The New York herald., 1879-08-04
AN OUTRAGED AMERICAN.
Arrested and Disgraced by the
Cuban Authorities.
COLONEL BARNET'S ESCAPE.
A Thrilling Story of Midnight Rides in the
"Ever Faithful Isle.

His indiferens knowledge of English. the re-
porter's entire ignorance of Spanish coupled with
the fact that he was aboard the Niagara quarantned
in the lower bay account Of yellow fever made
interview with Colonel Barnet, the American citizen
lately outraged in Cuba. an effort OF no small
interest and difficulty. The same branch
OF the news gathering department OF the
HERALD that secured for readers an early
account of the arrival of the Swatara conveying the
Grand Duke Alexis to these shores that intercepted
Dom Pedro on his way hither; that met the United
States steamer Franklin. with the Late Boss Tweed
board prisoner of State. and that enabled a
HERALD scribe to interview ex-Minister Schenck on
Parker and Little Emma effectna in overcoming
the last but not the least of the three difficulties that
made the present interview hazardous and interest
ing.
MEETING THE SHIP.
EARLY yesterday morning the Niagara arrived in
the bay from Havana which port she left the
30th ut. and the reporter stationed ut Sandy Hook
Immediately informed of the fact. The special
interest in the Niagara lay not in the fact that her
purser had died of yellow fever the passage out
to Havana, yet in the fact that she left OF
her men behind her at that port low with the same
dreaded ailment. That she brought several people
afflicted with the fever to this port her last trip
up not the occasion of the reporters interest in
her either. Tho superstition that among her passen-
gers might be Colonel Barnet induced the visit The
courtesy of DR.. Mccartney accorded the reporter
opportunity of interviewing Colonel Barnet through
his friend and uoyage Senior Rene Echarte
who kindly acted as interpreter. The Colonel who
so narrowly escaped being shot by the Spanish
authorities in Cuba, is q small man with jet black
hair and piercing black eyes. Now and then while
he told his story his eyes flashed with '.sense of
wrong and outrage desperate" but aside from this
his manner remarkably cool and quiet When
the recital Of Of the incidents brought back to
his mind the humiliation he had endured his eyes
fairly glistened
SIGNIFICANT FACTS.
Before going into the details of the interview
few significant facts that have come to the knowl-
edge of the writer. partly through passengers
the Niagara and partly through other sources may
be reced. Mr.. Hail. the American Consul at Havana.
was waited on by the Captain General Of Cuba, in
structed by the Spanish Minister at Washing
ton. and asked what truth there was in
the story that an American citizen named
Barnet had been outraged the island. The
diplomatic ignorance Of the Captain General. is
equal to anything in La Grand Duchess, for his
presence in the vicinity Of the scene selected to
shoot Colonel Barnet was one of the causes that
saved that gcntleman's life OF this fact moro is
explained in the interview. Another significant fact.
and one which Colonel Barnet regards as
strange, lis the default Of any official infor-
nation to the State Department at Washington
concerning the outrage which was committed
on tho 18th of last month. Still another
interesting item in connection with tho other two.
is that gentleman from the Spanish Consuls office
in New York made diligent inquiries at Upper Quar-
antine yesterday to ascertain il Colonel Barnet
board the Niagara stating that he wished partc-
ularly to him. Judging from the which
occurred between Colonel Barnet and the Captain
made overtures to indemnify the American. the
senger from the Consul would not have been
daily received, even IL he had been allowed to
the man he sought.
INTERVIEW WITH COLONEL pARNEr.
The main facts of the Colonels story have already
been told. but the shading and coloring OF the mar
rative have remained for him to supply. The
Colonel states that the 18th of July he arrived at
Matanzas on his way to Cienfuegos, where he in
tended starting colony for agricultural purposes.
At ive O'Clock in the evening he arrived at Matan-
zas and called on his brother. He remained at his
brothers house about hour and then
prepared to leave. He thinks 1t shortly
past six O'Clock. when he departed from his
and the door closed behind him. gentleman in
citizen dress accos,ed him. saying 'ls this Colonel
BarnetY' As soon he declared himself to be that
person the put his hand on his shoulder and told
him he prisoner. The Colonel was about to
Civil Guarde. came up aud overpowered him. When
these men had mastered him they put handouts on
station. Meanwhile he protested to f's his
captors that he was an American citi-
and that his arrest Illegal No
heed paid to his protest. however. and he
locked mp with party Of drunken negroes, China
and malefactors in the nosome cell down stairs
Here he remained for several hours. when his cap
tors, wishing to fnfct further indignity him,
took him from this select company and locked him
in the filthy. reeking closet. where unable to
against the foulcd walls. he had to remain until
carly the next morning. The vile effiuvia of the
place was overpowering that tho Colonel tainted
under its influence.
on THE ROAD TO DEATH.
AT seven o'clock the next morning the same man
ul..A had aA1 Khan ha hts hr.fh hs.r
house came to him habilitstcd in the regalia of q
lieutenant and told him to ruake ready to go with
him. lie asked where he was to be taken, but was
refused the information. He then asked be taken
before the American Consul. The lieutenant in re-
orders to take him to the American Consul
and could not grant the request. While this
conversation passed twelve men. IN the uniform of
and those remaining In the presence and under the
direction OF the lieutenant put the handouts on him
again. with his hands locked behind him the
Colonel then marched oil to the railroad station
about mile distant. Great numbers of friends
American Consul and protest. He told these
friends that he would not be allowed to
an American citizen against his Illegal arrest. At
the station he met by another officer and four
men. His captors and tbeso mon Joined company
lie noticed the tickets which the officer pur-
chased the words santa Clara. and very reasonably
Inferred that he was ,o be brought there. Santa
Clara is q station beyond Cicnfucgos. the place
where he had intended, II unmclestcd. to go. At
La Cruces the party alighted from the tram
aud went by branch road to Cionfucgos
A. six y. NJ. Cenfuegos reached. In the
interim from A. NJ. he had had nothing to eat
iIe taken from the station to the barrsck where
he was kept waiting for two hours and then con-
vcycd 10 Jail At about twelve O'Clock midnight he
became very faint from hunger and fatigue lie dis
tinctly rcfnsmbors having heard twelve o'clock
strike. but he did not hear one. having tainted lie
rcraembcrs having heard two o'clock strike. and
shortly thereafter lao was taken out of the
lail by corporal and These
men brought him into the country outside OF the
city ana he Was confident they Intended to kill him.
spanish Law gives the custodian OF any prisoner
who attempts 10 escape privilege to shoot him down.
aud hundreds OF men. the Colonel says. VINO never
inake any resistance are shot down In cold blood.
aud when inquiry ~ made II N said they attempted
60 escape. This he says. TO have been the pro-
ceduro in his case. While he Was tramping along
with the corporal and his two men the stiffness OF
the night waz broken by the noise OF q cavaryman
harry ing in tho
TIME.
When tho horseman got enough for his voice !
Ia uexri he cfied sllalftsf and the marty catna