The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-24
LETTER COST A LIFE.
noy1ERo MURDERED On THE DAT
NE TOLD THIS STORY OF CRIME.

v,,lea a. lie was Returning to His Cuban
Homo Arer BurylnE the Letter in an APP
ro,u,ed Plnce-His Simple and Affecting
.rr,ti,s or the spanish Invnders' Cruelty.
JTbe following letter, which is now In THESuN
,s,cc describes the horrible atrocities OF tho
standards In the town OF Madruga, Cuba. Tho
unfortunate author Of the letter, Ramon Mon
t.ro was killed by the Spaniards on the day
thai he wrote 1t. A little while before he
va, murdered he took tho letter q mile
ws.. OF the town and buried 1t beside a
,rce where It was found by a Cuban courier
who is in the habit Of looking for communities
,,on, from the town In that place. This courier
learned later that the unfortunate Ramon
Montero was slain because he was discovered
re,urning from the country without Spanish
n.rmission. He lost his life in the effort to mako
the following facts known. The letter and the
news of Montero's death were sent by Col. Raoul
Arrange to The SUNS correspondent in Havana,
who sert the letter TO this Office under date OF
Aug. IS. With the letter is an Endorsement of
the story, signed by Col. Arrange himself.l
N.pRvuA, Havana Province, Aug. 1G.-The
horrible crimes that are being comraittod here
AGAINST humanity cannot DO described. Until
ak days ago the Cuban insurgent leader, Col.
b,oul Arrange, had been encamped within sight
NJ this town for more than two months, and the
s,anish forces sent against him wero routed by
Arrange one after the other. While he was there
the Spaniardso OF Madruga kept within the forts
and left TO the columns coming from Havana the
task Ct fighting the w~ell-known Cuban leader.
But as soon as the lone star flag was not seen
any more waving on the hills around us, the
Standards began to etaHa on tho poor de-
fcnccless people who live hero.
The population is composed, besides the Span
ish soldiers and volunteers. Of sick and old men.
Of forlorn women, whose husbands or brothers
are in the revolutionary ranks, and of poor chill
dren, bereft Of all succor save the inadequate
support their hapless mothers can give them.
Upon these people the Spaniards arc wreaking
their sanguinary instincts, and nothing that has
been reported before Of their ruthlessness in
Cuba can be compared with what they are doing
here at this very time.
The author Of this letter has seen his friends,
Diego Fuentes and Felix Valera, hacked to
pieces by the Spanish soldiers. Fuentes was so
years old and Valera not much younger. Come.
old men, the Spaniards said to them at their
houses, and We will show you where the Cuban
flag Is flying near here" They refused to go
and were taken out by force. All the people in
the town were invited by the Spanish to follow
them and See what was going to happen. Few
tCGcpICu LILO ohOIs \ oAts " ~ poA ~ " 70
Ing to rescue my poor old friends. Icould do
nothing alone, as I am old also. and weak and
unarmed. had to witness their fate, praying
God to punish their murderers.
They were compelled to kneel one In front Of
the other, and then their heads were severed
with two blows of the machete. They left
daughters and ~grandsons, who are starving
now.
Would they wero tho only victims ! Since
their death, ON Aug. 0. twelve moro, as innocent
and detenceless as they were. have been ex-
ecuted in the same place, without trial or SEN
tence and without even notifying them Of the
cause OF their punishment.
The torture Of thirst has been largely inflicted
since Aug. o upon many other prisoners. They
are tied to posts, and O basin with fresh water
is placed before them at such O distance that
they cannot reach 1t. All that they desire to
eat is given to them, but nothing to drink.
Who can describe what their situation is now,
three days after their punishment began 7
Their cries Of despair are heard by the whole
town. They are kept in different places. six at the
barracks. five at tho fort, which Is in the north
ern part Of tho town, and four more in tho
private houses Of Capts. Hidalgo and Rudel-
sindo Garcia, two beasts who rejoice in these
~tortures. They are strongly guarded by armed
soldiers. but persons without arms are lowed
~ NNoA nv bhCh.
To those who do not know what the Spaniards
are In war such may appear untrue,
but here in Madruga are 5000 inhabitants who
will swear to the truth of these facts before
any fair tribunal which will not expose them to
the barbarous revenge of these monsters.
Yesterday Juan Pellon and Andres Zubriago,
who are among those now being tortured by
thirst. In despair asked their guards to kill
them as an act Of mercy. do you want wa
ter = they were asked. "Well, fight for It and
the winner may have it." They were unbound
and set on one another. In their frenzy they
attacked ono another and struggled like dogs. to
the great glee of the Spanish soldiers, who made
bets on the result Of the combat. Covered with
blood, and biting one another, they struggled
for half an hour, and both were then killed by
the soldiers with their bayonets.
During the night the bodies Of all the victims
arc taken out of the town and thrown aside
some two or three miles away. Then reports
are sent to Havana that they have been assassi-
mated BY the insurgentsl RAMON MoNTKRo.
"RECORD-BREAKING" WEDDING.