The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-07-08
THE nPToN EXPEDIrIoN.
The Truth about the Latest Cuban
RIunder-A Hard story OF Suffering
: Something Concerning the New

ThR Truth ABOUT the AaLCbL OnDaAA
BIander-A Hard story OF Suffering
Something Concerning the New
York Juntas 800 zFat gVEH -f u
Havana iJune III Cor New York Times.
Further particulars Of the Upton expedi-
ton have reached Havana, and they DEM
onstrate that great deal Of carelessDess
and neglect was observed by the Leaders OF
the expedition. The sworn deposltlons OF
three members of the expedition, whose
love of life undoubtedly caused them to be
so uroIific, their declarations filling several
closely-printed columns, has shown the
manner in which these expeditions are or
oanized. display proving that only good
luck, and not talent, has ever enabled the
Oubans to land either men or arms The
first declaration is signed by Louis Medal.
AS the documents are very lengthy, shall
limit myself to making extracts Mr. Medal
begins by stating that he wishes 1t to be
remembered that he was taken unarmed
with five companions, that it was his Inten-
ton to surrender, and that owing to his
sickness since landing his companions had
abandoned him. The landing was effected
ON the night of the 23d, the steamer cav
ing in the morning and returning on the
succeeding night, but still without being
able to discharge all her cargo. The men
landing being commanded by Gaspar Be-
tancourt. All were busily engaged in hid
ing the landed arms and ammunition on the
beach. On the 29th, Spanish gunboat ap-
peared off the beach, and sent some men
ashore who, / understand, were driven
back. Colonel Betancourt then gave the
order to leave, abandoning seven or eight
sick person. Medal says he and his asso-
ciates tried to see if they could ind some
troops to whom they could surrender, and
on the afternoon of the 2Sth they met four
men on horseback, to whom they told their
story, and who brought them near the spot
where the fourth company OF artillery bat
TALON were encamped. The men on horse
back then turned and ran, the troops tlrlng
on them and advancing, which resulted In
the taking of some and the killing OF Carlos
Alvarez On the 29th, Medal and company
left with. the column. and arrived
had been effected on the after
noon of the same day, when their
companions, Benayides, the brothers Fus-
to and Pedro Aparnio, and the eolored man
Jose Valdes, were executed. On the 30th
quantity of the idisembarked goods was
found, and ON the 3ist Medal went as .
prisoner aboard the gunboat Evo, together
with Jose Ysidro Fernandez and Thomas
Almeyda, also of the Upton expedition.
Medal also wishes to state that two more
expeditions are to be undertaken within
short time; one from Colombia, command
ed by Leno, and the other commanded by
Ouesada: the latter is said to be due IN a
steamer armed as aman-of-war, and the for
mer by the Upton. And now Mr.. Medal
makes some serious charges, beginning
with a statement that this phsntom of a
living liberty Cuban liberty is created by
club of men without faith or conscience,
and by them forced upon weak and sickly
minds; also that it would be difficult to
make the people understand at once that
the so-called Junta of Cuba and Porto
Rico New York Junta) is only society of
assassins who live covered by the mask of
patriotism, and have no other aim than to
send innumerable brothers to die-brothers
who imagine they are sacrificing them
selves on the altar of their country.
What did the Junta mean, he asks,
by sending an expedition to the beach of
Punta Prava. a place In possession of
the government, and without commUnica-
ton with the interior? What diabolIcal
idea possessed it to lose this cargo and the
125 or 130 men who came by the Upton ?
And what arrangements had been made
with those who were to receive these arms,
huCu IL was e1lOSCIAC1 1AApOobAOAO AOA IAOL4
to reach the beach ? This bitter and pain
full truth brings the bad faith of these men
(the Junta) to light, and Medal, who. with
many companions of the expedition, had
been wandering lost about these noun
tslns, hungry, naked, burnt by the fiery
sun, and worn out with thirst and fatigue,
says he prayed God to have compassion on
him and to wreak vengeance on the
perfidious. The document l refer to Is
signed by Louis Medal, and the other
two are couched in similar language. ThOs.
Almeyda, who, believe, at one time was
secretary OF the Cuban Junta at Key West,
added the following particulars in his dec
Iaration relating to the treatment on board,
namely, that they we're treated badly on
the Upton; that the officers lived Sin clo-
YER" and did not even care whether the
men had anything to eat or not. Also, that
| there was no organization whatsoever; that
the Cuban leaders were no soldiers, and
that those who were did not speak Span
ish. Almeyda confirms the statement that
Betancourt sent the sick men into the
mountains without provisions, and that
they lived on the few crabs they could
catch. The third prisoner, Garcia, repeats
the same story of hunger and despetic
treatment aboard. The three prisoners also
requested, in writing, that the commander
of the gunboat should intercede IN
their behalf. And now comes ths story OF
Spanish generosity toward these sick and
defenseless prisoners-men who surrender
ed without having fred a shot and without
being in possession of arms. These men,
who pointed out to their captors the hidden
arms, were taken to Puerto Principe and
4 had conversation with the Captain-Gen.
eral, who generously ordered verbal court
martial to assemble, which tried them as
prisoners, and they were executed behind
the Jail at Puerto Principe on the I'd oi
June. They had far better died without
writing line, but they were led to hope 6
great deal from the kind behavior OF Lieut.
Olivarez, of the gunboat, who, however
had no power to interfere In their behalf.