Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-12-19
THE VIRGINIUS EXECUTIONS =,
The First Authentic Account, q. Told
by an Eye.Witness

!
on the arrival of the bark Morning Star al
New York. The second mate, Francis
Coffin, hly-inteligent young man.
was an eyewitness cf all the proceedings
from the moment the Virginius entered
the harbor of Santiago de Cuba, escorted
by the Spanish ship-of war Tornado, until
the last executions took place. The story,
as told by him differs in several respects
from the previously published accounts,
which is vtry natural, since all previous
accounts have necessarily been obtained
only through SIP nish sources. Mr. Cnnin
states that in transferring the prisoners
from The ship 10 the Jail all we're manacled
and pinioned except Ryan, Varona, Ces-
pedes and Jesus del Sol, who were treated
with more consideration than the rest. The
news Of their condemnation became known
in the evening and created intense excite
| ment. Many persons, 1t was apparent,
condemned the action of the authorities,
but were afraid to express their sentiments
for fear of becoming involved in trouble.
How the four condemned men spent Il G
night before their execution Mr.. Coffin did
not know. Ryan obtained permission to
make his will, after first taking an oath
not to attempt TO escape.
About 8 o'clock, the next morning Mon
day., the fated four were marched to the
slaughter house." Ryan was dressed in
blue flannel shirt and light pantaloons,
wore a white felt hat looped up at the side,
aud carried small silver star on his left
breast. lie showed more grit and courage
than one would have thought possible. A
person would imagine he was going to his
wedding instead of 10 his death. The 9TH
ers, too, acted like brave men, especially
Cespedes, the youngest of the three, whose
courage never for an instant quaied. On
the way TO the execution ground, Ryan
spoke two or three times TO the Spanish
officer who walked beside him, protest.
ing that his execution was without justifi-
cation, as he had not had fair trial, or any
trial at all, in fact. A Catholic clergyman
offered his ministrations TO Ryan, but he
refused TO speak TO him and moved away.
On arriving at the saughter-house, Mr..
Coffin states that the Spanish officers di-
rected the condemned men to kneel down
with their faces TO the wall. Ryan and
Cespedes protested against this as an in
dignity, and asked TO be allowed TO kneel
with their faces turned towards their ex-
ecutioners. Finally, however, they SUBJ
mitted and assumed the required position.
Then there was pause for an instant, fol-
lowed by flash and a report, and the four
were writhing in the agonies of death.
Their sutierngs did not last long and all
were dead within the space of four minrte
| The moment life was extinct the four bod
les were placed in cart and taken TO the
cemetery, where they were thrown into a
rude hole hastily dug, and some shovel
fuls Of clay thrown over the remains
Meanwhile the house of Mr.. Smith the
American consul had been placed under a
guard of Spanish soldiers, and Mr.. Smith
was compelled to remain within doors,
and not allowed TO hold communication
by letter or otherwise with any one out
side. He was not even permitted 10 come
out on his veranda
The.massacre of Capt. Fry and the crew,
Mr.. Coffin describes as follows: The ex-
ecution took place in the afternoon. talk
ed with Capt. Fry on the way from the
jail 10 the slaushier-honsc. / asked him
where was the Yirginius when she was
cIptured. He said she was Just IS miles
south-Southeast from Fort Morant on the
coast OF Jamaica. and that when he saw
they were certain t. he captured he sent
for Varona and asked him what he propos-
ed 10 do, to fight or surren Ter, adding, ITS
all one TO me- Varona replied that he
thought it best to surrender. There was q
slow match 10 the magazine, but he had
got the men into their present position
and thought lie ought to give them a chance
for their lives. Accordingly, they had
surrendered. AT the place of execution,
continued Mr.. Coffin, zone of my males
Charles Bell, the steward of our vessel
gave poor Fry glass of water. The Span
iards treated the Captain well, and neve
pinioned him from first to last. He, aut
indeed all the others, bore up bravely, anc
never flinched for an instant. When tht
crew had knelt down the captain walkeC
along the line and bade good by TO all th,
men in turn, white and black, for ther,
were several negroes in the crew. AS thu
. men knelt they were distant from the wal
r that surrounds the execution ground abou
three feet while about three PAGES behinC
them, ith leveled muSkets, stood the de
tachment of marines detached to execul
the sentence. Just before the fatal volle,
was fired, Capt. Fry took oil his hat. IL
seemed as if he was saying a prayer.
the whole 81, Capt. Fry was the only per
son who fell at the first fire. His body wa
riddl6d with bullets and he died almus
instantly. All the others were but slight
, ly wounded. The scene that followed wa
, the most frighful 1 ever witnessed, and
have been on many a battlefield. Ale
f the first volley jumped upon the wall, an
[ from there could see everything that hap
o pened. The poor creatures who wer
q wounded lay upon the ground rolling Q
. bout frantcally in their own blood, an
q uttering shrieks of pain and agony, an
q loud appeals for mercy fell upon men des
: TO compassion. The murderers rushe
# down upon them like demons, and, thrus
ing their muskets into the mouths and eal
: of the unfortunate wretches, absolutel
= blew their heads off. Some of the poe
r. creatures frantically endeayG red to bur,
= their bonds and seize the muskets, but,
course could not succeed. l shall new,
forget the awful groans and sbrieks tha
resouaded from the place of slaughte
= Fully ten minutes, that looked as ii
8 might have been an hour, elapsed from ii
u time the first voley was discharged unit
L the last of the unfortunate men was dea
% heard men say who were on ships in Il
Q harbor that, AFT er the first volley was fire.
J. the reports of the guns subsequently di
IS charged continued to sound like the cracl
L | - a IL IL