The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-05
AN ORGY OF CRUELTY.
How tie Virginius Prisoners
Were Butchered IN 1879.
N VIOLATION OF AL LAW.
New York TnA.

| New York Times.
| Ine vehement denunosa.ion in the United
| States senate Of Spanish cruelty and blood
tnrsdness IL the conduc. Of the war
| s&Anst the Cuban patriots has called forth
| storm o. protest from the Spanish nA-
uon- Senior Dgpuy de Lone. the rspresen-
rative IN Washington City OF his most
cathoatc majesty. has even gone to the
troaose OF analyzsng some OF the accusa-
uoas hurried 1T hfs counsrymen. and has
succeeded in exposing minor errors Of fact
IN senator Sherman's presenta ton OF the
case aga.rs, them. But here his success
has ended; for the evidence Of SPANS
reign OF terror In the green girdled isle"
Is SO overwhelming that mere Juggling
| with words. mere diplomatic phrases. viii
De ot-lttie avail to stem the current Of
| American public opinion.
Is II 10 be supposed tina. the leopard has
changed his spots: that Spain. which TWEEN
ty-odd years ago. turned the fair Eden
OF the Antilles INTO q charnsl house, Is to-
DAY disposed to treat her down-trodden
sons with common hunan!ty-much less
with ordinary Justice7 Many readers VIII
recall something OF the terrible ten years
war OF ls6s-.s- OF that period one event con-
Germs this country more directly. and at
this junc,ure 10 well worth re;elling.
Late In 1870 the Cuban revolutionary
party purchased In New York Cfyde-built
IRON side-wheel steamer. called the Virgin.
and. rechristening her virginiUs. fitted her
up as q cruiser and transport for landing
men and supplies on the island of Cuba,
and In the following year she sailed on
her first impression. under orders from
Gen. Raphael Quesada. the revolutionary
chief. She succeeded on this occasion in
landing a force near Santiago de Cuba,
and rendered similar services some time
later. IN the fall OF 1873 An expedition on
stu larger scale was planned by tho
revolutionary committee. and on October
OF that year 10 volunteers and a full
complement OF able seamen. the majority
native Americans. left New York to en-
bark on the virgirlus. then lying in the
harbor OF Kingston, jamaica The ship
was commanded by Capt. Joseph Fry, Of
Louisiana, who had distinguished himself
as blockade runner during the civil war:
and among the revolutionary leaders who
boarded her az Kingston were Gen. W. A.
c. Ryan, native New Yorker. who had al
ready fought In Cuba: Pedro Cespedes. a
younger brother OF Carlos Manuel Cess
pedas, president OF the Cuban republic,
and Gems. Jesus del Sol and Varona, prom
inent patriots
1t was on the gath day Of October. 1873,
that the Vlrginius steamed out OF King
ston harbor. The original intention was to
sail direct for Cuba, but q mishap to the
machinery necessitated a stoppage At Port
au Prince, Haiti. A second start was
made on October 3d. Meanwhile the Span
ish consul at Kingston had been keeping
a watch on the movements Of the cruiser.
This resulted In Gov. Burriel. OF Santiago
de Cuba, ordering the comm ander Of the
warship Tornado to sail in quest Of her.
On the morning Of the 3fst the Spanish
vessel sighted the filibuster on the high
sea The former was at the time under
full sail, with little steam on. as her engine
was undergoing repairs. The captain Of
the Virginius riistook the enemy for
ordinary sailing craft, and did not alter
his course until too late At o'clock In
tho afternoon the Tornado's engineer an
noCnced that his repairs were completed.
Thereupon the chase began In earnest. the
warship heading for the Virginius under
full steam. AT this point the fillbuster5
suddenly realized their danger. and started
to make a run for the Jamaica coast
BY a strange lack of foresight on the
part of her commander, the Viryinius had
run short OF coal; but. as II was an issue
OF life or death. no exertion was spared to
reach the protection OF the British waters.
To supply the lack Of fuel oil the greasy
substances on board. such as oil. fat and
hams, from the provision stores, were
thrown into the furnaces; all the weapons,
tho horses and the cargo were consigned
to the waves But all 20 no avail Even
the coming on Of night proved Of little ben
eft to the fugit.ves. for the moon rose In
full tropical spleudor. FINALLY toward 10
In the evening. a shell was sent across tho
bows OF the Inflated cruiser. There was
now no alternative: surrender was I'M
avoidabic. Presently two armed boats
from the Tornado came alongside, ana,
taking possession OF the Virginius, made
all on board prisoners.
The first order OF the Spanish officer IN
charge was to lower the American flag
and hoist In it's place the Spanish ensign.
Notwithstanding tho fact that Capt Fry
sad nan 6nrnangt
the yirginius had been duly cleared for
coiors: and shortly after midnight tho
two vessels started for Santiago de Cuba,
which was reached the following after
noon at 8 o'clock. The arrival OF the Tor
nado with her prize created tremendous
sensation. and the wharves were soon
crowded with exultant citizens and ofh-
Gals eager TO gaze on the fcolhardy
Yankees"
Whatever dismal forbodings the actual
leaders OF the yirsinius expedition may
have entertained. IL does not appear that
the purely American portion Of the crew
looked forward with any serious apprehen-
sion to the outcome Of their enterprise.
While IL is true that the Spanish authori-
ties had good reason 20 suspect hostile In
rentions on their part. not a scintilia Of
evidence had been obtained which would
warrant prosecution; for. as already
stated every object of a suspicious nature
surrender, end when the Spaniards board
Cd the Virgfnius she was to all outward
Appearances a pesreahle merchantmen,
daily documentei with the American flag
flying al her stern. Capt. Fry and his
men. therefore. expected al the worst
short Imprisonment and an early return 10
the United States. But the poor fellows
had not reckoned on tho bloodthirsty
temper OF Gov. Buried and the Spanish
volunteers and their intense hatred for
this country.
on the Gay following The arrival az tbs
Nirginias In Santiago. a court martial was
held on board the Tornado. II began al .
ard ended a; O'clock. The charge was
piracy on the higa seas and four lead
ers. Ryan. Varona. Ces7edes and Del Sol.
were promptly found guilty and sentenced
20 be shot. Early az dawn on the morn
ing Of November 5 the unfortunate men
were led from their prison 20 the slaugh-
ter house outside % the ;osn limits and
TO the cry Of Cuba forever" they fell
beneath hall OF bullets.
But this was onsy a toretaste or Spanish
vengeance The first four victims. though
executed IN violation q ali international
law, were at least cpeR and recognized
enemies Of Spain, ard had ilsursi pro-ni-
nen;iy In The var. Noi SO the captain and
the crew q The Nirxiriefs. many ~ whom
had even been ignorant OF the purposes
and destination OF the Inflated vessel
These rrer appeared bcsare their Judges =
few hours after the distant rattle OF nus
kerry had told them Of the fate % their
companions and before dusk The c7ar,.afn
ana RS r1sr--fnany CT them yosths under
axe-hsA learned that their last moments
were al hard Thirty-ssven % them. IN
Gliding Capt. Fry. were toli or for sx..sa-
ton the aeSt DAY. The scere & this nor