The New York herald., 1873-12-11

taken to prevent the United States and British
consuls from seeing the prisonersin fact, the un-
fortunate victims were summoned to receive their
sentence OF death. Half q score OF rascals were
ordered to present themselves as accusers, prob
ably at so much day, and OF course they accused
as well as they could express themselves. In the
way OF mockery nothing could have been more
complete. The paid ruflians swore away. doubt
less, until they were ordered to desist.
MURDER WAS rHE AIM IN VIEW;
how well it was accomplished needs no comment.
But there was some semblance OF formality in the
case OF the lour persons named-for, mark you, the
martial Court" was bound to be ceremonious, and
the thirst OF Its gayly buttoned members was not
so great that they could spare an hour or so to
relish the buresque with pleasant antcipation-i
say II the parties ordered to condemn Bembetta
and the others were content to check their
appettes, just for forms sake
POOR FRY AND HIS CREW,
to say nothing OF the passengers, had no such mock
| courtesy extended to them. Tried and condemned
| in 10 minutes Verify the accusers, whom the crew
| never saw before did their work with promptness.
True. Captain Fry declined to answer all the Ques-
tons put TO him, vany protesting that by the laws
OF nations he and his crew had committed no offence
that justified his or their Imprisonment as pirates.
| In vain did he plead that he commanded an
properly certified papers. which he had delivered
to the boarding onicer OF the capturing vessel.
am told that nearly all OF the crew were ignorant
of what the Tribunal desired OF them and why they
were tried. The poor fellows were marched in
single file before Captain Fry. whose simple iden-
tidcation OF them as members OF his crew sealed
their Fate forever. But 1t is useless to dwell ON
this part OF the proceedings. With fixed deter
mination TO murder the people at all hazards, and
that too promptly, lest the superior authorities at
Havana or elsewhere might step in and spoil the
feast. there need be little mention OF the form of
trial. Condemned to death. Bembeta, Cespedes,
Jesus del Sol and Ryan were hurried Off to jail.
Their execution was fixed for the morning Of the
4th inst. Their protestations fell as
sNowFLAKEs ON THE SRA.
In vain did Vice Consul Schmitt exert himself to
the utmost. A telegram forwarded Dy him to
Kingston ia, was detained BY the government
here. All hope was nipped In tse bud-no strategy
was left untred to carry out successfully the nefa-
rious plans In view Mr.. Schmitt sent commune
cation to the Governor asking him to give reason
for the non TRANSMISSION OF his telegram, and at
the same time requesting leave to see the prison
ers. The document was treated by the excellent
hidago with contempt The protest which fol-
lowed met with a similar fate. Repeatedly had
Ryan sent to the Consul to visit him in order to
make his VIII before notary.
CONSUL sCHMITT PLEADS BEFORE BURRIEL.
At ten O'Clock tue night preceding the execution
Mr.. Schmitt, having been twice refused admission
to the jail. proceeded to the palace, where he
was violently abused by Burriel for daring to in
terfere. Hyena-like he paced the room excaim-
ing that the executions must take place forthwith,
that none OF the prisoners could be seen, despite
their earnest appeals and that in iact the Consul
ha a ~ i'm
The voice OF His Exceency could be distinctly
heard all over the plaza in the frenzy of his deca
nation. 1t was reported next day that the Consul
had been peremp.orily ordered on the fact being,
however, that Mr.. Sehmitt, finding the ruf1ian in
exorable, quietly took his departure, leaving His
Excellency to rant and below at Will.
THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE,
This was the scene OF the murder. visited it.
this afternoon and saw enough to make the blood
run cold, heard enough to make one shudder at
the atrocity OF deed without parallel on re-
cord. truthful eye witness has told me the
story. Shortly after six O'Clock the morning OF
the memorable 4th Bembetta aud his compatriots
were marched from the city Jail handcuned. The
sun shone forth brilliantly, the entire male popula
tion of Santiago came forth to see the spectacle.
Surrounded by over 500 soldiers and FOL-
lowed by $4,000 persons the prisoners walked up
Marina street in single file. Ryan had his coat or,
and, poor fellow wore the broad brimmed sombrero
so familiar to those who knew him in the States.
Cergymen followed in the wake and prayed fer
emily for the victims who were about to die.
The multitude kept pace with the procession but
not a word or token indicated consonance with the
dire proceeding. The slaughter house, was a
mile away, and beneath the burning sun the four
men tramped hriskly to the fatal spot. Scarcely
word was spoken on the way, though now and
then faint exclamation OF pity issued from the
hinged windows OF the rickety dwellings beneath
which the cortege passed. Once through Christina
street and the suburbs we're reached. Meanwhile
the crowd rushed towards the slaughter house"
to make good their point OF observation. This, by
the way is the place where dogs and cattle receive
their final knock, little square. with stalls, and
enclosed by walls some seven or eight feet In
height. 1t was outside the southern wall OF the
slaughter house" that
THE FOUR MEN WERE RTDDLED TO ATOMS IN THE
FOLLOWING STYLE:
little TO the right OF the iron entrance gate the
four men-Ryan, Bembetta, Del Sol and Cespedes-
were drawn up together, then separated about a
yard with their faces to the wall, from which they
stood about two yards. The ragged volunteers
stood in the rear and at convenient positions to
keep the eager crowd at bay. At this time-seven
o'clocK-the soldiers were probably ten yards in
the rear OF those about to die. Clergymen were In
the immediate vicinity OF the condemned, and now,
amid breathless silence, Antonio Fernandez, the
functionary deputed to carry out the orders OF
Governor Burriel commands attention, and, in a
shrl and omlnous tone proclalms the fiat OF his
chief. Perhaps he had noticed some looks OF pity
in the throng, or perchance has heard sympa-
thizng word; for, in voice harsher than
before, he shouts out, "If any one here,
by word or act. shall show his
feelings in favor OF the condemned he shall
de.n And now the time mad come. At a signal
from the Catalan volunteers in charge, ten men
Tell into position behind each one OF the prisoners,
who had meanwhile been separated still further
apart. The prisoners, whose manacles had been
removed, were then commanded to kneel and the
volunteers ordered to prepare the muzzles OF their
guns being some two yards distant from the backs
Of the prisoners. Just as the final word was about
to be given Ryan sprung to his feet and facing the