The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-08

merchantman. duly documented, with
the American nag nying At her stern.
Captain Fry and his men therefore ex-
pected. at the worst. q short imprinson-
ment, and an early return to the United
States. But the poor fellows had not
reckoned on the bloodthirsty temper
of Governor Burriel and the Spanish
volunteers. and their intense hatred
for this country.
THE TRIAL BEGUN.
On the day following the arrival Of the
Virginius in Santiago q court-martial
was held on board the Tornado. It be-
gan at 3 and ended at 1 o'clock. The
charge was piracy on the high seas"
and four leaders. Ryan, Varona. Ces.
pedes and Del Sol were promptly found
guilty and sentenced to be shot Early
at dawn on the morning Of November 3
the unfortunate men were led from their
prison to the slaughter house outside
Of the towns limits. and to the cry Of
Cuba forever" they fell beneath q hail
Of bullets.
But this was only foretaste Of Span
ish vengeance. The first four victims,
though executed in violation Of all in
ternational law, were at least open and
recognized enemies Of Spain. and had
figured prominently In the war. Not 30
the captain and the crew of the Vir.
ignorant Of the purposes and destina-
ton Of the ill-fated vessel. These men
appeared before their judges a few
hours after the distant rattle Of musket-
ry had told them Of the fate Of their
erstwhile companions. and before dusk
the captain and his men-many Of them
youths under age-had learned that
their last moments were at hand. Thir-
ty-seven Of them. including Capt. Fry,
were told of for execution the next day.
The scene Of this horrible tragedy was
the same as that Of the arst-the city
slaughter house, an adobe structure with
a steep tiled roof, encircled by q shall
low trench half filled with stagnant
water
Half mile separated the fail from
the place. and the wretched procession
had to march hitber on foot, preceded
ny corps Of drummers with muffled
drums which they beat In low. meas
ured cadence. unspeakably melancholy.
The theatrical element enters so largely
into the composition OF the Latin races
that even their atrocities are enacted
with due regard to scenic effect. Ar
rived at the place Of doom, the process
sion halted and formed hollow square
with the victims in the middle. The
line OF marines against the slaughter
house wall next opened. and the pris-
ouers were placed kneeling on the edge
Of the trench. bound but not blindfold.
ed, their faces turned toward the wall
What followed Is best told in the words
OF Franklin Coffin. an American eye
witness Of the tragedy:
KILLED IN COLD BLOOD.
After they had knelt down." he says,
the Captain walked along the line and
one was slighted, not even the colored
men who sailed among the crew. The
last sounds they heard on earth, apart
from the roar of the muskets that belch-
ed forth their death. were the kind
words spoken by the heroic Fry. When
this act Of gentleness was done ne knelt
down with the rest. The men were
formed in line about three feet from
the wall. Three PAGES back Of them
were the marines. with their muskets
at the shoulder. Just before the volley
was fired Capt. Fry took off his hat and
turned his face upward, as II in prayer
There was one brief moment Of pause;
then came the flame. the smoke and the
roar. AS the cloudy curtain lifted thir-
ty-six Of the thirty-seven men were seen
writhing in the agonies of q pertial
death. Poor Fry lay stone dead, q bull
let In his heart, his calm face upturned
toward the beautiful tropical sky"
According to several eye.witnesses,
the scene that ensued was hideous be-
yond description. The marines rushed
upon the wounded men and began dis.
patching them with horrible brutality.
Thrusting the mus3lss OF their muskets
into the eyes ana ears Of the dying. these
ArA tfnva l1xyh A0~ - L.
But still greater horror was at hand.
Presently some cavalry appeared, and
in order to accelerate the determination
Of the victims the horse soldiers were
ordered to ride their steeds over the
reeking mass Of dying men. This was
repeated several .imes until the last
breath of life had been crushed out of
the sufferers. After this the troops
withdrew, and the rabbble were let loose
on the human shambles. with the result
that for the rest Of the day the streets
were paraded by professions bearing
the heads Of the victims on long spikes.
Thus ended the bloody orgy Of Novern-
Der, 4, 1873.
BRUTALITY FOILED.
1t must not be supposed that this sec.
ond butchery had quenched Governor
Burriers thirst for blood. On the con-
trary. orders were issued by him for the
shooting Of fifty more Of the prisoners
the majority being boys ranging from
16 to 20 years Of age-and o'clock on the
afternoon Of the 9Th was the hour set
for their execution. At 10 o'clock on
the morning Of that day. however. q
gallant British man-of-war. H. NJ. 8.
Niobe, steamed into the harbor Of San
tiago. As soon as her commander, Sir
Lambton Lorraine. heard Of the Cover
nor's intentions, he quietly trained his