HAITIAN TYRANT TRIED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1386, 12 March 1912, Page 5

HAITIAN TYRANT TRIED.

SENTENCE OF DEATH. Bj Telesr&Dh-Preii AsMofaHea-OopyrliM New York, March 10. , Advices received from Haiti announce that General Cocceru, tho ex-military tyrant of Haiti, has been sentenced. to death, n jury at the Criminal Court finding him guilty of instituting a riot in 1898, during- which ten persons were fatally shot. Later, ho betrayed his three brothers, personally directing their execution on the following day. . Once, it was proved, he swore to carve out the hearts of white peoplo if the opportunity offered. THE BLACK REPUBLIC, FOUR GENERALS TO EVER!' ' PRIVATE. Haiti presents the most amusing travesty of Constitutional Government tint exists anywhere in the world. Possessing a representative assembly, it is at the fame time governed autocratically, and during the course of its career has probably witnessed more revolutions than nil the Central American States put together. Similarly, it is truer in Haiti than elsewhere, that the crowned head wears its emblem uneasily. Although comparisons are odious, it is of interest to disclose tho fates of the rulers of Haiti during the last century, in which period the island was occasionally an empire ruled by an Emperor, or a lawless republic presided over by n negro president. From 180-1, then, when Haiti proclaimed its independence of France, although expressly retaining the French language for official use, to the end of-the century thero were sixteen rulers, three of whom were Europeans. In each case these . monarchs met violent ends, one being assassinated, another committing suicidfi, ■end the third fleeing to meet his death by drowning. ■ The remaining rulers each possessed presidential rank, but only one died in his bed and in office. The records of the rest show that one was exiled, two were murdered, three abdicated under compulsion, four fled in danger of their lives, one was deposed after fSur months, one died of fever, or poison, while it appears not improbable that tho existin" president will,ba turned out of office. Haiti has been the victim of iimumer- ■ able rebellions and conspiracies, and it is natural .that great attention should be paid to military ma'tters. For its size, the Haitian Army is one of tho most interesting military organisations- in tho world. Doubtless, it has its specific uses, but these can never be properly understood without a reference to its musterroll. Including all arms, tho Haitian Government some time ago calculated that it could put into the field at any moment 8000 men, of whom GSOO would bo Generate of Division. A few years ago there were some 7000 regimental officer;; in addition, but unpaid, and employed to look after tho 6000 men; but with a view to economy, tho General has become his own reg'imental officer, so that there aro four Generals to each private, the explanation being that tho term General, as well as the rank, is conferred as a reward for services. It is frequently given to'the servnnts of the Presidential mansion, to the sentries on duty at the Presidential pates, and to a hundred other quarters. Every General is not necessarily a paid General, although eyerv General tries to pay himself. Nominally, tho pay of a General of Division is JBI4O per annum, but a private receives 50s. a year, and that on an average of once in every three years.