The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-04

FROM CUBA-MoRE OUTRAGEs ny TIM
SPANISH VoLUNTEERs.-An Havana letter of
Feb. 18th states that the Spaniards claimed to
have captured correspondence showing that a
Cuban Junta existed in Santiago, and from
forty to fifty persons, planters, merchants
lawyers, doctors, clerks, &C., have been arrest.
ed; and thirteen of the most prominent have
been tried by military commission. found
GU lty of disloyalty, sentenced to death and az.
ecuted. The names of five of the victims 70
as follows: Senior Andres La Punta. Grand
Orient IF the Free Masons OF the Island. verv
wealthy planter, and man unusually esteem
ed for his benevolence and fine abilities; Cant
Jose Vlllalongo, once an officer of the Spanish
army; Don Jose M. Portondo, planter: and
two American citizens, Messrs. Charles Dunn
merry and John f. Portuondo, the first az.
American by birth and the second by natural
ization.
The consul at Santiago reported the affair
to the American Consul General at Havana,
who has probably forwarded the statement to
Washington.
The Spanish papers report the victims as
eighteen in number; and that they testified
that they were members of secret society, but
that their association was Masonic lodge and
met only as masOns for masonic purposes. This
was only the worse for them, as a Catholic
priest denounced all masons as traitors. Mr.
Phillips, consul at Santiago, ably seconded by
Mr. Ramsden, the British consul, endeavored
hard and long to save the lives of his two coun-
trymen, Messrs. Damnery and PortuOndo, but
without success. The volunteers insisted up
on their life-blood being shed as we'll as that
of their eleven Cuban associates, and thwarted
all appeals made to tie Lieutenant Governor
of the district to spare them.
The two Americans were FreemaSOns, and
therefore were sacrificed to Spanish intoler-
ance and fanaticism. Forty more were arrested
but were not executed at the time the first
batch were shot, but probably have been since.
The volunteers were furious at the delay caused
by the Lieutenant Governor sending to the
Captain General for advice on the subject
F. Consul Phillips has asked that an American
man-cf-war be sent there, and the British Con-
sui has also sent for frigate. The excitement
at Santiago was very great. A ship carpenter
named Frederick Jordan, British subject,
bad also been murdered by the volunteers al
Santiago
1t is stated that the Cuban General Quesada,
before being suspended by General Jordan,
shot 135 men in retaliation for the terrible MUIR
ders OF Cuban families and Cuban prisoners
by Spaniards.
An expedition safely landed recently at
Covar Rubaias, near Las Tunas, with 1900
rifles, 100000 cartridges, and a ton and hall
of powder for the Cubans.
The Americans at Havana and throughout
the Island are alarmed at the position taken by
the Captain General with the volunteers, and
many are leaving.
The reported protection given by the British
commander Of the irOnclad Defence to Capt.
Franklin, of the schooner Fulton, is confirmed
The volunteers assembled in great numbers on
the wharves, determined to kill him, but the
prompt action of the British commander saved
his life. There was no American war vessel in
port.