j six years ago, he married the daughter of one of the principal merchants at La Pae, and since then he lias engaged in various commercial . enterprises >vith considerable success. : When Morales issued his pionunciamento in 1871, Lafaye fought by his side, and greatly distinguished himself in the sanguinary encounter of the 15th of Jann&ry, 1871, which placed Morales at the head of afiairs. He was then promoted to the rank of colonel, aud became tho private secretary and confidant of the aew President. He asserts that the assassination was in no way premeditated, but thab he killed Morales under the iufluence of a sudden passion. On the night of the murder he was in a room bf the palace' where some officers and others were playing at cards. Shortly afterwards Morales came in, and asked for his aide-de-camp, Tho i latter, who was seated with the others at tie card-table, immediately rose,* but Morales struck him in ihe fece and ordered the window to be opened, exclaimiug that he would throw him into the street. An officer advanced to obey the order, upon which Lafay.e rushed in between Morales and his aide-de-camp, and begged the President to be calm, adding that if the aide-de-camp had committed any fault he should be arrested aud tried by court-martial. Morales, however, _ persisted in his determination, and called upon another of his aidede- camps to assist him. A scuffle followed, in the course of which Morales struck at everyone who came in his way, and Lafaye having again attempted to interfere, the President knocked him down. ut th\s insult,' 1 ! •' concludes Lafaye, "so provoked me that 1 fired the seven barrels of my revolver at Morales ; I then ran to the barracks to take steps for preserving order among the troops, and afterwards went hprae. This is my declaration, to tlie truth' of whioh I swear before God and on my sword." Lafaye is now afc Tecun, in Peru, and the correspondent says that the death of Morales having been announced to the Assembly, Dr tfrias, an eminent citieen of La Paz, was provisionally elected head of the Government until a new President should be appointed. There are three candidates for the post — Casimir Corral, the present Minister of Foreign Affairs j Adolphus Ballivan, and General Quevedo. The correspondent thinks that if the flections pßss off quietly, and the troops tlo not interfere, Balllivan will be the suueessful candidate.