The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-10
shs Captured Steamer HirGtHtuS--
Tragic End Of her Expedislon-The
Lenders COud EN- ed and Rhaf

the Jamaica coast. by the Spanish war stean,er
Tornado, has been Swistly followed by a crfd
blooded massacre Of four Of the leading per
sonages taken on hoard-Bernade Varona
Pedro Cespedes, Jesus Del Sol AID Genera
Ryan-at the instance Of the trinunal before
which they were tried, at Santiago dc Cuba
as pirates. This summary procedure, ever
under the most aggravating circumstances 81
unquestionable guilt, would naturally excite
horror among civilized people. and
viewing the matter from the fact
as so far submitted by the dispatches
in which grave questions Of law are sug
gestcd. the sentiment becomes intensified
Unfortunately, the Firginius bears reputa
ton which stands against it circumstantialy
and the same may be said Of the persons
who have been condemned and shot as
pirates, but the justification Of such tragedy
is thing not accomplished by Il mere record
of appearances and circumstances. The
right of the Spanish authorities to seize the
Nireinius is another question Of prime i'm.
porlancc. and should hive been settled before
any disposition bad been made OF the men
upon her. Whether captured in British
waters, on the high seas, or In Spanish
waters. the case should have challenged de.
liberation. According TO the record at
| Washington, the tirginiuS was registered
a. 4 United States vessel, but what action
the authorities here propose TO take remains
to he seen.
| I'D CAREER OF THE v1RGINICs.
The Nireinius was built oh the Clyde, in
1864, as Il blockHdc-runner between Europe
and ports in the southern States. She was
captured by the Federal forces at the time of
the occupation of Mobile, and in 1870, while
| lying ut Hohoken waiting for purchaser.
was sold to friends Of the Cuban General
Rafael Quc>ada in New York; her great
speed and light draft (only eight feet when
loaded with 400 tons commencing her, it
is said. for the purposes Of blockade run
ming. The vessel was fitted out, it is alleged.
under the command of one Williams, and
on the Goth day of July, 1871, landed an ex-
ti;,-o de Cuba, in sight Of n Spanish war yes-
sci. Her second successful expedition
WAS on the eth of July, also under
| QueSada. 4 short time previous to this. il
| will be remembered, the NirginiuS WIS
b|ockaded at Aspinwal by Spanish war yes.
sells, but was conveyed out under the protec-
ton Of Commander Reed, Of the United
States steamer Kansas, who shotted his guns
and saw her clelr, her papers having been
examined and pronounced regular, SO far as
her register was concerned, by the United
states consul The NirginiuS has not since
that time been in an American port, and her
register rs an American vessel is supposed to
remain the same; but how far she is entitled
to the protection Of the United States Gov
erument can only be determined upon the
proper presentation Of all her papers to the
State and Treasury Departments.
A dispatch from Washington, referring to
; the matter of the capture, says:
"a blockade canDot be said to exist on the
[ coast of Cuba. so that il the Eirginius was
first discovered in Cuban waters, and sue
ceeded in making her escape on the high
seas, and was overhauled by the Spanish
gunboat outside Of neutral waters, then it
will be for the Spanish Government to in
demnify the owners of the vessel for any in
Jury they may sustain. But it is the belief
here that the Virginius has forfeited her
right to sail under the American flag, and
the term 'tlibuster' is only considered q,
the State Department rs al euphemism fol
pirate. The tenor of the correspondence
which passed between the commander of the
Spanish gunboat BaZan and the commander
of the United States steamer Kansas last
summer shows how the Spanish Govern
mcnt regards tie Firginius, and the instruc'
lions which have been issued from time Ia
time to the Spanish naval officers in the
event of their running across this vessel"
THE CAPTAIN AND CREW.
/ 1t is stated that the captain and crew o.
the Nirgnius when captured were nearl!
all Americans, the majority being married
men. Williams, who formerly commanded
her, left her few months ago, and is now
residing in the Spanish main with his fam
, ily. His successor is Captain Joseph Fry
graduate of the Naval Academy at Annap
oils. He is native Of Louisiana, and during
the late war made several blockading trips
He has recently been living at Albany, n
Y. He left New York four months ago or
the steamer Atlas, for Kingston, Jamaica, tc
take command of the Firginius.
i THE PASSENGERS.
The passengers on the Tirginius wher
: captured numbered, it is stated, ITO, ant
among them were General W. A: Z. Ryan
General Berrabe dc Verona Bembetta)
Pedro Cespedes, and Jesus del Sol, the two
| first of whom, together with General Rafae
Ouesada, Colonel Michor AgnarO, and Lieu
tenant Colonel l.. G. Bailey, had lately been
! ordered by President Cespedes to return to
; Cuba, it appearing that they were needlessly
wasting time and money in this country.
1t is stated that the Pedro Cespedcs men
toned was brother to Carlos Manuel Ccs'
pedcs, president of the Cuba republic. Gen
eral Ryan, who has been familiar in Wash.
ington for over year past, was not yet thirty
wears of age when he met his death. Gen
eral Verona was in Washington few weeks
since, aud is described as possessing pleas
ing address and being gentleman of cduca'
cation. The son OF General Quesada, who
was on board, was only about seventeen year,
of age, which fact no doubt saved his life.
The following dispatches have been re-
ccived: ......., .,,.u-
Ryan was also once connected with the
newspapers in New York, and some three
weeks since was arrested there for iorfeiting
a bail bond, but released just in time to take
passage on the steamer Atlas, with quite O
number of Cubans, for Nassau, where they
Joined the party on the Firginius., . 70
| TEE TRAGEDY AT SANTIAGO. -
HAVANA, November 7s--The tribunal at
Santiago de Cuba, before which the prison
ers captured ON the Virginius were brought,
condemned Bernabe Verona, Pedro Ces-
pedes, Jesus del Sol, and General Ryan to
death. They were shot on the morning OF
the 4th instant.
The greater portion Of the cargo Of the
Eirgnius was thrown overheard or con-
sumed in the furnaces before her capture.
General Portlla arrived here this after
noon He was received ut the depot by q
depusation of citizens with banners and
music, and escorted TO his hotel.
THE y1RGISIrs AND THE UNITED STATES GOV.
| EREMEST.
| NAsHISGroS. November THE Depart
ment of State, up 10 noon to-day, bad re-
ceived no official information concerning the
| yirginius further than the mere fact OF the
capture. The Navy Department has no