Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-11-26
THE vTRGINIUS TRAGEDY,
AOCoUNr oF FAlEAMERIoAN wIrNFss

ANCOON On7 n7sANhNAEhlCAN MAINFcSs
Among the passengers from Havana onthe
last voyage OF the nall steamet, Caey OF
New York, was Mr.. George w. ShelSnans an
American citizen who was present &C SAN
tiaRo de Cuba, upon the occasion &C thA re-
cent frighuul massacre OF the crew and
passengers Of the American steamship p Virgin
ius.
The following is the story given by Mr.. sher-
II have been residing for some time back,
an Santiago de Caba. / saw the Xirglnius
brought into the polt Of Santiago de Cuba, on
the evening of the 1sf inst, the time being five
O'Clock, as near as can remember, with the
Spanish colonS flying. OF course you know
ali about the hRsty trial, and BurTiels excure
for not replying to the urgent letters Of Vice
Consul smith, on account of ms religious OBJ
servance of All-Saints' day. The slaughter
house, where the frst buechery took place, is
about 1000 feet square, which gives o leneal
frontage to each side of about 400 feet. The
men in question, were placed in front Of this
place, which is an adobe building Of about ~
or Is feet in height Gin which are imbedded
thousands of bullets), with au over hanging
roof, while on the ground gutter has been
constructed to receive the rain which may tric-
kle from off the roof, Ryan refused to kneel,
although repeated efforts were made to make
him do so.
1 knew it was Ryan, because he had no
beard or moustache. The men were all bound
NAA BA&NSO uNaA TIC kuttcA just ACoSAibN0s &AA@
ter many rounds were fired, the men were
considered dead, but it was found that Ryan
was not dead, and a sword was plunged into
his DOdy-but not into his heart as stated
The first blows given, were into his abdomen.
The soldiers who were detailed to do this
work by Gen. Burrie, we're wretched marks
men. After this number of cavalrymen
came on to the spot, and
RHODE THEIR HORSES OVER THE BLEEDING
coRPsEs
ill they were in an almost unrecoRnized state.
The four heads were cut off and placed on Polef,
and carried around by the people of triumph,
The bodies we're then, or rather what remained
of them, placed in cart and taken out 10
marshy spot about a mile from the place of exc
cution, and dumped out like load Of dirt in
an open ditch, where 4 few inches Of mother
earth were, perhaps placed upon them by order
Of Burriel; or, perhaps, not. felt quite i'll
over the sight Of the bloodthirsly work. /,
however, endeavored to make some sketches Of
the narrowing scene, and for this ! was arrested
and thrown into Jail, until l was released after
had been kept for three and half daysin that
noisome pen. Ii made me terribly i'll and
brought on a relapse Of a fever attack from
which had been suffering for some time. l,
however obtained my liberty through the medi-
alton of our Consul-General at Havana. saw
likewise, the second and third executions or
0utcberles.
believe the break in the interruption 10 the
telegraph wires, was Spanish ruse of Burriel,
TO allow no communication with the Captain
General, ill the majority, of the Virginius
people had been shot, and he had accomplised
his wholesale slaughter, without receiving wait
ing orders from Havana or Madrid.
AN INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN FRY.
81 saw Captain Fry, the commander Oflhe
Nirginius, while in prison, and thought good
deal Of him, on account ofhis fortitude. He
leaves eight children, l believe. 1t was impOs-
sible for me TO say more than a word or two Of
sympathy to Fry. There is no doubt that the
survivors Of the Virginus will be condemned
to long periods of Imprisonment, including also,
the mere boys Who had the misfortune to be on
the Inflated craft We Americans living abroad,
say that our Government invariably fails TO
protect its citizens when in trouble, as the Brit.
ish Government does, and / am Of the belief
that nothing will be done for an indifnite time
Il l. IL.