The New York herald., 1872-10-20
Permission Grantee Him TO Make His Tour Of
Investigation Through the Island.
The Spanish Consul General on the Arrest
Of the Herald Commissioner
THE CONSUL'S SUSPICIOUS.
Is Henderson u Cuban
Spy?
Silence the Price of Henderson's
Liberation.
TELEGRAM TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.


TELEGRAM TO the NEW YORK HERALD.
The HERALD correspondent at the Cuban
capital has forwarded us the following special
despatch:-
HAVANA, Oct. 10, 1872
Mr.. A. Boyd Henderson, the HERALD special
correspondent, who was commissioned to
visit Cuba for the purpose of collecting in
formation regarding the state Of the insurrec-
ton in the island and had been imprisoned
by order of the Chief OF Police on suspicion
of being in league with the insurgents, was
yesterday examined by several officials.
He was released to-day by order of the Cap
tain General, but the authorities maintain
a mysterious silence as to the cause of his
temporary detention, and refuse to say what
ground there was for his being suspected and
incarcerated.
Mr.. Henderson has been allowed to enter
upon his tour through the island.
The Spanish Consul General to u Herald
Attache.
Immediately on the receipt OF the telegram con-
tanning the news OF the arrest in Havana OF MI. A.
Boyd Henderson, the HERALD Commissioner, who
was sent on tour of Investigation to the Island OF
Cuba, an atrache Of tke HERALD was instructed to
visit Mr.. De Uriarte Consul General of Spain, in
New York, for the purpose of obtaining, II
possible, some information regarding Mr..
Henderson's arrest and procuring his speedy
liberation. Mr.. Henderson being the bearer OF
letter OF introduction from Admiral Polo, the
Spanish Minister at Washington, to General Cebal
los, Acting Captain General OF Cuba the announce.
ment ofhs arrest was startling news indeed. The
HERALD attache communicates the result OF his
interview with the Consul Generab in the following
letter, addressed to the editor OF the HERALD:-
To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD:-
called on Mr.. De Uriarte Consul General of
Spain, yesterday afternoon at five O'Clock, and in
formed him that we had received telegram from
Havana, announcing the arrest OF Henderson, who
bore letter OF Introduction from Admiral Polo to
Captain General Ceballos. Mr.. DE Uriarte was
aware that Henderson had gone to Cuba for the
HERALD on tour Of investigation among the in
surgents. for Admiral Polo had told him all about
1t.
Mr.. De Uriarte was highly astonished when he
heard Of Henderson's arrest. l am sure his sur.
prise was genuine, and that he was ignorant OF the
news until had communicated it to him. He told
me that Admiral Polo had given Henderson letter
to the Captain General only after his solemn
promise that he would carry no secret correspond
(y,to Tv,xo
surgents in the island. Henderson had acknowl-
edged to the Admiral that he had several letters OF
introduction from Cuban sympathizers in New York
to prominent insurgents in Cuba, but he at the
same time promised that he would show them all
to the Captain General Immediately on his arrival
in Havana.
The Admiral, said Mr.. De Uriarte distinctly and
repeatedly declared to Henderson that he could
give him no assurance OF safety, and that he only
complied with his request for letter OF ntroduc-
ton to General Ceballos in order to facilitate his
mission and as personal compliment to Commo-
dore Bennett.
Mr.. de Uriarte thought that Henderson had played
false, that he had deceived the Admiral, had car
ried secret documents to the insurgents-docu-
ments which he had most probably not shown to
the Captain General as he promised but which
had perhaps, been subsequently found on
him. The Consul General could find no other
explanation for his arrest. Henderson, said
he, must have been guilty Of some such
gross offence to induce the Havana authorities
to disregard y letter Of introduction from the
Minister Of Spain, as it could not but deeply
mortify Admiral Polo to find that he had recon-
mended to the Captain General person un-
worthy OF trust. II Henderson has been arrested
without good cause Admiral Polo would take IL as
a personal afiront to himself. But would the Ha-
vana authorities infict such gratutous insult on
the Minister OF Spain? Would they under such cir.
cumstsnces have arrested Henderson unless he
was implicated In some intrigue or conspiracy
Why did Henderson linger in Havana five days
after his arrival?
ter to Admiral Polo. explaining the whole matter
to him. When he had finished he requested me
that the despatch about Henderson should not be
published, for the present at least. II the matter
would be kept silent nothing would probably be
done to Henderson, however he might be impli-
Gated. He would quietly be put on the next
steamer and shipped back to New York. But should
the despatch appear tomorrow some ofthe papers,
eager for o sensation, would have flaming articles
about Spanish outrages,r with the usual bombast
and exaggeration which would be communicated
by telegraph 10 Havana, provoke counter-de-
monsirations by the Havana press, raise the Span
ish blood to boiling neat, inlame the wrath OF
the volunteers, OF the officials, OF the Captain
for their own Justification, on poor Henderson's
trial by court martial, and, II guilty ON his con-
dcmnation. In such case Admiral Polo would be