Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-12-18
Spanish Slaug hter.
House.

gentleman has arrived in this city
whose long residence on the Island
of Cuba has made him very IA
lEiliar with it's Typographical as
pect as we'll as with the manners
and customs of its inhabitants
For many months he has resided
at Santiago de Cuba, and on more
than one occasion he has witnes, ed
the vengeance of the Spaniards at
that placer His information con
cerning the manner in which the
executions are conducted is of Pc
culiar interest at the present time.
The city of Santiago is on the
southern side of gently sloping
hill. A narrow harbor is strongly
guarded at its entrance, and after
IA zig gag course opens into a com
mUdious basin, where the vessels
may lie at anchor. On the shore
the city is situated. From the
harbor the celle del Theatre leads
into the center Of the city. At a
distance of several hundred yards
from the harbor is the prison where
the captives are confued. | is a
low, gloomy looking structure, on
ly two stories in height, and is
built of stone or granite From
this place the prisoners often go
forth to execution. These execu-
tons always take place in the
slaughter, house, about three
fourths of a mile distant. 1t was
there that the Virginius victims
ended their lives. From the pris-
on near the center of the city the
calle del Theatre makes a some
whatsudden curve. On the morn
ing of an execution, the battalion of
volunteers are summoned at an
early hour from the barracks, and
proceed to the prison. The pris
oners are led forth, bound, and the
solemn procession thent takes upits
death march In the van are the
musicians, whose onlyilstruments
are the drums, which are teat
with low, omirous sound and
measured regularity. The street
leads out Of the city toward the
west, past the Hotel Theatre, the
office Of the United States Consul,
and further on, The Office Of the
British Consul. Out in.o the su.
burbS runs the broad, unshaded
street, and on an eminence,
which may be seen from every
portion of the city, stands the
building where the victims die
1t is a low whitewashed structure
of forbidding aspect-an adobe
house with steep roof, which pro-
jects far beyond its walls on either
side. Around this building is
trench into which the water
from the roof falls. 1t is about |
two feet deep. On the upper siGe
of this building the procession
halts and forms a hollow square,
with the prisoners in the center.
The side next The slaughter-house
is opened, and the victims are led !
to the border of the trench. Here
they are bound hand and foot,
though their eyes are left uncov-
cred. They are then required to
kneel along the trench with faces |.
turned towards the wall. In the
midst Of the holy square stand
the Colonel and the priests. The !
duties Of the spiritual advisers be- /!
ing at length performed, they re-
tire with the Colonel and at sig
nal from the latter the whole com
pany fires. The unfortunate vic
tins fall forward into the trench,
some dead, some dying, others on.
ly slightly wounded, The artllle-
ry force, who had been stationed
in the background, now advance
and drive their clumsy carriages
carelessIy over the victims. Sew
eral times is this part of the cere-
mony repeated and it is ty that
time thought that all are dead. !
The dead wagons are then heapcd
with corpses among which is some
times seen a quivering body. A
half mile away they are buried,
and the soldiery disperse to their
barracks.
The slaughter house is SCARED
and battered with bullets on the
north side. Here ale inhumaDlyi
slaughtered persons of all ages and
10th sexes. The Spaniards show
no mercy to gray-haired patrl-
archs, to women, or to children
Three years ago a little girl 4
years old was led forth to her
death. The offense was refusal
to make known her fathers hiding
place. The days of execution are
gala days in the city. Hundreds
Of men, women and children pour
forth from its streets and press for
ward in the throng. As the VIC