The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-31
Torture of CubanS Under
going Execution.
frightful Suffering Caused by
Bungling Work
Those Present Turned Pale at the
Horrible Spectacle.

HAVANA, March 3i.--A startling exhibit
ton ~f bungling in the execution by gar
rote of five Cuban prisoners took place
today. Five Cubaps, classed as ''murder-
ers, vioators, and incendiaries," belong
ing to Cayajabo, were recently sentenced
TO be garroted at o'clock this morning.
A strong force of infantry was drawn up
in the form Of a square around the spot
where the garrote HAD been erected.
Executioner Valentine Ruiz, for som o
reason not fully explained, acted upon
this occasion as the assistant to his own
assistant, instead of as the executioner.
AT the hour the troops were drawn up,
the five prisoners were still in their dun
geons receiving the ministrations of the
priests. One man confessed himself guilty
OF the crimes charged against him, and
asserted that his companions were in
nocent. The latter stoutly maintained
their innocence to the last. prayed that
their deaths might be avenged uron those
who had falsely sent them TO the scaffold,
and then the whole party were escorted
inside the square formed by the soldiers.
The man selected to be the first victim
OF the strangling machine, quietly and
calmly mounted the steps leading to the
death chair, took his seat in an uncon-
cerned manner and actually seemed to
smile as the deadly sheet-like cap covered
his head after the iron collar had been
adjusted. The man acting as executioner
then violently and nervously twisted the
lever or screw handle behind the part of
the post opposite the neck OF the prisoner
and corresponding with the iron collar,
but the acting executioner was evidently
terribly nervous and this rendered him
so weak that his hands slipped repeatedly
from the lever; there were horrible,
smothering, choking cries rom the scat
fnld nd n off an "A nf
agony for the condemned man and almost
torture for the spectators that the Cuban
was pronounced dead.
The executioners, priests, soldiers and
prison officials present turned their heads
away in horror and became deadly pale
as the stified sounds emanated from the
sufferer. But this was only beginning
OF the terrible performance.
The second victim was brought to the
front and led up the steps to the scaffold
by the priests and assistant executioner.
Upon reaching the platform the unfortu-
nate man made an effort to say something
to the people surrounding him, but the
executioner's hand was covered over his
mouth. He was hastily bundled into the
deadly cGair and in another moment the
iron collar was around his neck, the cap
was over his face and few turns of the
lever had been given. IL the actual exc
cutioner was nervous upon the occasion
so upon this occasion. He fumbled and
fumbled, alternately turning to a death
like whiteness and flushing with excite
ment. The result was more slow, fearful
strangulation and another horrible expert
ence for the spectators.
BY this time the prison officials, the
priests and officers In command OF the
troops had endured so much that they
openly denounced the acting executioner
and called upon him to get down from
the scaffold and let another man take bis
place. Thereupon the acting executioner
feverishly called upon the executioner-in-
chief, Valentine Ruiz, who from long
experience is Looked upon as being the
greatest expert in his line of business, to
come and help him out of his difficulty.
But Ruiz, however, strange to relate,
was almost as nervous and excited as his
assistant, and fumbled badly as he
handled the third Cuban. But Ruiz sue
ceeded in accomplishing the execution in
shorter time, and with less horror than
his assistants, TO the relief OF every body.
The fourth Cuban was then turned over
to Ruiz for strangulation. By this time
Ruiz was shaking all over, and he was
much slower and considerably olumsier
In sending the unhappy man out OF the
world. 70 much so that there was re-
pewed murmuring at the official incapa-
city and Ruiz stumbled away from the
death post. insisting in choking tones
that his assistant must finish the days
work. Consequently for the last execu-
tion, the assistant tried his hand at the
terrible screw and was as unlucky as be-
fore, for there was another scene of hor-
ror which nearly caused strong men to
faint tefore the fifth-Cuban's life was
pronounced extinct, and then the bodies
were csrted away, the shame-faced exc
cutioners gathered up their sickening
framework and, its accessories, the priests,
prison and other officials hurried away,
the troops were marched back to their
quarters and another chapter had been