The Penn's Grove record., 1889-09-07
SPANISH
A Young consorIpt Shot by Military
Crdere.

A Young consoript Shot by Military
Orders.
The steamship Hutchison from Ha.
vaDa brought, besides other passengers,
II gentleman who had witnessed the ex-
ecution in that city by the Spanish
army of a conscript soldier named
Agullo. Aqullo's offense was the
murder of his commanding sergeant.
A New Orleans Times Democrat re-
porter obtained from the gentleman a
description Of the military execution,
which took place at Fort Principe:
Il saw Agullo as he stood directing
the soldiers to aim at his head and
heart on the morning of his execution"
said the gentleman. tit was 6 O'Clock,
on the elevation of Principe, whose
crest Is crowned with that gray granite
fortress, and from which point the
harbor view Is grand, that Agullo, cast
ing n feeting glance to wave-lapped
Moro, fell, pierced by three bullets In
his head, upon the narrow parapet of
Fort Principe. One bullet Of the four
destined for him sped wide Of its mark,
wOunding an officer to the rear and near
the fort.
"Agullo wAa a man Of magnificent
physique, six feet tall, fine head, bril-
liant eyes and a face denoting gentle
birth and refined intelligence. His long,
military step as he marched to the point
OF his execution in the square formed by
the corps Of engineers, in which he was
enlisted, Of artillery, cavalry, volunteers
and infantry-caused murmurs Of adj
miration to rise to the lips of the 5000
spectators, curiously brought together
to witness tho stern sentence Of the
military court.
"As he stood, the central point Of all
eyes, dressed in his fatigue uniform,
striped trousers and cap, directing his
fellow soldiers to aim with surety, the
other fields may have led to a success
full career broke In upon the spectators
with harshest feeling. There is no tell
ing what grief-laden hearts beat with
suffering throbs in far away Spain, in
nocent Victims alike with their soldier
SONS compelled to serve the hated con
scription In Cuba, But such is often
the case, and this poor Agullo, smart
ing under the ~overbearing sergeant
who fed him his food in insult as to a
dog, burning under the adverse fate,
became the assassin and slew his victim
when asleep
1.-THE prisoners hours before the ex-
ecution we're spent In calm, deliberate
consideration. He had begged a friend
TO write to a brother and sister telling
them of the close of his life, and alter
ing his will by ~bequeathing a small
house In Spain to his sister, which in a
previous document he had left his
brother, and spent much time in religi-
GUS exercise with hls father ~confessor.
VAT 8 O'Clock in the morning large
crowds began steadily to wind their
way toward CASTILLO Principe. Senior
Elias, Chef OF Police, and the Colonel
in command inspected the square
form.d by the military on the north
west quarter of the ~esplanade, In the
direction of the chorera.
"The condemned soldier, accompani-
ed by the Brothers of Charity, saluted
each on-looker with his farewell, and,
defying death, stood at the spot where
a post had been placed for him to lean
on to await his doom without one
culver Of nervousness. He was heard
to remark, ! was a coward. / killed
him while he was asleep. That was
badly done.' In the preparations going
on around him he took active interest
in the direction of one thing and an
other, and then, calling a sergeant from
some distance, babe him goodbye.
When the soldiers advanced to place
the bandage over his eyes he told them,
putting his hands across his face.
There Is no necessity of bdndaging
my eyes, hut If absolutely necessary |
will bandage them myself. He took
his W handkerchief for this purpose
loosely tied 1t so that he could see over
the edges. This he was told would not
io, and for the first time his fingers
shook under the strain upon his feel
ings, and M Of the cllaplaIns step ed
forward, securely knotting the ends OF
the bandage and firmly pressing down
his cap to hold them in POSITION. The
sol Ter kissed the 0 as his last
glimpse of earth was taken, and saw
the four soldiers had come closer te
him. as he requested that death might
be quick and certain, They had pre-.
yiolsly been at the military distance.
These four soldiers had been given
cigar each and some money by Agullo
Designating the special plea Of Agulle
these four men, as they looked at the
livid c~ountenanoe and eyes Of feverist
blaze when the request was made tt
come closer and closer, were visibl,
disturbed. Agullo could touch th,
muzzles Of the pieces.
standing close to the post place,
70" support the prisoner at the orde
.kneel' he quickly sank to his knees
Then the four shots irregularly rang out
and the body leaning against the postfel
to the ground dead.
"Here passed the spot the troops a
slow time, marching toward their quar-
tiers, and each man gazed on the blood
face. After all the troops had filed by
the Rrothers, who had turned the corps
ON its beck. looked charge Of the body
which was buried without a coffin.
"Asa curb on his emotion 1T is stated
Senior Elias asked ths Governor of tn
castle to breakfast. and they departe
with the troops, leaving the field to III
dead soldier. The bay in gentlenes
sang the requiem and stern old MOI