The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-20
From the New York Herald.


Forty-five years ago the interest Of
the American people In Cuban affairs
was quite as intense as it is today. In
1851 there was. as usual, since the begin
ming OF this century, a revolution ram
rant In the island. 1t was the most inn
portant up to that date, exceeding In its
scope even the conspiracy of the Black
Eagle" In 1929 and the negro uprising In
1874. General Narciso Lopez was at its
head and in Its ranks were hundreds OF
Americans
In 1S4S Lopez had headed conspiracy
of Cubans In their own island. He was
himself Spaniard, but most of his fol-
lowers were the native blacks. He
failed, and made his escape to the
United States. There he found ready
sympathy. This country was rife in
lSls with a sentiment favoring the ac-
QUESTION, by purchase or otherwise, OF
the queen of the Antilles. 1t was IN
that year that President Polk pr posed,
through the American ambassador at
Madrid, to purchase Cuba for Sl,GO0,c COO.
The proposal was renewed In the Uni ed
States senate ten years later, but by
this time the price offered had ad-
vanced to sS0,O00,000.
I.Opez was able to organize In this
country force of 600 men, with when
he sailed for Cuba in 1850. He effected
n landing and was Joined by the native
sympathizers. For months he wagel
desultory guerilla warfare. achieving
at times a passing success. but for the
most rart confining his efforts to the
mountains He eventually failed anu
Withdrew from the ilsand. but In the
next year made the third attempt. Like
the others, 1t was unsuccessful; IL Cost
the life OF the leader and most or MS
followers, Americans among the rest.
Lopez was garroted, according 10 tne
custom which still prevails IN Cupa,
and which has been eXempiinea NOR ..l
than once in the Castle Moro during the
present war. His head and face were
enclosed in q cap, an iron collar was
placed around his throat and the screw
was turned until, the collar slowly tight
ening, he was choked to death. The
capture Of Lopez was due to the separ-
alton from the main body OF troops
which he commanded, of Colonel Crit
tenden and his forces Colonel Critten-
den was an American. The natives,
upon the approach Of the Spanish
forces, deserted their leader and fled to
the mountains. Lopez was left with
thirty followers. and even these finally
deserted him. He wandered about in
the mountains alone until he was cap
tured with the aid of bloodhounds. His
last words were "Adieu. dear Cuba!"
GALLANT BUT FUTILE RAID.
The last attempt made by Lopez to
secure independence for Cuba resulted
in much the same sort Of warfare as has
been inaugurated by General Weyler.
Lopez and his followers took ship at
New Orleans, on board the Pampero,
on August 3. 1851, in Colonel Critten-
dents regiment On the 11th the Pam
pero stood off Havana. Lopez took the
a q n n Sna niSh n
schooner and compelled them to act as
pilots. Despite this precaution the
Pampero a few hours later, running
under full head Of steam westerly along
the coast ran upon coral reef. The
men and arms were thereupon taken
ashore In small boats. In the cargo
were 100000 cartridges. 5000 muskets
and several hundred kegs Of powder.
Lopez sent pronunciamento to the
village Of Las Pesas demanding sur
render. Later he marched upon the
town iwth S23 men, leaving Crittenden
on the coast at Cabanos with $50 men to
guard the ammunition and stores.
.Crittenden followed soon after. having
found carts in which to carry the stuff
After skirmishing with the Spanish
along the road Crittenden formed a
junction with Lopez at Las Pesas and
an engagement took place with the
Spanish, under Genral Emma. The
Americans were victorious. losing but
thirty men to the Spaniards' two hum
dred, including many officers. Lopez
rode about the field during the engage
ment wholly unarmed. except for a
rawhide, which he pitilessly laid upon
the backs of such men as he thought
might be melted to firing faster.
The Spanish again attacked and were
again defeated two days later at a ha-
cienda not far from Las Pesas. This
action was one of the hottest in the re-
oellion The Spanish lost 800 men. Lo-
pez thereupon actually made a forced
march Of eighteen miles over a. noun
tam road, In five hours. A turn in the
tide OF success occurred on August 20.
wheh Lopez, his ammunition having
been greatly damaged by rain, was
taken by surprise by q superior force of
the enemy about two leagues from Ba-
hia Honda. The leader fled with his
surviving followers to the top of a,
mountain and then encamped in most
appalling surroundings.
DEFEAT OF THE REBELS,
The weakened forces of the invaders
remained In the mountains for nearly a.
week, subsisting upon roots and ex
posed to the most dreadful extremes of
weather. At length their sufferings be-
came so severe that they decided to de-
sceno to the plains and risk battle with
superior forces, prefering death on the
field to the slow torture they were en-
during. At San Cristobal they learned
OF an order by the government promis-
ing immunity to all the filibusters ex.
cept Lopez If they surrendered. Soon
afterward they We're surrounded by a.
force of Spaniards in q house, where
thsy had been offered hospitality, and
taken to Havana. They were bv This
time reduced to 100 men, the Others hav.
ing fallen in battle or succumbed to ILL
ness and fatigue. Twenty-Five had es-
capped to the mountains. OF the prison.
ers only two Americans were pardoned.
The others were sentenced to twenty
years penal servitude in Spain. Lopez,
as told above. was taken by blood
hounds and publicly garroted. '.
More than twenty years later the
hearts Of Americans were once more
PROFOUNDLY stirred by Cuban incl
dent" In which their compatriots were
again interested, and in which once
NOR, more American citizens lost their lives.
This was the celebrated Virginius af-
fair, which occurred in 1873.
Ine virginius. an American ship, un-
der Captain Joseph Fry, an American.
was chased by the Spanish cruiser T6r-
nado and captured at the east end Of
the island of Jamaica, within sight of
the Morant Point lighthouse She was
tcwed into Santiago de Cuba, and there,
after trials lasting in some instances
only ten minutes, fifty-three of those on
board were shot In the public square,
near the slaughter house. Among
them were Captain Fry. vernande Va
roma, w. A. c. Ryan. Jesus de Sol and
Pedro Cespedes. Both the United
States and England at once entered
vehement protests against this atrocity
on the part Of Burier. who was the
butcher" Of the day, and both govern
ments sent mensof-war to protect the
other prisoners. The latter, who came
to be known AZ the Survivors" were
delivered up to our government and