Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-20
EXECUTION OF CUBAN ROBBER AND
MURDkRER.
Extraordinary Confession to the Captain.
Beneral-Twenty-th -three Persons Murdered
by his hand. -..


conveyed to the criminal ward Of the Hospital
San Juan de Dios. in Havana, to receive surgi-
cal assistance for severe sabre wound IN the
breast A few days after his arrival in the hos
pitaI he was alsrmingly i'll, end was supposed
IL be dying. priest was summoned to ad-
minister the oiedS according to the rites Of the
Roman Catholic Church; but, upon feeling the
criminals pulse. the priest declared that the
man was under the influence Of some strong
narcotic; and the usual remedies having been
applied by physician, the priests opinion
was confirmed. On removing Lazo to another
bed letter addressed to bis Excellency the
Captain General was found under his pillow,
apparently written just previous TO his taking
the dose Of laudanum, with which he had in
tended to destroy himself. 1t may be doubted
whether the annals of crime bear record of
greater atrocities having been committed by
any single individual than those confessed to by
Francisco Jayier LazO in the following letter:
To has Erceiisney tie Captain General:
Senior: Being about to destroy myself with
poison, desire. before 1 die to make known
TO your excellency the horrid crimes which I
have perpetrated in this island, in order that
those individuals now in prison under suspicion
may not suffer wrongfully for my misdeeds, and
also that, by making full confession my soul
may be somewhat relieved from the load Of sin
which now weighs it dewn.
/ commenced my career of wickedness by
being imprisoned at st. JagO de Cuba for a
robbery effected in the town Of Bayamo. 1 was
confined in cell, from which l made my es-
cape to the city of Puerto Principe, where, in
company with a colOred man named Joaquin,
broke into a jewelers. shop and carried off an
entire case of valuable watches, &C., which
was taken from me ON the road to Las Tun8s
by a Commissary of Police from whom made
my escape. / Immediately returned and robbed
said police officer.
At Sancti Spiritus robbed a similar estab-
ment, and on the same night and street broke
into two other houses.
L then went to Trinidsd, and, having effect
ed entrance into the house Of an Englishman
on Gutierrez street, 1 took therefrom about
1000 worth of jewelry. l was arrested upon
suspicion, but escaped from Jail, leaving in the
hands of the authorities a trunk, containing
some clothes and pass, which 1 obtained
from the Alcsde of Sancti Spritus, under the
assumed name of Prudencio Belet
In Matanzas I robbed several houses, from
one of which carried off some very valuable
diamond trinkets; but being pursued by sew
eral watchmen, was compelled to throw the
greater portion away. succeeded in eyading
my pursuers, and soon returned to the city
again, and perpetrated great atrocities; after
which L started off to Guanajay, where
robbed vizcainO of a large sum of money:
from thence L removed to the village of Guiana
bacoa, where was guilty of frightful excesses
1t was that killed the man who was found
laying dead at the foot of the hill called Joa-
quiH; was the murderer of the Commissary of
Police, Martinez; of the Lieutenant from Ja-
rucO, and others whose names do not know.
found assassinated in the vicinity Of the vii
lage, from whence passed over to Havana
where, in a house rented by Jew called An
dradc, murdered police officer named Ma
rsnte, and his wife. L had been some time
contemplating the perpetratOn of this crime
inasmuch as that Marante was the most ener,
getic officer in the service of the government.
and the one who had been the most active in
his endeavOrs to discover my whereabouts; but
as he lived IN an upper story in a much fire.
quented street, it was difficult 10 get at him.
However, / availed myself of dreadful thun
der storm of wind and rain, and with a rope
ladder, crowbar, &c, at midnight, proceed
ell to the residence of Marante and soon ar.
c1mpllshed my purpose. / killed him and his
wife, "a they lay asleep in bed The same
night, and in the same street, | murdered an
old man for the sake of his watch and n tr;fjino
sum OF money l found in his pockets. The
next morning | went to look at the body as il
lay stretched out at the gate of the jail where
1t had been placed by the police authorities fo,
recognition.
A few days afterwards in Campanilla street
outsid. the walls, early in the morning, L drove
lny knife into the heart of young Frenchman
who attempted to defend his property. Nea,
to the factorJ, (now the hospital military as
also in the vicinity of the baracoons. I have
been guilty of shocking murders
AT place called AjO de Aqua, near Matan.
zaS. on the road to La Mocha, towards dark.
met gentleman and lady, whom ordered to
stop; the gentleman drew a pistol but before
nc had time to use il L shot him dead with NV
carblne L dragged the body into the bush.
and after making use of the woman, [ cut her
throat 10 prevent discovery. The next day the
TWO bodies were found in the woods, and / fed
from matanzaS. because reward was offered
by the authorities to take me- dead or alive
Antoine Il faI
Returning again to Havana, robbed several
hOuses-among the number that of the captain
of artillery, Don Jose Soler from whom 7 tool,
large sum of money. and the merchant Frias
compelled. In turn, TO fly from Havana. pro-
ceedea 10 GuanaJsy, where L was captured by
the oincer OF the district, who caused me TO be
securely pinioned with cords and. guarded bv
fourteen Spaniards, sent me to HayaDa. but at
stopping place on the way, whilst most of NV
captors were at dinner, / mansged. unner-
ceNed. to get my hands loose, and seiz:ne a
maenete belonging to one Of the barty, who
hau careiessiy left 1t on table, attempted to
escape, out was speedily followed by the chief
ofncer and some others. Seeing that the former
was rapidly gaining on me- and rendered
FURIOUS st the prospect of being retaken. sud.
denly turned round and run the officer tbronob
tne oodylwith his own machete was soon
o'erpowered by the others, who struck me
some neavy blows with their swords, and half
dead from loss of blood, I was conveyed to This
CITY; where L am now laying at the point
OF death, from having swallowed dose of
Poison: ;frlghtful as this catalogue of crimes
may oe, is lar from complete. But have
nos sIenS'n sufacient to continue this letter.
hendlsh desire appeared to seize hold upon
me to murder as many human creatures "a
year. mad lived Yes, the blood of twenty
three innocent victims cries ont 70 Uaav.r
againt me, and weighs down INV soul with hor.
TOR. FRANCIsco ,y,.u
Hospital de San Juan ds Dios, Haraua.
The miserable wretch "a mulatto, native of
Cuba recovered from the effects of the poison
he had swallowed, and was publicly erecntsd
in front of the Punta Castle, acknowIed o;n, "
his last moments that his death was but poor or
atonement for the lives of the unfortunate -
Tins Of his murderous hands
Strange and Pretty Woman Fall. =. .,
Arms Of q Bachelor In a KaiIroad Ia, az
Sleeps.
The traveller who has been fortunate eno,,h
to sit beside an unknown beauty in a r,;Iws O.,