The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-06
WEYLER'S SLAUGHTER HOUSE.
Where Cuban Patriots Are Butchered
Every Morning At O'Clock.


NEW YORK Feb. 5.-A special to the
World from Havana, via Key West, says:
The sharp ring of rifle shots from the gray
walls of the Cabanas fortress is heard daily
at a. IN. with unfailing regularity. 1t is
TIE hour of execution. The morning pro-
gramme was varied Monday by double
execution. with an added chapter of cruelty
and horror. The condemned were Enrique
Holders Osma. a lad OF nineteen years, and
Antonio Perdoma GuZman. They were
charged with rebellion and incendiarism.
Osma, a virile handsome youth, carried
the true patriots heart. In an engagement
the horse of his chief. Perez, was shot.
Osma, quick in thought, but barely in time,
gave his own horse TO Perez and the CHIEF
escaped. A few weeks afterward he and
GuZman were captured.
An execution is "a semi-public show and
people who cross the bay to witness it are
permitted to gather on the outer walls OF
the fortress. On Monday they again
the usual careless and even jaunty prelim-
inaries of death. A band playing a lively
air. marched cheerily into the inclosure.
Six hundred troops followed. and with the
inner walls one of the sides formed
hollow square.
Eight soldiers separated from the ranks
and took stand on "a mound forming
slight elevation in the square. They had
drawn the short straws the night before
and were TO be eXecutioners. Six priests APP
peared in double line. Between them were
young Osma and his fellow prisoner, with
hands tied behind their backs. They Stun
bed and would have fallen but for the as
sistance of the priests They knelt to the
ground with their faces TO the wall and
their backs to the eXecutioners. The band
ceased playing. priest stepped forward,
and. gently stroking the boys cheek, whis-
pered q few words of hope and retired TO
the lines. The executioners moved ten feet
IL
mand was given. Six shots rang out and
two bodies fell forward TO the ground. But
t tWf and md vibpated. Even the soldiers.
Injured TO scenes of execution, turned their
heads, and a groan of horror went up from
blood-chilling sight. but 1T was only for a
moment. Another command was given, and
two OF the firing party, who were held u
give mercy shots. stepped forward One
placed his rife almost at the boys back and
fired. Ii was over at last.
The spectators returned TO the city nearly
in tirle see a crowd about crying young
woman. Mingling with the strains of music
were walls of despair and grief from Guz-
her ears when she read the name OF her
husband i'm the awful daily bulletin. En-
Capilla. which means lin the chapel. IL
Is published i'm the evening papers. and is
list of those who are to be executed the
next morning. This grief-stricken woman
had not seen the list until the sound of the
shots told her that another order of death
had been carried out. Two little children,
ignorant OF the cause of grief. We're at their
mothers side when the crowd moved about
and asked the meaning OF her wild, inco-
herent cries. \ few minutes alter priest
was delivering a letter TO an aged. white
haired old woman. II was dated the nigh'
norrow 7 die. a patriot for the freedom or
Cuba" The old woman, the lads mother.
tainted without reading further. for il was
her first information that her son was TO be
put TO death.