The southern press., 1851-11-05
From the Ptaindealsr.
Letter from Capt. Keliy--C snsaI oven.
CLrvELArD, ONO, Sept. 80, 1851.

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Sept 30, 1851.
DEAR Sir IL see letter going the round,
Of the newspapers from Allen f. Owen, u. s
consul at Havana. Permit me, through the
columns of your paper, To correct some of his
statements in regard TO his conduct toward Col
Crittenden's command and other American pris
oners since confined in the Punta at Havana In
the first place he says:
" ! reside about four miles from this place. and
not being well on the morning of the 10th, did
not reach my Office till some time after 0 o'clock
where, for the first time, heard Of the capture
OF about fifty of the men who had come with
Lopez TO this island III the steamer pampero.
at the same time heard that the prisoners had
been tried, found guilty, condemned, ordered TO
be executed, the order for their execution sent
forward, and that they were about being removed
from the harbor, where they were, to the place
Of execution"
This is the most perfect collection Of false
hoods ever met with, nd is only equalled in
absurdity by the audncity of the man in thus at
tempting to Justify his conduct through the AM
erican press He does not live four miles out
Of town, nor was he sick at the time referred to.
He did know in time Of the arrest of Col.
Crttenden and his party, and was sent for by
them, and positively refused to see them, on the
score that they were outlaws The American,
German, and English citizens resident in Havana
will testify to this whenever called upon.
The American consuls assertion, that the
prisoners had been tried, found guilty and con-
demned, is fasehood that every man in the
United States at all acquainted with Spanish
law and Spanish rule, must see at once. 1t is
not the custom to try prisoners in Havana,
other than togarrote or by shooting in the back,
which Mr.. Owen knew at the time he penned
his letter, as well as the governor-genera did
himself and judging from Mr.. Owens conduct,
should think he was more in dread of getting
in prison himself than anxious to get others
out The governor general exercises great in
luence over cowardly wretches like Allen F.
Owen, no matter what country they may hail
from. Hence account, in a great me asure, for
his neglect Of duty in permitting the Americans
to be shot.
With regard to the other prisoners, his con-
duct is equally outrageous. When reached
the prison, found eight or ten of my comrades
there, and they all said that the consul had not
been to see them. | also sent, the same
evening, by an American merchant at Havana,
to MIR Owen, and he refused to come, saying
that our government did not recognize us.
When Capt. Patt, of the sioop- -of-war Albany,
visited us, | sent to Mr.. Owen by him. and he
again refused to come
Then Lieut. Taylor of the Albany, said he
would make him come" and the next morning
Mr.. Owen paid us visit with Capt. Plat. AS
he came in, the Americans gathered around him,
and for some reason he backed through the door,
and held conversation with us, with the graies
intervening. | then asked him to assist me in
corresponding with my friends In the United
States He refused to help me, and said would
be sent to Spain.
Many of the prisoners then gave up all hope of
assistance from the American consul, and threw
themselves on the protection of Mr. Crawford
the British consul. Two OF the Mississippi vol.
unteers, Am ericans, called themselve irishmen
in order to obtain assistanc from the English
consul.
After ! was released and while remaining on
board the ship Norma, the American consul
asked friend of mine from New Orleans. if
knew why was released. My friend said no.
Mr. Owen then said, that h. did not want the
credit or the blame of my release to rest upon
him.
My object in publishing this letter is to de
fend the reputation of my gallant companions
now in prison, by refuting the fasehood of Mr.
Owens letter, and 10 show to the American
people the true character Of their consul at Ha-
vana.
Will the papers that have published Mr..
Owens letter give this place in their columns?
J A. KELLY.
Late Captain Cuban Expedition.