San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-05-13
SPAIN is CAUTIOUS.
SHE WILL CAREFULLY RESPECT THE
TREATY OF 1877.
The Competitor Prisoners Will Be Tried By
the Civil Oourts-Hereafter All Amer
leans Will Be Saved From the Sen
tenCe of Weylers Drum
Head Court Martial.

New YORK, May 13.-A dispatch
to the Herald from Havana, Cuba,
saws: "La Union Constitutional,
the inspired government newspa-
per, announces that the verdict of
death pronounced against all five
of the Competitors crew, tried on
Friday by a naval court martial,
was promptly confirmed by the
admiral and all preparations were
being made to carry the sentences
into effect, when orders came to
remit the papers to Madrid, though
the prisoners had not been formal
ly sentenced and have not as yet
even been notified of the courts
finding. The transfer of the case
to Spain, the marquis of Palmerola,
the secretary general of the govern
ment, tells me, amounts to vir-
tual suspension Of the judgment
for a month or six weeks. The
Spanish authorities, the marquis
says, have no desire to precipitate
matters. II the superior military
tribunal at Madrid should decide
that Consul General Williams pro-
test was well based, the cases Of
any members of the party whose
American citizenship was clear
may yet be transferred to the civil
court, Spain having no desire to
evade treaty stipulations. The
American people, he continued,
may rest assured that only justice
will be carried out, and that after
due consideration of the diplomatic
protests of the United States and
careful revision Of the evidence by
the ablest juries in the Spanish
courts.
The prisoners were we'll treated
after their capture by Captain
Bruton OF the Spanish warship
Meussj were subsequently de-
Tended by Lieutenant Bsrdo, and
are now being we'll cared for by
Captain Eulste who, when COM
manding the Spanish gunboat
Jorge Juan at la Gusyra during
the last Venezuelan resolution,
placed his vessel at the disposal of
the United States consulate at
Caracas and landed marines to
back up the latter's demands that
General Pepper who represented
Mandeza's short lived dictatorship
should liberate the most Of the
foreign consul corps held pris-
oners. When Mr.. Hanna request
ed Eulate's cooperation Eulate re-
piled: "My ship is at your service.
Spain WIS one of the first European
powers to recognize your govern
meut and is ever ready to give new
proofs of friendly feeling towards
yoar people,"
The Spanish commanders
prompt response enable Mr.. Hanna
to save the consuls.
l understand Eulste afterwards
received the thanks OF the Wash
ington authorities for his courtesy.
The Competitors crew, except
I.aborde, acknowledged that they
were not even handcuffed while
aboard the Mensajers. When
brought on shore enroute to the
prison, however, their hands were
bound with cords as a precaution,
and Laborde is believed to have
the marks on his wrists as the re-
suit Of endeavoring to withdraw
them from the bands. The two ad-
ditional Competitor prisoners,
Charles Barnett and William Lea
witt, brought from Bahia Hondo by
the Triton last night, are citizens
of America.
The Marquis of Palmerola tells
me they will be tried by the ordi-
nary courts. They were captured
ashore after the fillibustering party
landed.
The Havana papers publish no
dispatches from the United States.
La Discussion prints an author
lied denial of the rumor that Gen.
Weyler has threatened to resign.
The commanding generals from
various sections of the island have
been in Havana for the last few
days to receive instructions and
have been in close consultation
with the Capt. General. Several
have left to resume their posts.
Although Gen. Weyler's amnesty
decree expires today, it is under
stood that orders have been given
to the chiefs in operation to treat
non combsttants found beyond the
government lines with every con.
sideration, in the case Of families
especially. The officers are warned
to use no harsh measures.