Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-27
JULIO SANGUILY CONVICTED.
AMERICAN CITIZEN SENTENCED TO
PRISON IN CUBA.
Charged With Conspiracy With the
Insurgents-Conyict Once Be
fore and HIS Case Appealed
Other Cuban News.

Havana, Dec. 25.-To-day the reunited
tribunal which judged the proceedings
against Julio Sanguily, a naturalized
American citizen, charged with conspiracy
against the Spanish government, met for
the first time after an adjournment for the
Christmas holidays. The judges decided
that SanSuily was guilty of a modified
qualification of the crime of which he was
accused. and sentenced him to eight years
and one day Imprisonment. The sentence
will be published next Monday.
Julio sanguily was arrested with thirty
others. including many members of we'll
known families OF Havana, and confined in
Moroe castle. An attempt was made to try
him by court-martial. but. through the
efforts of Consul Ramon o. Williams, San
guily's American citizenship was estab-
lished and he WAS given a civil trial.
The prosecution attempted to prove that
SanguiIy was the head of a local con-
sIiracy and the chief resident instigator OF
the insurgent movement, and that he had
heen especially appointed by Jose AIaTti 10
assume command of the forces of Matanzas
ara Santa Clara, which were expected TO
rise in arms against Spain The chief evil
dence produced at the first trial was in
been signed BY Sanguily, the text OF
which. according to an expert government
penIuAn, could not be read, owing to the
damaged condition of the paper Sanguily,
however. was found guilty on December
and sentenced to life Imprisonment at
hard labor in the mines of Ceuta, Africa.
The case was appealed to the supreme
court at Madrid. The grounds upon which
the United States government interviewed in
his behalf were that his trial by a military
tribunal did not accord with the terms of
the Spanish-American treaty, and he was
granted new trial by the supreme court.
The case excited much interest at Ha-
vana, owing TO the prominence of the pris-
oner and the questions involved and a
large crowd was in constant attendance
in front of the Audenca buildings. to wit
ness the entry and departure of the ac-
cused. The trial has been going on for the
past week. Sanguily was brought from the
Cabanas fortress under the escort of six
teen armed soldiers. and AZcuy and San
chez. two witnesses who were held for the
purpose of tesrifying against the prisoner,
were also brought to court by an armed
escort.
There were five judges on the bench and
Vice Consul General Springer. who acted
as consul general during the absence OF
General Lee, was assigned to a special seat
near the justices.
Il is extremely probable that another ap-
peal will be made to the higher courts,
the defense during the proceedings having
urged that the tribunal was illegally con-
stituted since six judges should have pre-
sided. and not five The attorney for the
defense disputed the competency of the
court to hear and decide the case, claiming
the prisoner was entitled to a trial by six
judges. according to the law prevailing
in 1921, when the Spanish-American proto-
col was drawn.
Defendants counsel insisted that the
prisoner could not be legally tried under
the law of 1877. He made a motion to this
effect, but 1t was overruled. The defend
ants attorney then announced the defense
would later protest against this decision.