Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-18
But TcHERY OF YOUNG GOWN
Another HideouS Atrocity by
Troops of Spain.
He WAS AN AMERICAN, TOO
And His Credentials as Correspondent Bore
the Seal Of Notary.
SINGLED OUT AND CHOPPED TO PIECES
Citizens of Key West Hold an Indignation
Meeting and Call Upon the Govern
ment for Prompt Aotion-Dis-
patch to Olney.
SINGLED OUT AND CHOPPED TO PIECES

Key West, Fla, Aug. II Several hum
dred OF the most prominent citizens of
this city gathered in front of the city
nall tonight in response to a. call pub
lished in one of the local papers to ex
press their Indignation at the barbarous
manner in which young Charles GOWN
Of this city was killed by Spanish sol
diera details of which reached this city
addressed by Mr. Ben McClendon and
several others and the speeches were en-
Enthusiastically received.
The following was then adopted:
1--WE, the citizens of Key West, in
mass meeting assembled, are again
driven to the necessity of giving express
sion to our feelings of outrage at Span
ish cruelty and oppression to American
citizens on the island OF Cuba. News
having reached us that one of our fell
low townsmen. Che rles Goven, of Ameri-
can BIRTH who was visiting the island
of Cuba as a correspondent of the Key
West Equator Democrat, bearing cre-
dentials from that paper under notorial
seal attesting his mission as a corre-
spondent. has been foully murdered with
no other charge against him than that he
was an American citizen, we feel con-
strained to bring the matter to the at
tention of our president and secretary of
state and demand an immediate investi-
cation and proper redress.
''Govin was an American and his ia
ther is prominent in American politics,
having represented the United States as
consul at Leghorn, Italy. He was aft
erwards postmaster at Jacksonville, Fla,
and also collector of internal revenue.
Young Gown was an American by birth
and sentiment. Authentic accounts state
that Gown was captured in company
with Cuban insurgents and made pris-
oner of war; that while being conveyed
to prison the officer in charge learned he
was an American citizen and was ap-
prised of his business. He made inqui-
ries Of Gown, who, when he dared to ac-
knowledge his citizenship, was promptly
ard securely bound and literally hacked
I pieces with machetes. The other pris-
oners, then in rebellion against Spain
while he was not, were taken to prison.
American honor and pride call for re-
dress and we, as citizens, believe We
voice the sentiment of all Americans
when we demand it; therefore be it
! Resolved That we communicate
these facts to the Hon. Richard Olney,
secretary of state, and urge an investi-
cation without delay and ask that no
time be lost in vindicating the honor of
our nation in such a manner that the
world will know that American life, lib
}erty and property will be defended, no
matter in what country or cline it may
be-
The following dispatch was sent to
Secretary Olney tonight
"a mass meeting of 300 American citi-
zens beg leave to call attention to the
butchering in Cuba of Charles GOWN, an
American citizen plying the peaceful vo
cation of a press correspondent a full
account of the atrocity of which is re-
cited in the New York World and Herald
OF Sunday. AS Americans we urge an
immediate investigation and vigorous
action, such as the atrocity demands.
American citizenship has been outraged
and our national honor insulted and CIV
ilization Mortified by this crime"
One of the speakers, of whom there
were several, threw three flags, an
American, a Cuban and a Spanish, into
the crowd. The first two were caught by
the now thoroughly aroused people and
held aloft, while the Spanish flag was
torn to threads and dragged in the dirt