The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-06
DRUM HEAD ROUTE TO DEATH.
THE COMPETITOR CAPTIVEs HAD
No SHOW AT THE TRIAL.


The senate Committee on Foreign
Relations Removes the Injunction
of Secrecy From the Testimony
Given by +. W. Lawrence and Rev.
4. }. Diaz-The Lieutenant Assign
ed to Defend Them Virtually Left
Them to Their Fate.
Washington, June 5.-The Senate COM
mittee Of foreign relations this afternoon
removed the injunction of secrecy from
the testimony in relation to Cuban ar
fairs of Frederick w. Lawrence and Rev.
A. J. Diaz.
Mr.. Lawrence, referring to the arrest
of Alfred Laborde and Milton, who were
on the Competitor, said that so far as
the testimony Of the men who captured
them before the court martial went, Il
showed that neither of the men had arms
upon their persons. They were taken to
Havana, tried by general court martial
against the energetic protests of the
demned TO death, their sentences being
delayed by the Madrid government at the
request of Secretary Olney.
From an American point of view these
prisoners were not assisted by counsel; 4;
but from a Spanish point Of view they
had counsel. This counsel consisted OF
questions, and who cross-eXamined no
witnesses. No witnesses We're produced
but Capt. ButrOn and the other officers of
the Nlensa Terra. This Lieutenant asked
the illustrious place his name had borne
IN the Spanish navy and for Milton be-
cause he was not there for the purpose
OF nghting, but merely In his business as
a newspaper correspondent.
when asked If any evidence was given
at the trial to show how far the Compel
hla ef1l nAn NJ
Mr.. Lawrence said there was no evidence
given whatever on any subject.
The men We're tried about week after
their arrest and when Consul General
Williams was told by the judge advocate
that the Investigation was to be a sum
mary trial" Mr.. Williams refused to lend
any official recognition to IL, protested
against il and left No officer of the Unit
ed States consular service was present at
the trial. Neither the prosecutor nor the
counsel Tor the defense asked a single
question of anybody. Not particle of tes-
tlmOny was offered except that of the
Spanish officers. An interpreter was pres
ent, but he did not make his presence
known to the prisoners until they We're
asked II they had anything to say in their
own defense. The counsel for the Ameri-
cans did not tell them what the state
ments of the Spanish officials contained; I;
he did not, so far as the witness-who was
at the trial throughout-heard, say one
word TO the men he was supposed to be
defending.
The witness had every reason to believe
LndL the cOuu5el could not speak English
and the whole trial was conducted in
Spanish. The men were even asked if they
| had anything to say, in the Spanish lam
guage.
William Gildea, the last of the five men
tried together replied to the interpret ter:
All nave got to say is 1 do not under
stand one word that has been said for
me or against me, and, at any rate 1
appeal 70 both the British and American
consuls."
The court made its finding within fifteen
minutes after Gildea made this state
ment. Before the trial Gildea made a
statement that he was a poor sailor and
went on board the Competitor, thinking
she was bound for Sable Keys. fishing:
that he knew nothing of the nature of
the business until after 1t started
Laborde claimed that his ship had been
hired to do fishing, but that he was held
up by revolver and ordered to go to
Cuba.
The witness also saw Dygert, who was
imprisoned at Guines with twenty-five
others, in room not larger than 16 by IS
feet.
The food given him was execrable, and
all the time he was confined he was not
permitted a change of clothes. Dygert
was not released until one month after
Marquis Palmerola told Lawrence that
the government knew he was innocent