The Dickinson press., 1889-09-28
BRAvELY HE MET DEATH.
He Hal Donea Cowardly Decd, but Tic,
XNnS EoaaHao1, L., IT..

He Had Done a Cowardly Deed, but There
Was Courage in Him.
The steamship Hutchinson, from Havana.
brought, besides other passengers, a gentle.
man who had witnessed the execution in that
city by the Spanish army of a corscript SOL
dier named Asullo. Agullo's ofrense was the
murder Of his commanding sergeant. A
Ilmes-Democrat reporter obtained from the
gentleman n description of the military exc
cution, which took place at Fort Principe:
II saw Agullo as he stood directing the SOL
diers to aim at his head II heart on the
morning of his execution u said the gentle
man. ut was + 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, and Agullo. casting
one hecting glance to wave Tapped Moro, fell.
pierced by the three bullets in his head, upon
the narrow parapct of Fort Principe. One
bullet of the four destined for him sped wide
OF its mark, wounding an officer to the rcar
and near tho fort.
"Agullo was a man of magnificent physique.
six feet tall, fine head, brilliant eyes and a
face denoting gentle birth and refined intel
ligence. His long, military stcp-as lie
marched to the point of his execution in the
square formed by tho corps of engineers, in
which he was enlisted, of artillery, cavalry.
volunteers and infantry-caused murmurs of
admiration to rise to tho lips of tho 5000
spectators curiosity brought together to Wit
ness the stern sentence Of the military court.
las he stood. the central point of all ewes,
dressed in his fatigue uniform, striped trou-
sers and cap, directing his fellow soldiers to
aim with surety, the sad contemplation of a
life which i'll other fields may havc led to n
successful career broke in upon the spccta-
tor with harshest feeling. There is no telling
what grief laden hearts beat with sufferin.
throbs i'll far away Spain, innocent victims
alike with their soldier sons compelled to
serve the hated CONSUMPTION III Cubn. But
such is often the case, md this poor Agullo,
smarting under the overbearing sergeant who
fed him his food in insult as to Il dog, burn
ing under the adverse fate, became the assas-
sin and slew his victim when asleep.
'The prisoners hours before the execution
were spont in calm, deliberate consideration.
He had begged Il friend to write to a brother
and sister telling them Of the close of his life,
and altering his will by bequeathing n small
house in Spain to his sister, which in a pre-
vious document he left to his brother, and
spent much time in religious exercise.
"At S O'Clock in the morning large crowds
began steadily to wend their way toward
CASTILLO Principe. Senior Elias, chief of police,
and the colonel in command inspected the
square formed by the military on the north
west quarter Of tho esplanade, in the direc-
ton Of the chorera.
1.-The condemned soldier, accompanied by
the Brothers of Charity, salutcd each on
locker with his farewell, and, defving death,
stood at tho spot where a post had been placed
for him to lean on to await his doom, with
out one culver of nervousness. He was heard
to remark: Il was n coward. l 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 another, and then, calling n SER
geant from some distance, babe him good-by.
"When the soldiers advanced to place the
bandage over his eyes he told them, putting
his hand across his face: There is no reccs-
sity for bandaging my eyes, but if abso-
lutely necessary, l will bandage them my
SELF He took his own handkerchief for this
purpose, and loosely tied it so that lie could
see over the edges. This he was told would
not do, and for the first time his fingers shook
under the strain upon his feelings, and ono
of the chaplnins stepped forward, securely
knotting tho ends Of the bandago and firmly
pressing down his cap to hold them in posi-
ton. The soldier kissed the cross as his last
glimpse of earth was taken, and saw the four
soldiers had come closer to him, MS he re-
qucsted that death might be quick and GER
tain. They had previously been the military
distance. These four soldiers had been given
a cigar each and some money by Agullo.
%Disregarding the special plea of Agullo, these
four men, as they looked at the livid coun-
tennncc and eyes of fcverish blaze when the
request was made to como closer and closer,
were visibly disturbed. Agullo could touch
the nluzzles of the pieces. Standing close to
the post placed to support tho prisoner, at
the order 'Kneel he quickly sank to his
knees. Then the four shots irresularly rang
out, and the body leaning against the post
fell to the ground dcad."-Ncw Orleans
Tilnes-Democrat.