The New York herald., 1873-11-25
A WITNESS OF THE MURDERS.

New Yorker Tells the story-Imprison-
ment of q. w. Sherman, a United
States Citizen, for Making Sketch Of
the First Executfon-Cavairy Horses
Ridden Over the Corpscs of the MUIR
dcred Men.
Among the passengers from Havana, on the last
voyage Of the mail steamer City OF New York was
Mr.. George w. Sherman, an American citizen who
was present at Santiago de Cuba upon the occasion
OF the recent 1rightlul massacre or the crew and
passengers OF the American steamship Vrginius.
Yesterday afternoon a HERALD reporter paid a
visit to the National HOTEL in Cortandt street. and
alter scanning the numerous visitors seated in the
reception room saw among them dark COM
plexioned gentleman, wearing "chalco' vest,
with ''oece,ro nradon shoes and large pith hat
or sombrero. In answer to question from the
reporter Mr.. Sherman, for such he proved to be-
replied that he had arrived from Santiago de
Cuba, where he had been imprisoned by the Span
1sh authorities for taking sketches OF the butchery
OF the first vctms-vz., Jose Jesus del Sol, Pedro
Cespedes, General w. A. G. Ryan ana General
Bernabe Varona.
The following is the story given by Mr.. Sher-
man
A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION.
~ have been residing for some time back in San
tiago de Cuba and saw several OF the wholesale
executions or butcheries will give you the fol-
lowing details Of the first four men killed, pre-
facing 1t with the remark that saw the Virginius
brought into the port OF Santiago de Cuba, on the
evening OF the LIST inst the time being five O'Clock
as nearly as can remember, with the Spanish
coors flying. or course you know all about the
hasty trial and Burriels excuse for replying
the urgent letters OF Vice Consul smith,
account OF his religious observance OF All Saints
day. The slaughter house where the first
h,rfrI v~Inn nt,ovxk
which gives lineal frontage to each side
placed in front Of this place, which is an adobe
building OF about Is or IA feet in height lin which
are imbedded thousands of bullets), with an over
hanging roof, while on the ground gutter has
been constructed to receive the rain which may
trickle from of the roof Ryan refused to kneel,
although repeated EFFORTS were made to make HIM
do so. / knew it was Ryan, because he had no
beard or mustache. The men were all bound and
placed near the gutter just described. After many
rounds had been fred the men were considered
dead, but it was found that Ryan was not dead,
and a sword was plunged into his bOdy-but not
into nls heart as stated The first blows given
were into his abdomen. The soldiers who had
been detailed to do this work by General Burriel
were wretched marksmen. After this number OF
cavalrymen came on TO the spot and
RODE THEIR HORSES OVER THE BLEEDING C0RPsEs
tiI they were in an almost unrecognized state.
The four heads were cut Off and placed on poles,
and carried round by the people In triumph. The
bodies were then, Or, rather what remained OF
them, placed in cart and taken out to marshy
sRS sHa daped on %e te 0n d s q q n IS s
SaSa ae 4 & TB'nss 81 Stdsf ssFa q Sa
s perhaps s9s mot ss HSss Y Sysr
the the narrowing scence and Tor, for this | was
arrested and thrown into jail until was released
after had been kept for three and half days in
fh0f III a m
brought on relapse OF fever attack from which
had been suffering for some time. l, however,
Consul General at Havana. saw likewise the second
and third executions or S1tcheries. belieye that
the break In the interruption to the telegraph wires
was Spanish ruse OF Burriel TO allow no commu-
nicatlon with the Captain General till the majority
OF the. virgnius people had been shot and
he had accomplished his wholesale slaughter
without receiving waiting orders from Havana or
Madrid.
AN INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN FRY.
~ saw Captain Fry. the commander OF the Vlr.
ginius while in prison. and thought good deal
OF him account of his forttude. He leaves eight
Virglnius leaves nine am told. II was Impossible
for me to say more than word or two OF sympathy
VrrSius viii be- co Condemned % % to long periods Of i'm
prisonment, including also the mere boys who had
the misfortune to be on the ated craft. we
Americans living abroad say that our govern
ment invariably fails to protect its citizens when
in trouble as the British government does, ana
or ,i' an indefinite time about the virginius
matter. Perhaps reams OF correspondence VIII
be exchanged between the so-called Spanish Re
public and the United States, or perhaps the mat
ter may be handed over to Kaiser Wilhenn 70
adjudicate upon. What mocKery OF retributive
justice, continued Mr.. sherman, with bitterness
As long as they have coal at Washington TO warm
their toes from good big stove our rulers don't
care q snap what happens to outsiders.
''Cuba is in complete state OF anarchy and rom
my recent experience can give you the following
sample 81 was twice fired at for refusing TO give
the password OF 'Spain,' when challenged, while
travelling as to who goes there y In conclusion,
all have to say Is that II ever the United states
was called upon to act with energy 1t Is at the pres
ent moment, for the national honor Is al STAKE"