Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-25
THE PRICE OF A LIFE.
The Mother of Gen. Ryan Receives "a Part
of the Virginius Indemnity Fund-A Re
citaI of the Tragedy.
IOzoo,ol moJo-...x~, 81 +to Hlobo

citaI of the Tragedy.
Especial Telegram to the Globe.
CHICAGO, Jan. 24.-Mrs. Eliza Dunn,
mother of Gen. w. A. G. Ryan, one of the
victims of the Virginius, Las just received
the sum of $4,000 from the state depart
ment at Washington, as her portion of the
indemnity to the families of the fated
prisoners shot at Santiago de Cuba, by
order of the Spanish officer, Gen. Butrell.
Her son, Col. John G. Ryan, formerly of
the confederate service, states that con-
siderable difficulty was experienced in
getting the claim audited. Gen. Ryan was of
Canadian birth, and at the breaking out
of the war was still minor. He conse-
quently had no naturalization papers, and
proof of his citizenship was wanting.
Col. Ryan, his brother, through the aid of
Congressman Springer, of3Illinois, and S..
S. Cox, of New York, obtained from the
present congress joint resolution giving
authority to the secretary of state, in con
sideration of Gen. Ryan's gallant service
in the Union cause, to include Mrs. Dunn
in the list of the benefciaries of the in
demnity. brief resume of the history
of the death of Gen. Ryan is as follows:
The Virginius was cruiser containing an
expedition of Americans to aid the cause
of Cuban independence. She was cap
tured by the Spanish man-of-war Tornado,
Oct. 81, 1873, on her way to Cuba. At the
time she was flying the American flag, and
bod no Tho
Spaniards captured her, trampled the flag
under their feet and put her passengers in
irons. They were taken to Santiago
de Cuba, and mock trial was
had, and the prisoners sentenced
to be shot. On Nov. 4, 1873, Generals Ry-
an, Veroni, Cespedes and Delsal, of the
Virginius, were shot. Four days after, the
second batch, consisting of Capt. Joseph
Fry, commander of the Virginius, and
eleven men were executed, and on Nov. II
the third batch of thirty-fve men were
shot. The remainder of the Isl captives
were to be executed few days later, but
just before the date fixed, the British
man-of-war Niobe, commanded by
Sir s. hampton Lorraine, appeared in
the ofing and Immediately its commander
ordered the execution stayed on penalty of
destroying the city. The diplomacy which
followed is familiar to the public. It ended
by the enforcement upon Spain of the fol-
lowing conditions: salute to the Ameri-
can flag which she had insulted; the return
of the, Virginius to New York harbor and
its surrender to the government, and the
payment by Spain of an indemnity of
$50, 1000 to the families of the victims. The
vessel was sunk in storm
on her way to New York. The
American prisoners had all been executed
and nearly all the others were sent into |
exile by Spain, at penal servitude. The |
other relatives of the victims have long
ago received their share of the indemnify. |
Gen. Ryan was brave and gallant soldier, |
rising by merit from the ranks to a col |
onel's position, he organized the first body |
of cavalry in Cuba, and called it the New |
York Cuban Liberator cavalry. Col. Ryan,
Mrs. Dunn's surviving son, has quite a
romantic history. He was the mystic
,ious prisoner arrested at the Gayosa house
N Memphis as John II. Surratt and taken
heavily ironed and chained, to Washing
on, confined in the old capital prison for
hree months, and finally sent to Vicks-
1urg, where his irons were removed, and
lfter the capture of Surratt in the papal
lrmy and his conviction, released. Col. Ry-
IN was in New Orleans at the breaking out
If the war, and commanded regiment of
From the crippled condi-
ion of his right hand it would appear that |
le did as hard service in the Southern
;ause as his brother did on the other side.