The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-04-01
BTNGLING EXECUTIONS.
Another Black Chapter in the
Black History Of Cuba.
A MOST sIOKBNING SPECTACLE

A MOST SIOKBNING SPECTACLE
Five Alleged Murderers Four of Whom
stoutly Maintained Their Innocence to
the Last slowly strangled to Death
Through Their Executioners' Cowardice.
HAVANA, April IA startling exhibi-
tion of bunging in the execution by the
garrote of five Cuban prisoners took place
yesterday. The men, classed as 'mur-
derers, violators and inoendiaries, j." belong
ing TO Cayajabo, were recently sentenced
TO be garroted, and at o'clock in the
morning a strong force of infantry was
drawn up in the form of a square around
the spot whore the garrote had been
erected The instrument of execution. a
chair with post behind it, an iron collar
and screw behind it, which, when turned,
strangles or breaks the neck of the victim,
was set up by the famous executioner.
Valentine Ruiz, who, for some reason not
fully explained, acted upon this occasion
as the assistant to his own assistant, in
stead of as the principal executioner
At the hour the troops were drawn up
the five prisoners were still in their dun
priests. One man confessed himself to be
guilty of the crimes charged against him,
and asserted that his companions were in
nocent, and the latter stoutly maintained
their innocence to the last, prayed that
their deaths might be avenged upon those
who had falsely sent them to the soaffold,
and then the whole party was escorted in
side the square formed by the soldiers.
i l.. 4I.
of the strangling machine quietly and
coolly mounted the steps leading to the
death chair, took his seat in an uncon-
cerned manner, and actually seemed to
smile as the cap was placed over his head
after the iron collar had been adjusted.
The man acting as executiOner then
twisted the lever or screw handle controll-
ing the garrote, but he was evidently ter
ribly nervous, and this rendered him so
weak that his hands slipped repeatedly
from the lever. There were horrible,
smothering choking cries from the scat
fold, and it was only after a long period OF
agony for the condemned man, and almost
torture for the spectators, that the Cuban
was pronounced dead.
! The executioners, priests soldiers and
prison officials present turned their heads
away in horror and became deadly pale
ne he stifled sounds came from the suf
| ferer.
4.uU this was only a beginning of the
performance. The second victim wa:
brought to the front and led up the step,
to the scaffold by the priests and assistant
executioner. Upon reaching the platform
the unfortunate man made an effort tC
say something to the people surrounding
him. but the executioner's hand was
placed over his mouth, he was hastily
bundled into the deadly chair, and in an
other moment the iron collar was arounC
his neck, the cap was over his face ant
the first turns of the lever had been given
If the actual executioner was nervous
upon the occasion of the first killing hi
was ten times more so upon this occasion
He fumbled and fumed alternately, turn
ing to deathlike whiteness and flushinl
crimson with excitement. The result wa
more slow, fearful strangulation, and an
other horrible experience for the spectators
By this time the prison officials, th
priests and the officers in command of tn
troops had endured so much that the,
openly denounced the acting executioner
and called upon him to get down from tn
scaffold and let another man take hi
place. Thereupon the acting executione
feverishly called upon the executioner II
chief, Valentine Ruiz, who from long eX
perience is looked upon as being an ex
pert in his line, to come and help him ou
of his difficulty.
Ruiz however, was almost as nervou
and excited as his assistant, and fumble
badly as he handled the third Cuban. Blu
Ruiz succeeded in accomplishing the exc
cution in shorter time and with less hol
ror than his assistant, which was a grea
relief to everybody.
The fourth Cuban was then turned owe
to Ruiz for strangulation. By this tim
Ruiz was shaking all over, and he wa
much slower and considerably clumsier
sending the unhappy man out of tn
world, so much so that there was renewe
murmuring at the official incapacity, an
Ruiz stumbled away from the death pos
. insisting, in choking tones, that his a.
J sistant must finish the days work
Consequently the assistant executione
again tried his hand at the terrible screv
and was as unlucky as before for thel
was another scene Of horror which nearl
caused strong men to faint before I'll
fifth Cuban's life was pronounced extinc
And then the bodies were carted ava,
the shamefaced executioners gathered u
their sickening framework and its acce
sories, the priests, prison and other o
ficials hurried away, the troops wei
marched back to their quarters, and al
other chapter had been added to the blac
bistorV Of Cuba