The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-13
THE VlRGINlUS CASE.


FROM the Detroit Tribune.
1t is the general reputation of the
United States that its citizens are not
given government protection abroad. IT
has been the humilating resort of Amer
leans more than once when Threatened
with danger In distant lands that they.
have been compelled to appeal. to the
British government for protection. The
most shameful affair of all was the Vlr-,
ginus case of 1873 At that time Cuba
was making struggle for liberty and
sympathy was strong in this country. The
Cubans needed arms and ammunition,
and there were adventurous spirits VINO
would take the chance of delivering them.
Belligerent rights were not recognized
and war was not supposed to exist.
Captain Joseph Fry, in company with sew
eral Cuban patriots, had a conference,
and purchase of arms was agreed upon.
Captain Fry was Floridan and had been
a brave officer in the confederacy. He
obtained possession of an old blockade
runner, the Virginius, and with an Amer
lean crew he put in at the port of Port
Au Prince, Haiti, where the arms were
loaded to be delivered on the east coast
of cuba.
She was hardly at sea, when a Span
ish gunboat. the Tornado, which had been
"a companion blockade runner during the
days of the rebellion, came in sight and
the Nirgnius was headed at fun speed
for Jamaica. 1t was believed that some
person of the VirginlIis' crew had be-
trayed the intentions of the commander
to Spanish authorities. The engineer APP
peared to be unable to get any speed out
of the boat although fat was burned in
the furnaces until flame poured from her
tunnels. The Tornado overhaued her
rapidly, and the Nirginlus, after throw
ing overheard most of the arms was
compelled to surrender. Captain and crew
and the half dozen Cubans on board were
taken to Santiago de Cuba, and after
trial by courtmartial, We're condemned 10
death. After the Cubans had been shot
down their heads were hacked off and
carried about on pixies and horses were
driven over the bodies until they were
trampled into shapeless masses.
O.
on Nov. Z, 1873, Captain Fry and 5S of
his men were marched out to be shot
The American consul attempted to pro-
test, but was made a prisoner in his own
house. The 81 men We're compelled to
kneel with their backs to "a platoon of
Spanish soldiers, and although the firing
squad was but 10 feet from the con-
demned. Captain Fry was the only man
killed outright. While the SO men were
writhing in agony on the ground the
soldiers rushed upon them, and thrust
ing the muzZes of their guns in their
mouths they finished the bloody work.
There were 93 more condemned to die next
day, but Captain Sir Hampton Lorraine
was at Kingston, Jamaica, with the Brit
ish steamer Niobe. He steamed for San
tiago de Cuba with all speed and was
ashore before his ship had dropped an
chor. Claiming to represent the United
States well as England, he command
ed the execution to be stayed or he would
lombard the city Immediately. This
saved the lives of 80 American citizens.
When the Niobe afterward came to New
York the miners of Nevada presented the
gallant captain with a silver brick with
the motto: BLOOD is thicker than wat
err but when a vote of thanks was pre-
sented to the national congress, to the
disgrace of the nation it was laid on the
table.
The affair was settled with dollars and
cents and the restoration of the Nir-
ginius, but she was so badly damaged
that She foundered off Cape Fear on her
way to the United States. Diplomacy
and cash settled a difficulty which threat