The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-21
snanish Treatment of Masons in Cuba.

The New York Journal OF Commerce mas re-
ceived inquiries from Masons in the United
States regarding the treatment of Cuban mem
bers of the fraternity residing. within Spanish
jurisdiction. The facts have been difficult to
obtain but, as nearly as that paper can get at
them from special sources of information, some
months ago a Cuban lodge was meeting in Sc
cret place near St. Jago de Cuba when some of
General Valmasedas troops made q descentup-
on them and captured them, eighteen in num-
ber. The object of their meeting, the Masons
insisted, was only the transaction of ordinary
BUSINESS But Valmaseda had, or protessed
to have, belief that they were assembled to
promote the cause of Cuban independence.
They were, therefore, turned over to one OF his
lieutenants, Gonzales Boet, and marched OF In
to the country, under charge OF detachment
of soldiers. On reaching secluded spot, Boet
ordered the captives to be shot down, and they
were thus assassinated without trial or preliml-
nary inquiry of any kind. 1t is believed that
Valmaseda had given Boet verbal order to do
this deed of butchery. The murdered Masons
were all Cubans, gentlemen of high respecta-
bility, and, their friends assert, were innocent
of any completely in the Cuban revolution
though there is no question that their private
sympathies, as those of nearly all Cubans-born,
living within the Spanish lines, were with their
struggling fellow countrymen. The Spanish
government in Cuba foresaw that this piece OF
inhuman slaughter might give rise to demands
of explanation from the American or English
government, and Gonzales Boet was arrested
and detained in some prison unknown to our
informant to be produced in case an inquiry
was instituted at the instance of foreign pow
er. But neither the American nor the English
Government meddled in the afair-it is doubt
ed whether either of them were ever accurately
advised of the circumstances the muir
derer of the eighteen Masons remains unpunl-
ished and unrebuked by the Spanish authorl,
ties of Cuba to this day. Whether he IS still
nominally incarcerated or Is free, we are unable
to say. Soon after hearing of this horrible oc-
currence, lodge of Cuban Masons met in Ha-
vana, to take the usual steps for commemora-
unfortunate brothers, when they were pounced
upon by order of the Captain General and
thrown into prison. Among the number seized
were several officers of the United States monl-
tor Saugus, and these were set free Immediately
after arTest-the Captain General or his subor-
dinates fearing that this Government might
exact reparation for any ill-treatmcnt of the
officers. Upon the arrival of the Cuban Ma
sons-between thirty and forty of them-at the
prison, they were examined by the Judge who
holds court on the premises and he, finding
that they had committed no offence cognizable
by him, gave them their liberty. The Spanish
| local government was much incensed at thus
losing its victims, and, by peremptory order
all the Masons were rearrested and put into q
military prison, where they now remain. The
lust Judge, as a mark of the Captain Generals
displeasure at his humanity, was exiled to
Spain, and in the Epoca, at Madrid, published
justification of his course in the matter
What will be the fate of the Cuban Masons
upon whom the hand of tyranny has fallen SC
harshly, cannot be surmised. 1t is given out
that they will be tried some time or other by q
court martial They may be shot or sent tc
Fernando Po, or kept in prison for a term ot
years, or during the pleasure of the Captain
General 1t is thought the EXTREMIST penalty
will not be inflicted upon them, as the Captain
General hesitates to enrage all the other Ma
sons in Cuba, and to incur the further cnmity
of that powerful organization throughout the
world. The Masons under arrest are men Of
high character, and some of them Of elevated
social position, and are believed to have re.
Trained studiously from any overt acts of aid
and comfort to the revolutionists, although
their feelings must naturally be with the strug-
Cling people in the interior. Other Masonic
lodges in Havana, composed of Cubans, have
not been disturbed, we are told but they earn
their exemption ftom De Rodas' persecution
only by carefully avoiding the appearance Of
sympathy with the Cuban cause.