The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-02-29 00:00:00

:MANAGE.

8111PWRIXKED FIAIIF.RIIIIN, AND MARINER.' ROI AL
BENIVoLENT SOCIETV.—Thi4 winty hai awarded 47 PA
to the MitiOW of Wm. Mixon, he baring been a member
for 19 years.

SHOOTING OF SEVEN SLAVES IN CUBA.

According to the New York papers, seven persons
were executed on the 26th of last in inth on a planta-
tion called El Santo Christ°, in Cuba, owned by
Francisco Gonzalez Arango, a wealthy planter, and
the owner of several sugar plantations. Some months
ago, it is stated, he bought a lot of slaves in the Vuelta
de AMIN', and had them taken to his plantation El
Santo Christ°. Among them were an African woman,
her sou Luis, a creole, born in Cuba, his wife, also a
creole, and a Chinese coolie labourer. After they had
been on the plantation a short time, Arango's over-
seer, a whiteman, made improper proposals to Luis's
wife, she indignantly rejected his advances, and, after
repeated refusals, the overseer became angry, and
determined to take revenge. He therefore went to
Arango, and told him suvli stories about the woman
as to induce him to order that she should be severely
whipped. When the sentence was about to be
executed upon the woman, it was found that she
would soon become a mother. Her fellow slaves
hoped that on account of this she might escape. But
this did nit avail, and she was whipped in a terrible
manner. During the whipping her chill was born.
Lids, incens.sl at the terrible outrage to which his
wife had been subjected, determined to revenge him-
self upon his master. In a few days seven of the
w'groes who had been brought with him from Vuelta
de Arriba, together with the Chinaman, had entered
into a solemn league with him to kill Arango. About
the middle of January all their plans were laid, and
one night they started out to perpetrate the deed, but
Arango had left the plantation. Meeting the overseer,
they decided that he should pay the penalty. They
accordingly killed him, and then went and gave them-
selves up to the authorities at Bejucal, telling what
they had done. They were at once put m prison, and
ian nvestigation was commenced. Arango made a
formal complaint before the military governor of
Ilejucal, alleging that the killing of the overseer was
only the first step toward (musing an insurrection
among his slaves in favour of the Cuban insurgents,
and that Luis and his eight companions were the cow
',Orators. On January 16th, Luis, the Chinaman, and
five .4 the negisss were sentenced t death, and the
others to hard labour on the plantation for such time
as Arango might deem iosiper. So soon as the sentence
became known throughout the town, many of the
most influential citizens interceded with the governor
for a respite for the condemned men. He would not
grant it, and they then appealed to the Captain-
General Jovellar. These intercessions were in rain,
and preparations for the execution were continues'.
Early on the morning id' the 26th the prisoners were
taken out, and, surrounded by • strong guard, were
placed on horses, their arms tied behind their backs,
and their feet securely fastened. Each had a white
handkerchief tied about his head, awl each was
smoking a cigar. When the procession w 111.4 formed
the prisoners were taken through the place, and thence
through the principal streets of the town, to the
plantation, El Santo Cristo. There all the slaves were
called out to witness the execution. The prisoners
were then made to staled in line, and a platoon of
soldiers were drawn up in front of them. they fired
at the word, and the seven men, who all met their
fate with courage and resolution, fell at the first fire.
The bodies were then thrown into an ox cart and
removes' for burial.