The record-union., 1896-12-02
But the Objective Point of the Spanish
Commander Kept Secret.
General Ramon Williams Explains the
Circumstances Surrounding HIS
Resignation as COnsul-General OF
the United States at f1avana-WaS
persona Non Grata on the Island
Because of His Defense of Amer
ican Citizens Under Arrest.

HAVANA, Dec. lit is reported that
General Weyler arrived to-day at Taco
Taco about three leagues southwest OF
San Cristobal. After very short rest
the troops started on the march again,
but their objective point is not known.
They met no rebels on the way from San
Cristobal.
The forces commanded by Colonel Pa
via have had an encounter with the
rebels under Lacret at the Santos
ranch, near BolOndron, province OF
Matanzas. According to Colonel Pa
Was report, the rebels were routed with
a loss of fourteen killed, including Jose
Antonio.
General Figueroa and a strong force
of Spanish troops have met and de-
feated a rebel detachment at Navio, Ha-
vana Province. The rebels had a much
superior force to the Spanish, but were
dislodged and dispersed with great loss.
They left thirty-nine dead on the field.
The Spanish loss was also heavy, sixty
of their number being killed, including
Captain and a Lieutenant A Lieu
tenant and twenty-five privates were
wounded. The combat was exceedingly
fierce Both sides fought bravely.
EX-CONSUL-GEN WILLIAMS.
NEW YORK, Dec. General Ra-
mon Williams, ex-Consul- General of the
United States at Havana, arrived at his
Rome in Brooklyn to-day from a trip
through England, France and Spain
Regarding the circumstances surround
ing his resignation as Consul-General
at Havana last year, and about which
so much was said at the time, Mr.
Williams, in an interview this after
noon, said:
There was a treaty between this
country and Spain made in 1895, and ar
ticle seven of that treaty was construed
by the representatives of the two coun-
tries in protocol signed January u,
1871, by Caleb Gushing on behalf of this
Government and the Minister of State of
Spain.
On the first day of the present re-
beition in Cuba, February 4. 1895, three
haturalized American citizens were ar
rested by order of the Captain-GeneraI
OF Cuba. who announced that he wouId
court martial them. They were Messrs.
Sanguilly, Aguirre and Carrillo. who
were taken as insurgents.
Article seven of the treaty of 1895
provided that unless arrested with arms
III hand, threatening the sovereignty OF
SPAN IN her dominion, American citi-
zehs, no matter what the charge against
thein was, must be accorded a civil
tilal- These men, arrested at noon one
Gay, We're cOurt-martialed and sem
fenced to imprisonment for life. pro-
tested that this was a violation of the
protocol
Both the Captain-Ge and tho
lnsuiar Secretary of State were entirely
ignorant OF the existence of Article Z. as
wen as OF the protocol constructing il.
ana thereupon the Captain General be-
came offended because / demanded the
transfer from military to civil iurisdic-
tlon of the prisoners, and the case was
reported in such a manner to the Madrid
government as to almost provoke the
revocation of my exquateur.
lhey did not succeed. however he
cause the Minister of State at Madrid
was acquainted with the existence of
the treaty, and within eighteen davs
after the Captain-GeneraI had taken
offense at my stand he. by instruction
OF the Madrid Government grap,aa
everything | had asked for. therab,,
showing that L was right and that the
Captain-General was in the wrong. The
case Of Sanguilly Aguirre and CarrilIo
were transferred to the Jurisdiction of
the civil authorities In Cuba. since
then Sanguilly's case was carried on an
peal from the Superior Court of Havana
TO the Supreme Court of Spain. and tho
proceedings of the Havana Court have
been entirely revoked and a new trial
ordered. Thus 1t was shown again hv
the highest judicial authority of Spain.
that ] was right in demanding the trans
fer OF these gentlemen, and that the
CaptainGeneral was wrong.
Il was guided in this by a recollection
of similar cases which had come under
my notice In Cuba. The recollection of
these causes animated me to make an
earnest defense of the men, and il was
this action on my part that gave of
fense to the Spanish authorities in Cuba
Il was then in Washington. Acting
on the rule that no man of self-resepct
VIII want to return to or enter any place
where he believes that he is persona non
grata and therefore not welcome. l re-
solved not to continue longer in the po-
sition of Consul-General to the island.
and signifed my desire to resign. The
circumstances. however. were of such a
Character that / went back to Havana,
resumed charge of the office. and con-
tinued the defense OF Sanguilly until the
case was transferred to the civil courts.
a few weeks before this the case of
the American citizen Jose Cepero, who
had been arrested and subjected to
court-martial and several other Ameri-
can citizens had been treated the same
way. and in consequence | was not able
to present my resignation in due form
until February. 1896. My successor was
appointed in April. and in June | per-
sonaliy transferred the office to General
Lee. the present incumbent
General Williams also said that his
return to Havana was only at the in
stance of the earnest solicitation of
President Cleveland. and that the subse-
Quent illness and death of Secretary of