The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1871-12-21
THE LAST SPANISH CONQUEST.

AGAIN our duty to the public compels
US to record the horrible butchery of
eight beardless boys by the military
assasslns, yclept volunteers" at Havana
Ihe heart grows faint as the eye scans
the particulars of the many fragrant out
RACES perpetrated on the inoffensve, upon
the plea of military necessity. 1t seems
that, on Thursday, November 23d, party
OF medical students visited an old GENE.
terry, long since given up as burying.
place, and while strolling about, were
detected by one of the volunteer soldiers
from the like of whom the Lord deliver
any people-whe made some insulting
remarks to the boys, which they retorted
L he volunteer staid some time, and pass
ing by the niche in which the BODY of
Castanon-whom the Spaniards venerate
as political martyr, and who was killed
by the Cubans in Key Vests deposit
ed, noticed that the glass which covers
the end Of the niche was marked, ap-
parently with diamond, and that some
letters uncomplimentary to Castanon had
been scribbled on it. The volunteer call
ed the attention of the curate to the fact,
aud rushing out, returned with several
companions. This was the whole offense
that had been committed The boys had
not even been near the niche Of Castanon,
but as they happened to frequent the
cemetery, using it partly as playground,
and partly for the collection of human
bones for the study of osteology, they
were accused aud arrested On Monday
courtmartial was convened, composed,
first, of all the officers of the regular army;
but as they refused to find cause for trial,
another was subsequently, assembled,
which belonged body and soul to the
volunteers The poor victims were draft
ed or chosen by lot, one out of every five.
The oldest of the eight was not eighteen
years of age, and one was under fourteen
and although all communication with any
of the forty-two has been impossible since,
1T has been proved that, of the eight
executed, three at least had not been in
the cemetery. The thirty one not sentenc-
ed to death by lot were condemned to the
chain gang for periods varying from two
to ten years; and the sentences of these
latter were carried into such immediate
execution, that they appeared with their
hair cut short, in couvicts' dress, and
guarded by armed volunteers, at the
numbering ofther classmates, which they
were forced to witness.
At four o'clock in the afternoon,
detachment of volunteers was seen to issue
from the Jail, closely followed by several
priests, by the students sentenced to
death, and by the commander of the place,
Colonel Villalouga. Not sound was
heard, the young men thus cruelty
esntenced to meet an early. and sudden
death marching firmly forward. They
knelt down, muttering prayer, the firing
party of the volunteers was drawn up in
order, the command to make ready was
almost whispered, the commanding officer
OF the volunteers turning his head aside
to hide his emotion. Then came another
short command to take aim, Immediately
followed by the fatal word "fire," when
all were seen lying on the ground, four
motlouless, and fourin the last agones,
from which kindly bullets relieved them.
Such are the details of the murder.
When we read that the assassins marched
through the city-a mob feared by all
local misunderstanding, "Death to the
students y and demanding the right to
discharge their rifles at pleasure when
we know that many Students arrayed in
the obnoxious costume of the chain gang,
are now sweeping the streets of Havana,
by the decree of this model court martial;
when we are assured that the bodies of
the youthful victims were denied their
relatives for ordinary Christian burial
aud when, as consequence of the mur-
ders, fathers, mothers, sisters, and rela-
tives are shrieking throughout the city
hopeless cases of insanity sym
pathetic feeling is wrought to the highest
pitch of indignation, aud an appalled,
civilization joins in the cry &C ood God
how long 2" AT this rate, the volunteers
in Havana will far surpass the Com,
munists of Paris in atrocitv.