New-York tribune., 1869-04-16
THE MASSACRE AT THE GARRoTE.

HAVANA, April 10.-Yesterday we had another
bloody scene. and brave one The military author
tiles went out to execute two men, and Win tnelr
accustomed accuracy of aim shot six or more. Leon
and Medina, the two Cubans condemned for taking
lead in the riot of the Puente Chavez last January
were garroted amid the widest disorder. These men
had been tried in a regular civil court Ihey were
workmen in the tobacco factory OF F1gueraand when
about the time of the Villanueva and Louvre mas
sacres the police attempted to seize some arms con-
ccaled in the next house. they sailed out at the head
of number of their comrades and led on the crowd
to oppose the policemen several Of whom were killed
in the ARRAY These deaths were charged upon the
two men, but were not proved as specially their
doing. 1t was question whether their
case came under the benefits Of the amnesty decreed
by Gen. Dulce shortly after his arrival here. The
LAWYERS of the prisonerssubmited that the amnesty
was written in the morning before the affair at the
Puente had occurred. The officers Of the Govern
ment replied that il was not in force till its issue in
the official gazette at four in the day; and so,
between tweedledum and tweedledee, the lives OF
these Cubans spirited of. The trial was full
and long and about as fair as any trial of Cubans by
Spaniarls can be at this time The general fact is
that the execution was political the men were not
put to death for murder but for treason. A feeble
attempt had been made to rescue Leon from the law,
on the ground that he was 10 citizen 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 performance did
not begin till about eleven. The suspicion occurs
that the authorities designed reserving il to late
an hour TO give it the utmost publicity and erect
whatever might be the consequences to an excitabe
and injured people, very great crowd, on foot and
in carriages had gathered around the hollow square
tha MIA 0f fha
which, as usual was set up the Punto adjoining tile
prison, and quite near the sea. Leon and Madna,
robed in white and accompanied by small process
sion of priests in black bearing the customary black
criciix and black fag were conducted toward the
garrote. Spanish paper says that prisoner
charged with treason in the Villanueva affair,
called out to one of the condemned, as they were
leaving tue prison, Remember, Leon, your
promisep Arrived on the platform, Leon begged to
say few words, and leave was granted to him. ac-
cording TO The Spanish press, unler "a that they
were to be words Of contrtOn and fareweil but this
story is not yet verified. Leon began a speech that
soon grew bold and defiant in the extreme.
lie said that though he stood there, doomed
as criminal lie died for his country, and was going
10 glory He might perish, but the insurrectiou would
not die with him, and now he felt sure OF the
triumph of his cause. VirG Cabd Hbre" Dird iHde-
psRdepcd These were the last words the brave man
uttered. Nothing could exceed the scornfnl and de-
iiant abandon of some portions of his speeca He
held his head up proudly and smiled. and almost
laughed out in the face of the death for which he
wished 10 show q contempt as unmstakable as that
which he felt for his armed exccutioners Ihe voiun
teera 0uardnQ tho platform tried to drown ms voice
with cheers for Spain and cries Of death to traitors
but maintaining his bravado TO tho last Leon |
shouted his grito over their heads TO the |
crowd beyond. 1t was heard and caught |
up while the executioners were 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 which was to give
him sudden death. shot was fired and Cuban
fell dead near volunteer. Loud and frenzied cheer
ing went up from q multitude of tho common class
of spectators, white Cubans mulattoes and negroes,
while this was taking place. Some cried, viva
Cuba Librew and others, Viva Cespedesw and
"Muera Espanaw and the volunteers replied by
shouts and shots Cabans in the crowd who had
arms are said 10 have discharged them, and one vol
nnteer fell The volunteers say, moreover that
shots were fired from OF the neighboring houses
which they visited, bayoneting several OF the
inmates, and, as is also reported. a wo-
man. All the soldiers, excepting the square
of volunteers near tho garrote, who MAIN
tanned their position with an unusual anu
sinister forbearance broke ranks and charged upon
the crowd with sabers and bayOnets. Three or four
black men and mnlattoes were dreadfully mangled
In the fury with which they revenged themselves
upon the respected portion of the deenseless multi
tude The most ominous sign OF the aiilay was that
the artillerymen belonging to the regular army, ana
believed to be too well disciplined to bntcher WIN
out orders drew their swords and cut mp those
within reach. No one is at present sure that hore
than seven persons were killed by the troops.
great many must have been hurt by being Dayohet-
ed, or shot OF run over. The flight OF people ana
carriages from the scene fearful as the scene
itself. For mile up to the Theater Tacon the great
prodo of Isabel, one of the finest drives in the world
was crowded with fugitive drivers. 4 few wounded
were borne by in carriages and among those on loot
were excited men with pistols in their hands, whom
mn volunteer took the tronbe of arresting. While
tbe turnoil was going on the two men at the garrote
had boon bonnd 10 their seats and put to death by
the tnrning of the iron screw. From noon 10 sun
dawn the dead men, white-shrouded and white
canned. sat rirdy in their seats ghastly spectacle
fo, the entire city But more Cubans were executed
than the daring Leon and his equally fearless com
ponion. Medina, and 50 the lwhoe of Havana feels
to-day The prolonged sight Of the garrote had In IL
very little that odiyng or remedial to the pres
emf state of the public disorder; but It coniu nave
struck no foreign spectator as beng so aiSgus's S
the eallows, horrible and hardhearted as the wi'oie
,,ocbonicol scene of the late akng-oll undoubtedly
was 4
Fsw noints Of news suggest themselves at present
,o.;s,,,,.,, Comment II ought to be said here
~ - ali tho news sent North from Havana, drawn
from Snanish statements or otherwise, about nine
tontbs have been true and some are disposed 10 say
ninc,v.nne onc-hundredths The obscuriFy ana in-
volvcment of the intelligence supposed TO DO given
in this quarter it is impossible to describe; put .io
nuho Of tho United States we'll informed OF tue
PuphO w Wv :, ,e.oa Aha massacres