The Portland daily press., 1873-12-30
THE vIRGINIUS SURVIVORS.
Legal Investigation Begun
Treatment of the Prisoners in
Cuba.
Personal Accounts, Etc.

New YORK. Dec. 29.-The following is the
full report of the Tribune of the arrival of the
Juniata and the subsequent proceedings:
q The Legal Investigation.
At three o'clock yesterday afternoon, while
the Junata was at anchor off the Battery, the
revenue tug came alongside bringing District
Bliss, Commissioner Davenport, Assistant Dis
trct Attorneys rremain, Post and Purdy, with
three stenographers and interpreters They
were received in the cabin by Commander
Braine. and began an official investigation OF
the passengers of the Virginius, Mr.. Braine
being the only one of the ships officers allowed
to be present. The proceedings were charact-
erized by great secrecy. No members of the
press we're allowed to hear the investigation.
The survivors of the Virginius, clothed in navy
blue, gathered in the forcastle and conversed
freely among themselves, as one by one they
were summoned by the sergeant of marines to
enter the cabin, The investigation lasted till
the Juniata dropped anchor off the Navy Yard
at p. m. The following prisoners were exam
ined: Henry Knight, Antoine Constantius,
Manuel Malases, Leopard Bizo, Henry King,
Thomas Lindsay and Ignacio Weldes. The ma
ture of the evidence is not made public by Dis
trict Attorney Bliss, and he stated that he
should continue the examination TO day.
Concerted C0ncealment OF Facts.
From conversations with the officers of the
Juniata, it seems that there is a concerted plan
among the prisoners to profess entire ignor-
ance as to the nature of the Virginius at the
time she was captured and as to the transport
alton of arms for the Cubans 1t is thought
that this action has bee agreed upon with a
view to avoid any trouble with this government
through breach of the neutrality laws. There
is certainly great unanimity among them re-
garding the main points at issue.
The Delivery Of the Prisoners.
The Tribune reporter conversed with Com
mander Braine regarding the prisoners and the
1--WE arrived at Santiago de Cuba" said he,
'sNov, q. Consul General Hall wrote to me
that the Captain General had told him that the
Spanish Government was able and willing TO
deliver up the VIrginius prisoners. I then
wrote to Gen Burriel that / had the above. in
formation, and requested him to deliver them
up to me l sent a note in the forenoon of
Monday Dec. IA, and by three o'clock in the af-
ternOOn received an answer that if l was
ready to receive them they should be delivered
over to me on Thursday. Dec Is, at six o'clock
p. m. BY 1870 a. m. on Thursday, the ar
engagements to receive the prisoners on the
Junata were completed, and before noon they
were all on board aud organized as a part of
the ships crew. just three hours afterwards
the PInta arrived with orders for me to take
the prisoners TO New York. They were :erri-
big dirty and ordered two suits of soldiers
clothes to be given to each, and as they seemed
they fully appreciated.
Threat. Of Becapture
While we were lying in the harbor of SANTA
go de Cuba I IT ceived several warnings that the
Spaniards would try to board US and take the
vessel With their knives. They even named
the nights of the expected attack We prepar-
ed to give them a warm reception if they
should come. For three weeks, nearly every
night, we had hammock MEETINGS up eight feet
above the ships sides, and watch at the guns,
with everything in readiness for immediate ac-
ton. We did not propose to be caught off our
guard had the torpedOes ready and placed
on spars to explode under any craft that came
too close to us, aud [ sent wort that vessels in
the harbor had better give us wide berth. 1t
is needless to say that the threats We're idle
The feeling at Santiago de Cuba against the
Americans is exceedingly bitter, and Vice
Consul Smith is actually in danger of his life.
He has several times been threatened with as
sassination. and think that one of our men
of war ought to be stationed there permanent
ly, at LEI list till this feeling subsidies, as hope
it will. The vi ginius had been taken from
the harbor OF Santiago de Cuba before we ar
rived there, and we did not see her at all'
Treatment of the Captfves.
The reporter of the Tribune, who boarded the
Juuiata Immediately after her arrival, obtaiLed
full particulars from variety of sources con-
cerning the treatment received by the prisoners
in the hands of the Spanish captors. All these
reports agree in one particular, namely, that
the treatment received was uniformly harsh
and in some cases barbarOns.
The Tornado, with the captured Virginius
arrived in the harbor of Santiago in the man
uer already described. A fact, which has not.
however, generally been known, by state
ment of the prisoners now comes to light,
which is, that they were robbed by the crew of
the Tornado and nearly all who owned any
thing were robbed of money, jewelry. watches
and other valuables. The prisoners were taken
to Jail at Santiago soon after their arrival in
port. The entire party, neari, 200, re driven
into small room hardly 30 feet by 10 wide.
Here they were obliged to live as best they
could, though the air, of course, was almost
deadly and there was little or no opportunity
for exercise. The prisoners were supplied with
provisions, which, though sufficient AS regards
quantity, were poor in quality and hardly fitted
to sustain life. These provisions consisted al
most wholly of rice and water.
The Executions
Ryan, Varvera, Del Sol and Cespedes were
speedily separated from their companions, and
after speedy trial before a Sp ,nish Court
Martial were sentenced to immediate death.
On the morning of Nov. 4, their companions
looked upon them for the last time, and few
LOurs later they fell, riddled with bullets. in
the trenches which surrounded the slaughter
house. The fate of their companions soon be-
came known to the captives in prison, and
they, trembling, awaited the Developments
which were hourly expected. Three days later
their ranks were again diminished, and Cap
tain Fry and his brave companions went forth
to death.
Mental Torture.
From this time forward the prisoners were in
hourly fear for their own safety. Their fears
were not unknown to their captors, and again
and again they were told that the day Of theil
death had come. Not only were they told that
they must die, but the priests were admitted to
their presence, and on several occasions they
n ho oil du,.