The New York herald., 1874-07-19
Dockray's Clear, Calm and Con-
elusive Defence.
THE COURT REFUSE 1T
The Consular Secretary Not Permitted
TO See the Accusation.
IMPORTANT COMPLICATIONS.
Alleged To Be a Secret Agent of
Our Government.


HAVANA, July Q, 1874.
The Spanish stomach has become dry and hot
again for want OF blood. since the butchery of the
VMginius prisoners sort OF torpidty has existed
here, as with wolves overfed with choice mock OF
young lambs. Another victim, 1t seems, is now
wanted to humanze and opacity" the insurgents.
Dockray, the American. is to be made martyr.
have just received the proceedings in his case,
which was hastily rushed through "council OF
war" tconsjo de gueTra) at Puerto Principe, on
the I'd inst. DOckray Is accused OF taadencia,
which means an active insurgent He has been
condemned to the death penalty, and the papers
have been sent on here to the Captain General for
his dnal action. Thus another great help to the
cause Of the revolution.
THE ROYAL PRISON
In which Mr.. DocKray has been incarcerated for
the last two months, at Puerto Principe, is some-
what more comfortable than the classmates and
dungeons of the Cabahas AS you land at the rail-
road station on the plaza del vaporn you see a
Quadrangular structure yellow washed, with
sentry boxes at each corner and guards at the
great iron gateway The prison is simply four
Immense walls, twenty feet high and iour feet
thick, with an inner wall three feet thick. Be-
tween the outside and inside walls the distance is
about eighteen or twenty feet and over this Ia a
nat tile roof The quarters are arranged between
these walls. In the centre Of The prison there
ls .. courtyard, 100 feet square, smoothly
paved with brick In front OF the quarters
gallery runs around all four sides and on a level
with the courtyard. The gallery into which the
quarters open is also paved with brick, and the
tile roof prOjec over IL and Is supported by strong
and rather tasteful columns twelve on side,
around the courtyard. The prison Is airy, full OF
Nm csd
the presidio or chain gang quarters, taking up
the whole side Of the prison. Here i5o men are
chained toge ther, some by the ankle and waist,
others double locked, with manacles on both
ANKLES and chains running up to the middle, and
there jointed with another about the waist. The
eternal clankipg Of those chains is the music Of
the prison. Morning and night gangs OF these
poor fellows-nearly three-fourths political prison.
ers-are led cut under guard to repair The streets
perform the work OF scavengers-at night
60 clean the privles of the town. Here men are
condemned for twenty years. for ten, for five;
some die In their chains. The hammering of riv-
cts and the groaDs Of the sick and wounded Ia the
military hospital near by often mingle with the
brazen music OF the military band in the plaza
fronting the prison. On another side of the court
yard il the gaierd for poor Cubans who can't pay
sne Alcalde fifty cents q day for more comfortable
quarters, Here they have to sleep On rough boards
D pillow, perhaps. made UP Of the only clothing the
ednpe s,n0s wear-pantaloons and Shirt. They
seep in one long line, like row OF dead men IN
the trench of battle field. They keep up q ytgor.
ous fight with the vermIn which breed In the
common filth. On another side by them
selves are the privileged quarters. which
means that prisoner who has stamps can
have one OF these sumptuous apartments by pay
ing the Alcade from fifty cents to 81 per day,
Alcalde az much as it does some American
onacals. Here some poor negro slave-himsel! o
prisoner Of the gatera-waits upon you for fee OF
swo or three reals per week. The rooms are If
teen or twenty feet square, High up under the
edge Of the roof doubly grated hole In the wall
Iets in light and air. These rooms are the luxures
Of the prison. They are only moderately supplied
With body vermin. spiders and cockroaches; now
md then few small frogs, wasps and millions Of
red ants, all OF them well latted and, what is more
comnendable. more aristocraric in their manners
than the vermin Of the gd26rd. All tho quarters
have great huge wooden doors, about ten
inches thick, studded with big-headed iron
Hivets, like Kdd's treasure chest In one corner OF
she yard Is an immense iron cage which incloses
the entrance to two rooms. This Is the female de.
partment for black and white alike. The court
yard Is filed with political prisoners-sospecAos,
mosrly-some will 60 to the Isle OF Pines, others
into the chaingang. GUARDS are stationed inside
and outside the two immense gateways OF the
prison, facing each other. On each corner out
side, at every visible passage, Is a sentinel. At
night an officer goes the rounds OF the quarters
and examines the iron grating, q sentinel parades
the gallery and peeps through q small hole In each
door to see If any prisoner has possibly kicked
down four foot wall and escaped. Men often
pass weeks, months and years here without sccn-
satton and trial.
TRIAL IA MoCKKRY.
nthe government conclude to condemn n man
they try him. II they desire to hberate him they
40 30 without trial. very little money opens the
prison DOORS Woe to him who, without peseta
In his pocket, has offended the dignity OF Spain.
In another corner OF this prison is the council
room-the Inquisition. long table, with half
dozen ancient, higb-bac chairs, behind it. Seats
all around the room and o wooden bench The
criminal cannot sit in a chair, It must be low,
rough, wooden bench. In corner OF the room Is
Y dirty closet, with large wooden cross over the
portals where tho pricsts' gowns are kept the
altar cloth and all the symbols Of the mass which
In held In the prison every sunday and saints day.
IL was here tnat the council Of war was convened
on the I'd instant TO SO through the farce Of con-
demning young Dockray.
THE COUNCIL OF WAR,
under Spanish laws, Is only formal means or ex-
ecuting what the authorities have previously de-
termined upon. The procedure verbal is hasty
afrair-everytning is done orally; nothing writ
ten. The other mode is BY written testimony, and
IN opportunity ia Afforded to cross-examine the
witnesses. Dockray was tried by O mixed pro-
cess. The whole case was written, but none OF
those who made declarations were present A
Spanish colonel was President OF the council and
six captains made up the court. Spanish law re-
Qutres the council nrst to attend mass on the day
OF trial, and, in that very forgiving frame Of
mind In which they lnd themselves at mass
shey must proceed at once to the trial.
Az eight O'Clock the council marched into the
1sison Toesnara presenteaA ana for a moment