Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-11-12
CONSUL OWEN-THE VICTIMS.

We take the following eTpoSe OF the ihisera-
BILE falsehoods of Mr.. Fiilmore's Consul at
Havana, from the Cleveland PLAIN Dealer, writ
ten by an eyewitness. II presents humilia-
ting picture of official heartessness, which must
bring the flush of shame to the cheek OF every
American:
DEAR SIR: see a letter going the rounds
of the newspapers, from Allen +. Owen, U. D.
Consul at Havana. Permit me, through the
columns of your paper, to correct some OF his
statements in regard to his conduct toward Co.
Crittenden's command, and other American prls-
oners since confined in the Punta at Havana
In the first place he says:
81 reside about four miles from this place,
and not being we'll on the morning OF the 10th,
did not reach nv Office until some time after 10
o'clock, where, for the first time, | heard Of the
capture of about fifty of the men who came
with Lopez to this Island, in the steamer Pam
pero. |, at the same time, heard that the pris-
oners had been tried, found guilty, condemned,
ordered to be executed, the order for their exc
cution 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, and is only equalled in
absurdity by the audacity Of the man in thus
attempting to justify his conduct through the
American press. He does not live four or five
miles out of town, nor was he sick at the time
referred to- He did know in the time of the ar
rest of Col. Crittenden 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 Consul's assertion that the
prisoners had been tried, found guilty and con-
demned, is a falsehood 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, 9TH
or than by the garote or shooting in the back,
which Mr. Owen knew at the time he penned
his letter. as we'll rs the Governor-General did
himself; and Judging from his conduct, should
think he was more in dread of getting in prison
himself than anxious to get others out. The
Governor-General exercises great influences
over cowardly wretches like Allen f. Owen, no
matter what country they may hail from. Hence
| account, in great measure, 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 l 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 eve
ming, by an American merchant, at Havana, to
Mr.. Owen and he refused to come, saying that
our own government did not recognize US
When Capt Platt, of the sloop-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 snake him come" and the next morning
Mr. Owen paid us visit with Capt. Patt. AS
he came in, the Americans gathered about him
and, for some reason, he backed through the
door, and held conversation with us, with the
grateS Intervening. then asked him to assist
me in corresponding with my friends in the
United States. He refused to help me, and said
that 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.. Craw.
ford, the British Consul. Two of the Mississ.
ippi volunteers, Americans, called themselves
Irishmen, in order to obtain assistance 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 he 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 falsehoods in Mr.
Owens letter, and to show to the American
people the true character of their Consul al
Havana.
Will the papers that have published Mr. Ow.
ems letter, give this place in their columns
]. A. KELLY.
Late Captain Cuban Expedition.