New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-08-25
The Victims at Havana.

We have received long communication from
the Editors of La Verdad, IN reference to the out
RACES stated to have been committed on the bodies
of the fifty men who were shot IN Havana on the
10th inst The original of the letters quoted be-
low have been exhibited to us We have not
space for the whole OF the communication, but
suboin the most important parts of
desire has been shown IN some quarters TO re-
heve the SpanlardS IN Havana from the Just odlum
and disgust naturally awakened an every bosom Dy
the revolving PROCLAMATION to which some OF the dead
bodies were subjected after the massacre.
The undersigned, therefore, feel called upon 10
publish the following extracts Of letters received by
various Cuban gentlemen IN Newly ork from thelr
friends III Havana. In all cases those letters pro-
coed from persons Of perfectly reliable characters
One of them l2 IS from Spanlard himself writing
10 his own son. with acknowledged shame for what
he cOnfeSses another n IS from gentleman Oh the
most eminent repute IN Havana for the best quail-
ties OF human nature. We might easily multiply
similar proofs We send the originals of several OF
the letters for the inspection Of the editors to whom
We have the honor Of addressing this c0mmnnl-
cation.
We desire to have II particularly born IN mind that
the authors of these barbantIes were the Spanish
rabbe of Havana, and would pledge our lives that no
Cuban behed the scene with other emotion ihah nor
ror Itsy constituted the class 10 "Hoh II Was 4
day of JOY and oxuliatiOn. No person familiar with
the history of the Spanish civil wars among them-
selves, VIII receive with any surprise TINS specimen
of the ferOciouS instincts of the spanish character,
one OF the symptoms Of which Is To be seen IN their
bloody bull-fghts. and fights Of Wild beasts Hun
Greds of far more hOrrld atrocities are well known
10 have occurred IN their maSSacrcS OF prisoners,
and treatment Of then remains. Even cannlbaiISm
Is not unknown on such occasions 20 the experience
OF some of the Spanish provinces.
The letters are all of the date OF the evening OF
10th or the Eth INST.
l. "The City of Havana has witnessed to-day the
most shocking spectacle which could have been pre-
sented to the eyes of civilized world, and which
fIp As4flrr hIFD
The pen ShTnkS from describing H. The Roman
people, when 1t used to delight IN lis cruel enter
talnments renamed far beyond the >panlards here
Yesterday. After the cOwardly murder OF % men,
officers and soldiers, they gave up certain number
Of them to unbrdled rabble, VINO, Ike vultures,
divided the nanlmate remains OF these unfortunate
enthusiasts of liberty. who fell, we kno" not how,
INTO the power OF the forces OF the Government. we
do not know how It occurred, because there are so
many different statements that we 90 not know what
10 believe
turning from the execution, with the members OF
those unfortunate men. the most horrible exclama-
lions were heard from them and myself hedtd one
who was 10 dine that day on the brains OF a YANKEE
reyolt from continuing these accounts, and TO con
clude will tell you that The noise and the cries pro
s,nted faithfuil reminder of bull lighting arena On
day of performance
, While rejoice IN this success OF our arms,
[ths IS from Spanard, and refers to the capture Oh
the fifty In the launches cannot put lament
and blush for the excuses which have been COM
united bv the Tabble upon the corpSes oil those I'M
fortunate men who perhaps have been deceived Dy
our enemies to come here. ] have seen pieces OF
the bodies of those men, and parts OF their clothes
and Their shoes IN the hands OF some OF my country
men, and have been told that IN front of the palace
OF the General, There Is situated the Domm'ca es-
tablishment. they have been showing and triumph
ing over a piece of a skull
3 - send herewith the enclosed dispatch, giving
an account of the late occurrences Will ADD,
IN conclusion, that the 81 prisoners have been shot,
and thai Their remains were proianod by the MOB,
WhOtrampled on them, and afterwards divided among
themselves the shoes and caps, ana even some oil
the members of those unfortunate men. Oi Lopez
nothing certain l. known, except that on the 18Th he
routed the troops of the Government"
4 General Lopez landed at Play tas on the lllh,
said, and the following DAY the news was known
here on imagine the excitement caused by
II the Government on the one side full of the great
est ALARM ana The people eNhDltlng thtT sallsldC-
ton IN Their COunlenanceS. A column immediately
set out under the command OF Emma, the second IN
command. and Is SAID TO have had an engagement
the 18th with the lberatng force, In which vast
number OF Spanards persisted, our TRENDS having
obtained complete victory Emma sent 10 ask
more reniorcementS, which have been sent 10 him.
We know nothing more al present.
d" Ii remains only for me to relate TO you what Ha-
yana has been the witness OF scene which mas no
parallel IN the annals of civilized nations The
steamer HabaneTo entered this morning with 50
American prisoners, who were shot to-day ~ eleven
without any form Of trlal, and without having gwen
them even the time necessary 10 prepare Tor de an
a. Christians The troops marched out 10 the Castle
of Atares, the place of the execution, where was
found assembled a numerous multitude OF Spanlards
since there did not remain clerk IN a shop who did
not go TO 81 present al the act. THIS circumstance
would be nothing III itself, had It not been for the
barbarlties that followed for after the prisoners
were shot IN the back, their bodies were mutllated
IN the most hord manner, and not only soldiers but
officers themselves took pleasure IN stabbIng and
uampllng on the cOrpSes, which were tied by the
feet. their members being muuate which were ex-
hiblied trophies of victory"