New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-29
sUFFERINGs OF THE CAPTIvEs.


THE TREATMENT UNIFORMLY HARSH AND OFTEN
BARBAROUs-THE DEATH MENACE HELD OVEN
THE HEADS OF THE SURVIVORS OF TIE TWO
MASSACHUSETTS MOST INGENIOUS OF ToRTUREs-
THREATS OF REsCUE-TITE FINAL DEIIvERANCE'
reporter of THE TRIBUNE, who boarded the
Juniata Immediately after her arrival. obtained fun
particulars from variety of sources concerning the
treatment received by the prisoners at the hands or
their Spanish captors. All these reports agree
in one overwhelmingly, that the treatment re-
ceived was uniformly harsh. and in some cases
barbarous. The Tornado with the captured VIZ
ginius arrived in the harbor of Santiago in the
manner already described in the columns OF LIE
TRIBUNE. fact which has not, however, generally
been known, by the statements Of the prisoners
now comes to light, which is that they
were robbed by the crew of the Tornado,
and nearly all who owned anything were
robbed Of money, jewelry, watches, and other vaiu
abes The prisoners were taken to the jail of SAN
tiago soon after their arrival in port The jail s
low, gloomy-looking structure situated near the
harbor, in one Of the lower portions Of the city.
Through its dismal portal the unfortunate captves
were driven; here they were crowded to-
gether like cattle; here their sufferings began.
They were not assigned to separate cells-indeed
there was no opportunity for such confinement IN
the contracted quarters of the Santiago JAIL but the
entire party of nearly 200 were driven into small
room hardly 80 feet long by Is feet wide. Here
they were obliged 10 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 SUP
piled with provisions, which, though sufficient as
regards quantity, were poor IN quality, and
hardly fitted to sustain life These provisions
Il rbnllu ~ apl water
RYAN. Varona, Del Sol, and Cespedes were
speedily separated from their companions. and
after speedy trial before Spanish court-martial
were sentenced to immediate death. On the morn
ing of Nov. 4, their companions looked upon them
for the last time, and few hours later they fell
riddled with bullets in the trenches which surround
the slaughter house. The fate of their COM
panions soon became known to the cap
tives in prison, and they tremblingly awaited
the DEVELOPMENTS which were hourly expected
Three DAYS later their ranks were again diminished,
and Capt. Fry and his brave companions went forth
to death. 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 their death had come.
Not only were they told that must die, but the
priests admitted TO their presence and on sew
eral occasions they made what they supposed to be
their dying confessions. As the time appointed for
their death arrived none of the Spaniards appeared
to lead them forth to execution, and they we're led
to suppose that the day for their death had been
postponed. Again and again was this torture in
cted upon them, and every possible means for in
creasing their mental suffering was resorted TO.
In an interview with Commander Braine of the
Juniata, Gov De La Rois of Santiago pledged his
honor that none of the prisoners should be removed
or executed until the commander Of the Junata had
received due notification. On that very night the
prisoners were stealthily taken from the Jail and
marched with the greatest haste 10 point seven
miles below the city in the vicinity Of the Moro.
The road lay through rough tract of country, and
the Journey was most wearisome, while some of the
prisoners were 30 sick as to be almost unable to
stand The sufferinRs of some Of the number
were intense, and no pity was In the
breasts Of the Spaniards. At this point on
the coast they were placed on board the steamer
Basan. which at once set sail for Havana At Man.
zauilla it was met by the mail steamer coming in
the opposite direction. On board this steamer was
Gen. Burriel, who at once ordered the Bazan to re-
turn to Santiago. She turned about but soon after
ran round, and the passengers were transferred to
another vessel.
Here they suffered horrors heretofore unknown.
They were crowded in the hold of the vessel where
scarcely ray of sunlight could struggle in. The
air was poison; the darkness was almost continu-
ous: the food they ate was wretched in quality and
insufficient in quantity; the water they drank was
what remained in the buckets after the
dumb animals on board were satisfied.
These animals consisted mainly Of horses and mules
They were kept on the deck above the VirginIus
prisoners and were thus constant source OF annoy
ance to the helpless creatures confined below. 1t 10
said that in the midst Of all this filth and suffering
the prisoners were not allowed to wash while on
board the Bazan for period Of 10 days and that
their arms were pinioned behind them the larger
portion OF the voyage. They were occasionally
beaten on the slightest provocation and sometimes
on no provocation at all. These punishmens, how
ever seem not to have been Of nature serious as
to produce any lasting effecta
On the return to Santiago they were remanded to
Jail, and Commander Grimes was allowed to visit
some of the American prisoners to make them some
slight presents and to extend to them hopes of speedy
rescue Even this privilege, however was soon
withdrawn, and no communication was afterward
allowed. A short time before their delivery the
prisoners were removed from the jail in Santiago to
the Moro, several miles below, where their treat
ment was no better than before. This march Of
half dozen miles was also performed by night,
and many of the prisoners suffered severely on the
way The motive leading to this course of action
was undoubtedly the fanced insecurity of the prs
oners in the Santiago Jail. The United States men
of-war Juniata Kansas andWyoming, and the Niobe
of the navy of Great Britain, were lying in the bar
Dor, and the threats made by their commanders
were received with respect by the easily -daunted
inhabitants Of the city.
The Spanish soldiers are regarded rather contempt
uously by United States Navy officers, and they have
not feared to express their opinions freely 1t was
feared by the spanards that the threats Of the
naval officers might Ibe carried into execution and
eas,ly bav haen al