The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-03-11
PRISONERS MURDERED.
STORY OF THE MASSACRE BY SPAN.
IsH SOLDIERS CONFIRMED.

lSH SOLDIERS CONFihmeO.
Spains Mode Of Warfare in Cubs--Prison'
ers Butchered In Cold Blood The Dead
Bodies of Twelve Victims Left in the
Streets.
New YORK, March "A dispatch
from Havana, Cuba, under date OF OF
Feb. 81, says the affair at Guatao Will
not down. Capt. Gen. Weyier, alter
officially announcing that nothing out
side of the ordinary combat between
troops of Spain and armed reoels oc-
Cured. has begun an investigation.
He was waited upon by delegation
of women from the little hamlet or
Guatao and the town of Punta Bravo,
and heard with his own ears the story
of the killing from the wives, mothers
and sisters of the dead, and listened to
the appeal for the lives and liberty of
the Is prisoners. He also received Of
fetal notice from Consul General Will
liams that among the prisoners taken
from the unfortunate town and now
lodged in Moro Castle is an American
citizen who was shot in the arm while
hiding in his own house in the pres
ence of his wife, and, though, unarm-
ed and guilty of no act against Spain,
was taken prisoner and held for the
military tribunal. The story of the
killing of IS paciicos by the troops is
confirmed beyond the question of a
doubt. In the endeavor to prevent it
from being proclaimed to the blunder
of arresting Charles Nicholson, cor
respondent of the New York Journal,
and his interpreter, Lorenzo Betan-
court. They were taken from their
beds at 2 a. m. on Tuesday, lodged in
Moro Castle, ''incommunicado," un-
til Wednesday afternoon, by which
time the officials discovered that they
had the wrong men.
All the other American correspond
ents have been shadowed since, but
even if the two who did go to Guatao
are found out, it is doubtful If they
will be arrested, for the reason that
another arrest would be confession
that the first was a mistake. The au'
thorities also know that it is too late
to prevent the story going to the States
and that they have no case against
the man who went to Guatao There
have been stories of other affairs of
similar nature in various parts OF the
island, but owing to difficulties placed
in the way of correspondents 1t has
been next to impossible to verify them,
and the assurances of the officials that
they were untrue were given full
weight. The affair at Punta Bravo
and Guatao, however, was within IL
miles of the city and two American
correspondents went to the two towns
as soon as rumors of the nature Of the
occurrence was received. The killing
took place Saturday afternoon. The
bodies had been buried on Sunday but
the earth was still moist on the graves
When the correspondents reached the
scene. They walked about the town.
which was well-nigh deserted, talked
with neighhors and relatives OF the
dead, inspected the houses in which
unarmed men had been shot and bay
oneted to death, and women who
prayed on their knees for the lives OF
their husbands and sons had been
Knocked insensible. The fronts of the
hotses showed no signs of having
beeh fired upon as would have been
the case if insurgents fought from
them. No outer doors nor windows
we're broken. All but half dozen
were thatched roof huts, affording no
protection and from which no resist
ance could be made. The only build
ing which could have been used for
defense-the stone church-had been
entered. There was every visible evil
dence that the stories OF citizens, of
wives and of mothers. most of whom
were eyewitnesses were correct, and
further proof was furnished by Spain.
ish volunteers who were present and
lay out the dead.
The correspondent took photographs
of the streets, houses and cemetery at
Guatao, and these are indisputable
proof that no battle occurred in the
town, as is now claimed by the Span
ish authorities. Putting together such
facts as are verified, the affair at Qua
tao was plainly nothing but a butch
cry.
The Spanish troops under Captain
Calvo met and dispersed handful OF
insurgents at the eastern entrance to
the town OF Punta Brava with no loss.
es on either side. Some of the insur-
gents having taken the direction Of
Guatao one mile south, the troops
moved upon the town, shooting right
and left as they entered, killing the
inhabitants who ran from their hous-
es in alarm upon hearing the firing.
Others concealed themselves in bed
rooms and in any place which seemed
likely to help them from being discov-
cred. Some men and women reached
the woods in safety. About 40 men
were left in thu town. Some were too
old and infrm to run, some were 10y
al Spaniards, and others were Cubans
who had taken no part in the rebell-
ion. The troops seemed bent upon a
mad hunt for blood and shot down
every one in sight. Several Spaniards
were found among the dead. The
mounted guerillas pursued fleeing in
habitants across the fields, shooting at
them or cutting them down with their
sabres. Others rushed into houses,
clubbed women who impeded their
entrance, shot men hiding under beds,
killed one man sick in bed and drag
ged the bodies of their victims out into
the streets. Some of the troops con-
tented themselves with making pris-