Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-15
SIR LAMBTON LORRAINE,
How He Saved the Lives of Many Cap
tive Americans.

Albert Morlan in New York Tribune.
Now that the brief misunderstanding be-
tween this country and Great Britain is
happily ended, and We are shaking hands
and congra tulating each other on the peace
full settlement of the difficulty, it is pleas
ant to recall an incident in which her
majesty's armed slcop Niobe once did us a
friendly turn. 1t was in the Cuban re-
bellion of 1S67-'16, and the date was Noyem-
ber 1873. A vessel known as the Virginius,
sailing under the United States flag had
been captured by the Spanish gunboat
Tornado and carried into the harbor of
Santiago de Cuba, where her crew and
more than 100 passengers were thrown into
prison without even the form of a trial
Among the latter were four insurgent lead
ers, Seniors Ryan. Cespedes, Narona and Del
Sol. These were Immediately selected and
tried by the Spanish military court and
hve days after the capture were shot, after
Whlch their heads were cut off and carried
about the streets on pixies while some of
the blood-stained bearers pressed the ghast-
ly trophies against the bars of the prison
windows reminder of the fate the cam
tives might expect.
Having so quickly dispatched these rebels
the thirst for blood was increased tenfold
The remaining prisoners were now treated
10 mock trial and condemned to death.
No attention was paid to the protests of
the English and American consuls, and on
November Capt. Fry, an American citi-
zen, and hfty-one companions were brutally
butchered in the presence Of a bowling
mob. who woCe allowed to mutilate the
dead bodies as they chose. This fiendish
work was not only permitted, but was en-
Outraged by the Spanish commander. 1t
seems incredible that such atrocities could
have been perpetrated in the present CEN
fury by Christian nation, but such are the
facts. which are well authenticated.
About ninety poor wretches still remain
ed behind those gloomy walls, and in spite
OF the earnest endeayorS of our representa-
tives, coupled with the efforts of the Eng
lish consul, the entire number We're SEN
fenced to be shot, and the hour was fixed
for their execution. No American vessel
was In those waters at that time but
thanks to the ever-present English man-of-
war, the armed sloop Niobe lay at Kingston,
commander. Sir Lambton Lorraine heard
Of the work going on at Santiago than he
set sail for that port, where he arrived
promptly, and, without waiting for instruc-
lions or consulting any one. at once de-
manded the reprieve of the condemned men,
most of whom We're Americans, and when
Gen. Burriel sought to argue the question
he quickly brought the debate to a close
You have murdered English subjects"
ne declared, and are now holding others
in prison. Release them immed ately, or
will blow your town to atoms"
There was no dallying. The Niobe's ports
were open, her guns trained, and every
man was al his post. 1t needed only a sig
nal from the captain to bring down a storm
OF snot ana smell that would soon have re-
duced the town to mass of smoking ruins
Burriel made one last effort to secure his
ends by insisting that only Americans were
concerned, thinking by this assertion to
arouse the prejudice of the English COM
mander. The ruSe did not succeed
IF that is he case replied Lorraine II
VIII take the responsibility of protecting
American citizens. Ii you do not at once
comply with my demands l will open fire."
The Spaniard was forced to accept the
terms, and by this friendly but unwarrant-
ed act of an English captain nearly a hun
dred lives were saved, a large proportion
of whom We're Americans
Possibly the Englishman erred, from a
diplomatic point of view, by taking the
high-handed course adopted on this occa-
SIGN; but we cannot help admiring the
courage that moved him to act so promptly
and vigorously in behalf of a little band of
Americans, who would have been murdered
in cold blood within a few hours: the cpl
sode furnishes one example, at least, when
British man-of-war was n welcome sight
to Yankee eyes, and the remembrance at
this time cannot fail to hasten the return
of an era of good feelings between the two
great powers that, after all, are closely al
lied In all that appeals to the great heart
of humanity