The San Francisco call., 1896-11-19
SPANISH BRUrALIrY.
Story of Barbarous Treatment Told by
Recent Prisoners.

Story of Barbarous Treatment Told by
Recent Prisoners.
NEW YORK, N. Y, Nov. 18.-The
thirteen shipwrecked seamen OF the
steamer Cola. who were brought to this
port Monday by the steamship Yucatan
from Havana, continued to be very bitter
in their denunciation of Spanish officers
in Cuba, and, in fact, everything Spanish,
when they appeared before tae British
Consul in order 10 get their discharge and
tickets to their respective homes.
Jacob Moore, colored, who shipped on
board the Cola as an apprentice, told the
story of the cruel way ne had been treated
during his stay in Cuba.
He said that after the Cola had almost
reached Havana and began to sink so rap
idly that it was thought best to abandon
her, which was done at 6 o'clock on the
night of November 4, the entire crew put
out in the ships boats, and after rowing
several hours reached the River Gani-
quanice, Cuba. At town at the rivers
mouth they were fairly treated.
The following day they we're taken to
Port Mariel under guard of troop of
Spanish cavalry and thrown ihto prison
there They were all huddled into small
cell and were compelled to sleep on the
concrete flooring. not being allowed to use
their ditty- bags as headrests. nor were
they allowed to get the most necessary
toilet articles. Spanish soldiers were on
guard outside of the cell door day and
night and watched their every movement.
The day following their imprisonment
young Moore was sent for by the official
in command and asked whether be could
speak Spanish. He gave room full OF
officers TO understand as best he could
that he did not comprehend their Ian
guage, whereupon one OF them felled him
to the ground by n blow on the ear with
the butt or his revolver. John de Lorrey
here took up up the thread of the story.
after they had knocked the senses out
of Moore he said, "and while he was re-
gaining consciousness, they sent for me.
The first question they put to me was:
Are you an English man or an Ameri.
cam told them l was an Englishman,
whereupon one of them said: You lie,
dog of an American and struck me over
the head with cane. was then given
to understand by motions that 1 was to
have my throat cut and then shot.
"I had almost persuaded them that 1
was an EngIishman, when they discov-
cred an American flag which l had tat
tooed on my left hand. This acted on
them like a red flag to a bull, and they
sprang upon me and struck ME repeat
ediy in the face.
"They then called in squad OF SOL
diers, who were given some orders, upon
receiving which they all pointed their
guns at me. I told them that l was an
Englishman and desired them to fire.
This seemed to cool their ardor, and
Moore, who had by this time come to his
senses was again brought before them.
'.They pointed guns at him and pricked
his flesh with the ends of their swords
until he cried in agony.
After about two hours of this treat
ment they allowed us to go back to our
cells.
"When told our Consul in Havana of
the treatment we had been subjected to
he fold US that really it was not anything
out of the common and not worth bother
ing about. He told me, however, not to
say anything about the matter when /
reached the States, as those Americans
have so much to say"
Ten of the shipwrecked men will be sent
by the British Consul to their homes in
Canada. Moore will be returned to Ja-
maica David Burns went to his home in
Brooklyn and Joseph Yunl will remain in
New York.