The New York herald., 1870-03-12
g U B A..
The Late Massacre at Santiago
de Cuba.
Address Of One Of the Victims to the American
People-Seizurs Of an American Vessel
by the Spanish Authorities.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA Feb. 25, 1870.
The American citizen Juan Francisco Portuondo,
recently shot at the estate "San Juan" by the
contra guerrillos under Captain Boet from the day
OF his arrest had premonitlon or his coming fate.
When In the Office or the Chief of Police In this city,
he obtained sheet or note paper and indlted hur
ried address to the American people, In Spanish the
language lie was most accustomed to write 1t was
entrusted to friend, by whom 1t was handed to me,
with the request that should adopt the best means
in my Judgment to place 1t before the American peo-
pie. know of none better than forwarding 1T to the
HERALD. do this In the original, Of which the fol-
loving IS translation
AT THE OFFICE OF Tnr CHIEF or PqLloE,}
To THE AMERICAN PEoPLE:-
the Yen after sha; psrod, on
returning TO cuba, obliged to leave because would
again few years ago on some private Al4rs and
sn @ s
meddsd politics. oms Tow words here not inselisSs
citizen answering the Affirmative Thrsatening
% and sss sen 1 ns s %
be taken into the country and this for no other object than
Ny 's: mas have spo4ea 70 but sso
% su, r. has % @ an
BY Mr. Fish and the weakness Of President Grant, Il i
M%srsaq fear spain American people, he !. q
mind You that Cuba portion OF Americ. people
i've here whose sgnpahie: are yours: people BY
patriots and viii do You Nil the harm in their power
Is time to throw Oh yonr inacton and recall 70 mind that
nS Monroe aa hsys & rsd Ss line Of % 1a
unfortunate oomp".riot, - an ,,,,,a,,.> ,o,r,o,,n,
Portuondo was planter, having an estate near
this city, and was never known or supposed to have
had any connection with politics. IL IL confidently
asserted by his friends that the Supposltfon enter
tained by the Spaniards tnat he was the corre-
spondent OF the New York HERALD was, IN reaiitv,
The only cause OF his DEATH Like the Others he was
member OF the Masonic order, and the establish
ment OF this fact was sufficient ior tneir condemna-
uOn.
Since the massacre numerous additional arrests
have been made but the parties still in prison
and apparently their trial VIII be conducted mere
and not III the bush, so there Is chance that tney
may escape the fate Of their predecessors. Ii Is
hrmed the statement that the Colonel or Marines
sent from here with instructions 10 bring the prl-
ners In; but Boet refused to let them aud
threatened the Colonels lIfe The prisoners
san Juan towards Cuba Al a short distance ouC
Lney were shot, the bodies stripped and left in heap
Cobre volunteers, on receipt OF this pleasant news
formed IN procession and marched out with nags
and music TO the scene OF the tragedy and satiated
their brutal Instincts with sight of the corpses OF
the supposed enemies OF the national integrity. An
attempt at rejoicing was made mere among the
Catalans but-to the honor OF human nature be 1t
spoken--it was promptly suppressed by the police.
On the 10th inst the American soop Champion,
Captain Cox eutered the harbor In distress having
sprung leak on her voyage from Aux Cages To
Jamaica. Some discrepancy existing in her papers
tne government seized them, placed guard on
municate with the Consul, and finally moved the
vessel from her original anchorage to point under
the guns OF q inan-of war. Tne captain on getting
ashore protested, and made formal abandonment OF
the vessel to the Spanish government who refuse to
receive her. aud so question mas arisen winch the
home government may nave to solve.
Mr. Parsons the newly appointed Consul arrived
on the I'D. Mr.. philips remains az vice consul.
The latter IS extremely unpopular here with the
government and the Galatians from the nncompro-
mlslng way which he guards the interests OF his
fellow subjects VINO are the objects OF injustice and
a
occasional maf-of-war does not WISH TINS place, in
order 10 lend the United States Consul more weight
in the eyes Of the authorities
The small hayten steamer Mariani Is under
seizure BY government.