The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-19
NDAY MORNING, APRIL l9, 1869.
THE CUBAN EEVOL UT10M.

u -
THE CUBAN EEVOL UTION.
An Address to tho People OF the United
States from the A rat OF the InsurGents
Terrible Scenes i'm Havanm-Ths
Garrote.
An address published by the agent Of the
Cubans in this country says that tho power oi
the revolutionists hns increased steadily since
last October, and that now they have AZ 900
men in their army under the command Of Ces.
pedes, general. They claim control Of all the
interior, amounting to two-thirds of the island
and allow the spaniards only the ports that
they are able to retain by forts and fleets,
neither of which the revolutionists have. The
address goes on to atlege that the rebellion
would have expelled the Spaniards if the for
mer could have procured arms from this coun-
try as freely as the latter have done; and ap-
peals to the broadest Interpretation OF the
Monroe doctrine as ground for help from the
United States.
A letter to the New York Tribune, dated
Havana, April 10, says:>-
q brave one. The military. authorities went
out to execute two men, and with their accus-
toned accuracy of aim, shot six or more. Leon
and Madina, the two Cubans condemned for
taking lead in the riot II the Puente Chavez
last january, were gaesoted amid the widest
disorder. These men had been tried IN 1e-
-gular civil court. They were workmen in the
tobacco factory Of Figuera, and when about
the. time Of the Viilanueva and Louvre mas
sacres, the police attempted to seize some
arms concealed in the mex house, they sailed
out at the head OF O number Of their comrades,
and led on the crowd tOoppose the policemen,
several OF whom weros killed IN the atfray.
These deaths were charEed upon the two men,
doing. It was q question whether their cas-
came under the benefits Of the amnesty de-
creed by General Dulce shortly after his arri-
val here. The lawyers O the prisoners submit
ing before the affair fat the Puente had oc-
CURED. The officers of the government replied
that it was not in force till it's issue in the Off
clal gazette at four in the day.. and so, between
Cubans were spirited off. The trial was full
and long, and about as fair as any trial Of Gu
bans by Spaniards can be at this time. The
general fact is that the execution was political;
for treason. feeble attempt had been made
to rescue Leon from the law, on the ground
that he was acitizen Of the United States, but
it failed from want Of proof.
1t is usual in Havana to garrOte at seven or
eight in the morning. This time the cruel per-
foImance did not begin till about eleven. The
suspicion occurs that the authorities DESIGNED
reserving it to so late an hour to give it the
utmost publicity and effect, whatever might be
the consequences to an excitable and injured
people. A very great crowd, on foot and in
carriages, had gathered around the hollow
square of soldiery encompassing the platform
Of the garrote, which, as usual, was set up in
the Punta adjoining theprison, and quite near
the sea. Leon and Madina. robed in white,
were conducted toward The garrote. A Spanish
paper says that priso sonef charged with treason
in the Villanueva affair, called out to one Of
the condemned, as they were leaving. the
rived on the platform, Leon begged to say few
words, and leave was granted to him, accord
ing to tho Spanish press, under plea that they
but this story is not yeEsverified. Leon began
the extreme. He said that though he stood
there, doomed as a criminal, he died for his
peps sGt e mot
him, and now he felt sure of the triumph OF
his cause. /" Nua 0uoa lsore :" .Vtua inde-
pendenoi0 z These were the last words the
scornful and defiant abandon Of some portions
Of his speech. He held his head up proudly
and smiled, and almost tlaughed out in the face
of the death for which he wished to show o
contempt ,as unmistakable as that which he
felt for his armed executioners. The volun-
teers guarding the platform tried to drOwl his
voice with cheers for Spain and cries OF death
to traitors, but, maintaining his bravado to the
last, Leon shouted bis grito over their heads
to the crowd beyond. 1t was heard and caught
up while the executioners we're carrying him
to the chair Of the garrote, and placing the
iron collar around his neck preparatory to-
working the horrible screw at the back Of it
Gred, anu o Cuban Iell dead near q volunteer.
Loud and frenzled cheering went up from q
multitude OF the common class Of spectators,
white Cubans, m1lattoes and negroes, while
vNie, folrS vH0oA ov~InH
ba libre !" and others, ''Viva Cespedes I" and
s'Muera Espana!" and the volunteers replied
by shouts and shots. Cubans in the crowd who
had arms are said to have discharged them,
over that shots were fred from ne Of the neigh
boring houses which they visited, bayoneting
several Of the inmates, and, as is also reported
woman. All the soldiers, excepting the square
OF volunteers near the garrote, who maintain
ed their position with an unusual and sinister
forbearance, broke ranks and charged upon
the crowd with sabres and bayonets. Three
or four black men and mulattoes were dread
fully nnangled in the fury with which they re-
vengsd themselves upon the respected portion
of the defenceless multitude, The most onlI-
nous sign Of the affray was that the artillery
men belonging to the regular army, and be-
Eeved to be TOO we'll disciplined to butcher
without orders. drew their swords and cus up
those within reach No one ia at presec: s::::rl,
that more that seven persons were killed by
the troops. A great many must have been
over. The flight Of people. and carriages
from The scsne was as fearful as the scene
itself. For q vile mp TO the Theatre Tacon the
great Prado of Isabel. enc of the finest drives
in the world, Was crowded with fugitive drivers
A few wounded were borne by in carriages. and
among those ON foot were excited men with
pisto.s in their hands, whom no volunteer took
the trouble Of arresting. While the turmoil
was going ON, the two mem OF the garrote had
been bound to their seats and put to death by
the turning Of the iron screw. From noon to
sundown the dead men. white-shrouded and
white-capped. sat rigidly in their SEATS q
ghAstly spectacle for the entire city. But
more CuhanR we're executed than the daring
Leon and his equally fearless companion Ma.
dina, and SO the whole OF Havana feels to-day.
t
THE M,ARDLE CASE.
Decision or the United States Supreme
Court.