The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-01-01
VlrglBIns Survivors arrive in NeH
York.


NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-A reporter
of tae, Tribune, who boarded tire JQ7
nisra fnl 10 ediately after her arrival,
obtained full particulars from 9 var
iety Of sources concerning the treat
ment rteeiyed ley the prisoners atthe
hands or their Spanish captors. All
these reports agree in one PARTICULAR,
namely; that the treatment received
was uniformly harsh, and ia some
cases barbaFous. A fact which Is not
generally known, by the statement OF
the prisoners now comes TO light,
when Is that they were robbed by
the crew Of the Tornado, and nearly
all who owned anything were robbed
of money, jewelry, watches, and 9TH
er valuables.
The prisoners were taken to the
jail of Santiago soon after their ar
rival in port. Here they were crowd.
ed together like cattle; here their suf-
ferings began. Tnsy were not assign
ed TO separate cells; indeed there was
no opportunity for such confinement
in the contracted quarters of the San
tiHgo Jail, but the entire party OF
nearly 200 were driven into a small
room hardly 50feet long by Is feet
wide. Here they were Obliged to live
as best they could, though tho air of
course was almost deadly, and there
was little or no opportunity for ex-
ercise. The prisoners were supplied
with provisions, which, though suf-
ticient as regards quantity, were poor
in quality, and hardly fitted to sus-
tain life. These provisions consisted
almost wholly Of rice and water.
One night the prisoners were
stealthily taken from jailand marched
with the greatest haste 20 point
nine miles below the city, in the
vicinity of Morro. Their road lay
Through 8 rough tract. ofcountry, and
the tourney was most weAriseme;
while some of the prisoners were 50
sick as to be almost unable to stand.
The sufferlngs of some of the number
were intense; and no pity vas in the
breasts OF the Spaniards. At the
point on the coast, they were placed
on board the steamer B4zan, which.
at once set sail for Havana. At Man.
camilla IL was met by the mail stea-
meT coming ia an opposite direction.
On board this steamer was Gen.
Burriel, who at once ordered the Ba-
zsn 10 return to Santiago. She turn
ed about but soon after ran aground,
and the passengers were transferred
70 another vessel. Here they suffered
horrors heretofore unknown. They
we're crowded into the hold of the
vessel where scarcely ray of sun
light could struggle In. The air was
poison; the darkness almost cOntin-
uous; the food they ate was wretehed
in quality, 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 ou deck above the Virginius
prisoners, and were thus constant
source of annoyance to the helpless
prisoners confined below. 1t is said
that amid all this filth and suffering,
the prisoners were not allowed TO
wash, while on the BsZsn, FOR a per-
lod OF 10 days and while their arms
were pinioned behind them for the
large part Of the voyage. They were
occasionally beaten on the slightest
proyOeatiOn, and sometimes on no
provoeation at all. These punish
melits, however, seem not 10 have
been Of nature so seIions as TO pro-
duce any lasting effects.