Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-11-28
the CUBAN BUTCHERY. 4.
FURTHER DETAILS or THE iS-
FAMOUS rRAGEDF. 81
AN EYEWITNESS 10 THEEzECU4ION.
PROTEST OF CAPTAIN FRY.

Correspondence from Havana OF No
vember 18th gives the following de-
der, at Santiago, of citizens OF the
United States and others, from on
board the American steamer Virginius,
captured upon the high seas by a
Spanish man-of-war:
COURT MARTIAL.
The court trying the crew sat all
night from the 9th to the 9Th, upon
the Governor of Santiago lie Cuba re-
ceiyirg Il dispatch late on the 9Th from
the British commander at Jamaica that
he expected no execution would take
place, and her A1ajesty's subjects, six
teen of whom were among the crew,
would have a fair trial, and for this
purpose the corvette Niobe had left
for Santiago de Cuba. The crew was
executed on the It'll; the Niobe arrived
on the 9Th.
CAPTAIN FRY MARCHING TO DEATH.
Regarding the manner in which Cap
tain Fry and his companions marched
to their fate, these advices show that
they were landed on the 9th, at about
o'clock in the morning, from the
steamer in which they had been con-
F! fined, tried and condemned to death,
| and taken first to the captain of the
| port and then to the jail.
About midday of the 7th instant the
fiscal, or prosecutor in the case, Cap
tain s. NJ. Autran, of the gunboat
Cuba Espanio. handed to the Vice
Consul, Mr.. Schmitt, a permission
| from the captain Of the port and COM
mandant of marine, Don Ramon Bran
darts, to call and see Captain Fry at
tho Jail, who desired to see the Consul.
The latter Immediately proceeded to
the jail, where, after the usual formal
| tiles, he was admitted to see Capt.
FRY, VINO informed him that he had
been asking for that privilege, or that
right rather, ever slice he had been
first brought to the port, but without
avail, and he had only been granted
this boon now within few hours of
his death, as he was to be shot at 4
O'Clock, and desired to make his decla-
ration and protest, having been cap
tured, with his steamer, upon the high
seas, and therefore protested against
all and every part of the proceedings
The protest was concluded at about
o'clock, y. m, and the consul immedi-
ately transmitted copy to Gen.
Burriel.
! The declaration and
PROTEST
of Capt. Joseph Fry, before the United
States vice-consul, after being sen
fenced to death, was in substance as
follows:
That he was the master oi the Amer
! lean steamer Virginius. which lad al
her papers IN complete order. cspeci-
ally the register of the steamer, crew
list and articles, passenger list, clear
ance from Kingston as also dispatch
from the custom-house, &c. Sailed on
the 23d of October, 1873, with all his
crew and about one hundred and e;gh;
passengers after a few hours at Sea
sprung a-icaf ana put int" Port
Hayti,n for repairs sailed from! the
port Of cui,nit. Of that island, O.! ths
Both day of October. AID, while be-
tween the islands OF Cuba and Jamaica
twenty miles or more from Cuba, wa:
cha ,ed by a steamer, and oyertakeI
and captured about eighteen miles
north of Morrant Point, east end o.
the island of Jamaica, about 10 O'clock
at night, the Spanish vessel previously
; firing several shots over the Nirginiu:
and compelling them to surrender -
The steamer was then taken charge O.
by a boarding officer, who stated tina
! he did SO on his own responsibility
. knowing her to he an American vesse
l and under the protection of the flag O.
the United States Of America. The
, master, Joseph Fry, with the crew ant
passengers, were placed under guard
. and all brought into the port of Santi
l ago dc Cuba on The first day o
| November
On the evening oil the same day
; after having deIiyad over all the pa
} pers belonging to the Nirginius, he wa
refused permission to apply to hi
l Consul for aid and protection, an,
: this was only granted him after beirs
! condemned TO death with the mnjo
part of his crew, under no known ,D'l b
lie law or pretext; and, rs Captain Err,
was hurried to make his preparations
} for death, he could make no furthe
5 statement, but declares that the fore
going is his true declaration, which h,
: signed in Jail ut o'clock on the tin o
l November. 1S73-two hours previorl
to his execution.
This protest was approved by sev
Mr.. Schmidt advised. But His Ex
highly incensed =, the cunsul's action
and informed him that he had dc
!, manded the rcyo,';,ti.,u OF his exequa
! tor.
AN EYEWITNESS To THE EGECl riuN.
Captain Macarthur, OF the British
man-of-war Niobe, witnessed the exc
cution of Ryan, Verona, Jesus de Sol
4 and Pedro Cespedes, and gives tn
: following account: On the morning o
r the 9th day they were removed to tn
: place of execution, about mile from
g jail. The four victims were sur
: rounded by strong escort of Spanisl
l soldiers. Verona and Ryan were cain
: and collected, and marched amidst tn.
| | yells and yocifirations Of the infuri
g ated Spanish rabbIe. Arrived at tn.
2 place of execution, Cespedes anf
Jesus de Sol We're forced to kneel, il
s which position they were shot in tn,
: back. The soldiers next directed
3 Ryan and Verona to kneel in the sam,
' way, but they refused, and were
seized and thrown down. They were
} hand-cuffed all the time.
2 The two victims begged their tor
: mentors to allow them to Outstanding
r and having offered further resistance
l was not instantly killed. A Spanish
3 officer stepped forward and thrust hi
SWORD THROUGH RTAN's HEART.
, Verona died easily. Then down came
upon the corpses, still warm, the
blood-thirsty mob. who severed the
heads from the bodies, placed then
on pixies, and marched them through
1 the city.
Fifteen officers of the Spanish army
who had been IL de prisoners on the
battlefield by Verona. were presen,
T when he landed. and they went to the
Governor OF the city and begged that
his life should be spared since he had
: given them theirs. This was refused.
The foreign vessels at Santiago were
prevented leaving in order to stop the
circulation of thenews. The Spaniards
, took possession OF the telegraph and
would not allow any person to COM
, municate through them. even FOREIGN