The New York herald., 1873-04-09
President Cespedes on O'Keuy's
First Arrest.
THE SpANIARDS CONFINED TO THE TOWNS
Los Amigos de Cuba Address the Presi-
dent Of the United States.
PRESS OPINION ON THE OUTRAGE.
The Arrest Blunder, Which, il Carried
to Murder, Will Produce War.

-
KEY WEST, April 8, 1873.
A mass meeting of the Cuban emigrants who
compose the Cuban colony here, all refugees in the
fullest sense OF that word, was held at the San
Carlos Theatre last evening to express their senti
ments respecting the arrest OF O'Kelly The meet
ing was large one, over seven hundred being
present, which filed the building, many late comers
being excluded for want of room. Doctor Jose E.
Ramos was appointed chairman OF the meeting
and Juan M. Heyes secretary.
DR.. Ramos on calling the meeting to order, ex-
planned that it had been summoned specially be-
cause of the information that he had received from
your correspondent that O'Kelly had been arrested
at Manzano The announcement was received
with
THE MOST ANGRY MANIFESTATIONS,
and loud cries of Indignation attested the feeling OF
the assembly. After some discussion in which the
expressions, the following
RESOLUTIONS WERE ADoPTED-
Be it resolved that the Cuban colony In Key
West dare the Spanish government to accomplish
it's naughty threats to shoot Mr.. 0'Kelly, and we,
the Cubans OF this place, pledge our sacred honor
solemnly to march in advance Of a column OF the
American army and institute a terrible war upon
the Spanards, promising not to lay down our arms
until we tear from MORO Castle the standard of
CASTLE and hoist in its place the glorious banner
OF the Lone Star, and to this we bind ourselves
der all circumstances.
Resolved that the Cuban refugees in Key West
strongly sympathize with and appreciate the pur
pose Of the NEW YORK HERALD-namely, the ad-
advancement of civilization and progressive prin-
cipes-and that we are ready to lend our aid to
the editor, and all our cooperation, moral and
material, in his reclamation of Mr.. O'Kelly, i'm
prisoned now by cowardly, treacherous and blood
thirsty Spaniards; and that we protest against the
brutal and at this time lnquitous conduct of the
Spanish government in their attempts to inter-
rupt the candid communication OF truth to the
world respecting the Cuban question: after four
years and q half of awful war, in which the Span
iards have committed such atrocities as reproach
all existing civilization, and are ashame upon
mankind.
Resolved, That copies OF these resolutions be
sent to the editor of the NEW YORK HERALD and TO
the editor of the El Republica,aa for publication.
The Spanish Minister and Mr.. O'Keily.
1t was reported yesterday among Spanish CON-
mercial circles in this city that private telegram
had been received here from Washington stating
that the Spanish Minister, Admiral Polo de Bar
nabe, had teegraphed to the Captain General re.
ouesting that Mr. O'Kelly should not be executed
and that he wrote full particulars by mail. The
report is little better than rumor but it is given
for what it is worth.
The Place of Our Conn fssioner's Arrest
Manzanillo, where Mr.. James J. O'Kelly, the
HERALD's Commissioner to Cuba Libre, is now in
prison. was fully described in last Sundays HERALT
an article describing that city's brief capture by
the Cuban patriots The following "reminiscences
OF what happened at that place in 1869, when a
British subject, found in arms against Spain, was
captured by the Spanish ferces and delivered to a
British man-ofwar, will be read with in
terest at the present moment The ind
vidual in question was an English engi
neer employed at the sugar works on one o.
Vice President F. w. Agueras plantation. The
man was taken after his capture to Manzanillc
and held, with other prisoners. Mr.. Ramsden
British Consul, telegraphed to Kingston, jamaica
requesting that British man-of-war might in
stantly be despatched to Manzanillo. A few hours
later the frigate Semiramis made its appearance
or the port and demanded that the Englshmar
should be given up within two hours, or, If the re
quest was not compiled with, the town would be
bombarded. Governor Ampuda, the military
commander Of the town, instantly brought
the man in question down to the wharf
and nothing would satisfy the commander OF the
British vessel but that the prisoner should be de-
liyered on board his vessel, which request was
actually complied with.
The same British Consul tMr. Ramsden) subse
quently, during the Cuban revolution at Santiago
de Cuba protected Mr.. Phillips United States Vice
Consul at Santiago de Cuba, whom the Spaniards
accused Of being in league with the Cuban patriots,
and with much diffculty secured his passage to
Jamaica on board the French mail packet, and by
SO doing in all probability saved his life.
The Cubans In the City on the Herald
commissioners.
The greatest sympathy exists In this city among
all classes of Cubans touching the fate OF Mr. James
J. OKelly and it Is no exaggeration to say that
yesterday it was the current theme OF convefsa-
tion in Cuban circles. The majority feared the
worst for "El catiente O'Keuy," as he is termed,
basing their ideas the proverbial treachery OF
the Spaniard. According to some he would be
poisoned while Others maintained that he would
be shot by order OF the Court now trying him. be
assassinated, If not by some hired bravo, through
the medium OF the Volunteers One aged Cuban
remarked, captain General Ceballos is Kind OF
Pontius Plate, who wants to wash his hands OF