Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-12-31
THE VIRGlNIUS.
STATEMENT OF THE SURRENDERED
PRISONERS.
Spain Wants the Virginius Pack
Again.
The story of the virginius Prisoners

KEY WEST, Dec. ga special says the sur
yivors of the Nirginius were kept ignorant of
their fate and were visited by bogus priests who
exacted dying confessions. They thought they
were going to death, Upon the confession fthese
poor wretches, il is said, Attorney General Will
liams founded his opinion that the Virginius
had no right TO bear the American colors. The
poor fellows supposed they were going to the
slaughter house But the presence of the
Juniata and the surrender to her officers led TO
the most extraordinary emotional demonstra-
tions.
Kind Treatment OF the Prisoners.
On arrival at Santiago, orders came to
the ship from Commander Braine, for the
Paymaster to issue all blankets and pea
jackets in bis department to the prisoners,
who were hardly fit to be seen i'm their rags.
This was speedily done, but, as there was
still great restitution, orders came for eve
ny man on board to give their own blan-
kets and wearing apparel in the good cause,
the promise being made that all would be
replaced on the arrival of the ship at Key
West. The officers and men cheerfully
complied with this order, only preferring
that it should be issued as a request, in
which case they would have obeyed with
Just as much alacrity. Every heart was
touched by the pitiable condition of the
prisoners. The poor fellows report that
they were barbarously treated.
Tearing Our Flag 80 Pieces.
They say that when the officers from the
Tornado boarded the Virginius, one of
them, in hauling down the flag of the
United States, tore it into ribbons and
trampled on it, asserting with an OATH
This is what L have wanted
KEY WEST, FLA, Dec. 23.-The Powhat-
tan will leave for Norfolk tonight The
Wyoming was inspected to-day.
The Condition of the Cubans.
The situation in Santiago de Cuba, is
reported still very serious. A large major
ity of the population is in sympathy with
the Cuban cause, but the volunteers control
everything with n high hand. Only
week ago, twenty-five citizens of Santiago
were arrested and after mock trial had
been gone through with, without any evil
dence being adduced against them, they
were told to go home. On the way they
were cruelty waylaid and killed, only one
escaping, and his clothes were riddled with
bullets, dangerously wounded. The
Americans are continually in fear for their
lives and bitterly complain that nothing
has been done to redress their wrongs. 1t
IS not safe for an American officer to go
ashore alone at Santiago. All along the
river line, the Spaniards are erecting new
batteries.
Investigations About the Sirginius.
WASHINGTON, Dec. est has been as
certained from II prominent Government
oliCial ludJ lno lnNeSulBatlOn as 10 the
character of the Virginius will be con-
Quoted in New York, though the Govern
ment is powerless to proceed against Pat
terson, to whom the register for that YES
sci was issued, on account of the statute of
limitations. Therefore, no punishment
can be inflicted. Two years having elapsed
since he obtained the papers, he can not
be molested, but had all the facts been
known within the two years, he would
have been prosecuted for perjury.
Important Cuban Victories
KEY WEST, Dec. M-Advices from Cuban |
sources relative to military movements of Gu |
Ian armies, state that in an attack on Manzanil~
10 on the 9th Of November the Insurgents cap
tured twenty-siX rifles, eight thousand cart~ |
ridges, quantity Of gold and Spanish bank |
notes, cloth, provisions etc, beside destroying
one million dollars worth of property, and |
capturing one hundred prisoners, who were |
paroled The losses of the Spaniards were es-
timated at over Two hundred, while the Cuban |
loss was thirteen officers and sixty privates,
killed and wounded.
On November Goth the Cuban army went in
to camp at Sauja, having made further cap
ture of 10000 cartridges, rs rifles and q number
Of horses.
Cuban agents in this city, state that orders
have been received that no more rifles arc
needed by the Cuban forces, as they have cap
tured more than sufficient to fill all the forces
they can put at presentin the field.
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