Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-11-19
THE CUBAN TRAGEDY.
Details of the Capture of the Virgil
MUS

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the capture Of the steamer Virginius
from which it appears that on the 30th
of October the Spanish Consul at
Kingston, Jamaica advised the Gov.
ernor at Santiago de Cuba that the
Virginius was in the vicinity of Nor
rant bay The Spanish war steamer
Tornado had that morning arrived at
Santiago de Cuba, and four hours after
the Governor has received information
of the Virginius, went in search of
her, On the following day the Tor
nado, under full sail and but little
steam, as some slight repairs were be-
ing made to her machinery, came in
sight of the Virginius, which prob
ably supposed the Tornado to be sail
ing vessel: as her course was not chang
ed. On the Tornado every effort was
made to hasten the repairs which they
were engaged in. and at 2 o'clock the
chief engineer pronounced them com
pleted. All possible steam was I'M
mediately got up and the vessel head
ed for the Virginius, soon a speed of
fourteen knots and slowly gaining APP
on her. The Virginius had, in the
meantime, kept on her course, but di-
vining the hostile intentions of the
Tornado, changed it toward Jamaica
and being out of coal commenced to
burn petroleum, grease, fat, and other
combustibles from the provisions on
board, such as hams, etc. Night clos
ed in, and the vessels were in the same
relative positions, the Tornado, how
ever, gaining. AS soon as they got
within gun-shot the Tornado fired q
gun, followed by three other shots and
a shell Thus brought to the Virgi
mus, and two armed boats from the
Tornado came alongside, took posses
sion of the vessel, and made prisoners
OF all on board.
At the time of the capture the Vir-
ginius was flying the American flag,
but this was pulled down by a Span
ish officer. and Spanish ensign was
hoisted in its place, although the pa.
pers of the vessel, duly dispatches for
Colon, were handed to him. After
the capture, the next two hours were
employed in transferring some of the
prisoners to the Tornado and putting
prize crew on the Virginius.
AT midnight the two vessels started
for Santiago de Cuba, and arrived there
on the following afternoon at 5 o'clock,
having been joined by the Spanish
steamer Cantabro Upon their arrival
in port the intelligence spread like
lightning, and attracted an immense
crowd of people. The Government
Palace aud other public buildings were
illuminated, and all the authorities
civil and military, went to felicitate
Governor Burriet upon the news, who
IN the evening, gave brilliant recep.
ton. The vessels were surrounded in
the bay by number of boats filled
with bands of music, ard cheering vol.
unteers. The festivities were kept up
late IN tue nlght
On the following day (the 2d( a
courtmartial was held on board the
Tornado, which commenced at 9 o'clock
and terminated at 4. All the prison
ers were tried as pirates, and the find
ings of the court and the sentences
were sent to the Captain General and
the Admiral in sealed packets. After
the Court had concluded its task, all
the prisoners, with the exception OF
Benbetta, Jeans Del Sala, General
Ryan and Pedro Cespedes, were trans
ferre1 to the Jail of the city, escorted
by force of 100 volunteers and a
number of marines. General Burriet
it is said, cooly asked that all the
prisoners should be turned over to him
with the exception of the Captain and
crew, who be sent to HAVANA at the
disposal Of the Commandant, General
de Marinats, and declared within twen-
ty-four hours afterward that all should
be tried and executed, in order to
avoid any complication with the ex-
terior-that is foreign Intervention.
He also detained a telegram which the
United States Consul at Kingston, re-
porting the capture and inquiring as
to the nationality of the Virginius.
The Virginius had her papers in or
der, and was dispatched for Colon, all
of her pasen ngers appearing on the pa
pers as laborers for railroad that is
building there.
All accounts differ as to the posi-
ton Of the Virginius at the time of
her capture. One gives the capture
as having been effected at twenty miles
from Jamaica, and the official account
says that it was twelve miles. The
Diorio states it at twenty-three miles,
the journals Of Santiago de Cuba at
eight miles and twenty miles, and the
version Of the Noce de Cuba at twelve
miles.
The commander Of the Tornado pub
licly stated in Santiago de Cuba that
one hour later, and the Virginius could
have saved herself by entering some
port of .Jamaica.