The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-26
FROM DUNGEON AND DEATH
THE CONDENINED PRISONERS RE
TURNED FROM CUBA

Ouesada, the Cuban Condemned to be Shot
Gets His Release Through knowledge o1
T~raitorous Conduct Of Two spanish. Gen.
erais-M-Iton Tells Of Their Arrest and
Cruel Treatment-well Treated In Prison
by Bribing the Melton Almost q
Skeleton.
New York, November 22.-This is the
story which young Quesada, who has
just reached here from Havana, told
tonight concerning his release:
while a member Of the army corps
in the Pinar del Rio district, 1 became
possessed Of Information to the knowl-
edge of which / think I owe the saw.
ing of my life. Last March 1 wandered
about a a mile from our hospital
tent in search of herbs of which / de-
sired to make medicine, when a de-
tachment of Spanish infantry captured
me. The noise made by my struggle
to free myself aroused my twelve COM
p~anions and they rushed to my assist.
ance. During the fight that followed,
my friends were beaten and one of
them was killed.
<AAlCI AC III L a Ooold dIlD
thrown to the ground and beaten IN
mercifully. I was told If I would con-
fess where my comrades had their
dynamite stored they would stop beat.
ing me. This I declined to do, and,
seeing that they could not force a con-
fession from me. they sent me to AR.
temisa prison, where 1 was tried and
sentenced to be shot.
"yt wa 80 4Lg. -
knowledge stood be in good stead. Two
Spanish generals, n a brigadier gen.
eral, whose am I do not care to men
ton, and General Arolas, principally
concerned themselves in my release.
They feared me because they knew ]
a disclosures to make which would
ruin them. They though that if I had
to die l would tell what 1 knew.
They were in constant communica-
ton with the insurgent generals, hav-
ing written letters to them Which I saw
while in the Pinar del Rio district, in
which they stated that they wanted ia
make arrangements by which Spanish
soldiers would not be attacked in the
district controlled by them. In return
the insurgents were to have free access
to the trocha and be permitted to pass
at will. This proposition was accepted,
n in this way we were able to keep
in constant communication with
Gomez, MaceO and Garcia. We had
about 5000 men under command of
General Nunez, while the Spaniards
had between 10000 and so, 700; yet we
were b to cope with them"
The friends of Quesada were surpris-
ed to learn that he had secured his re-
lease by giving away a secret which
betrayed the allies Of the insurgents
in the Spanish army. 1t was this in
formation and not General Blanco's
friendship for the late Professor Quesa-
da that secured his pardon.
Probably the most wretched of the
Competitors crew Is Ona Melton, the
newspaper correspondent, whose in
t%ention, on going to Cuba, was not to
participate in the war, but to report
the true situation in thai counry.
In describing his capture and subse-
quent treatment, Melton said that when
the first shot was fired by the Spanish
gunboat he and two of his companions
lowered a boat and tried to escape.
They were persued and captured a
short distance from the shore. On board
the gunboat they We're cruelty bound
with ropes and prodded with sharp
pointed sticks which punctured their
1lesh. They were. afterward thrown
into a cell and fed but once a day
After the first six days the prisoners
were permitted to see Consul Williams,
and were fed twice a day, but just the
sort OF food it was, Melton is still un-
able to say. 1t barely supported life
that was all.
After the respite, Melton said he and
his companions We're placed in a, large
cell containing orty other prisoners,
both political and criminal, in the Ca
banas fortress. Last Thursday after
noon he was taken out of the dungeon
as he supposed to be shot, but in the
corridor he met Consul General Lee
who informed him that all Of the Com
petitor prisoners had been pardoned.
Then he and his comrades were placed
on board the Saratoga which brought
them here. When arrested Melton
weighed 165 pounds, but now he could
pull the scales down at 100 pounds.
He will remain here for about a week
then return to his home.
Captain Laborde, speaking of his life
said: The stories of cruelties in
Spanish prisons are utterly unfounded,
I nave been there long enough to know.
The jailers were as kind as cousszsse
expected and Matteo Fernandez the
warden of Cabanas, vas especially kind
and considerable. so much so that we
called him Father Why We knew
more about what was going on than
you did. How did we learn? Well I
cam tell that, as it might hurt those
I have left behind. Yes, American gold
went a great way. I got a little money
from time to time and the guard who did
not receive any pay while I was there.
were always gratifed for anything I
gave them, n they amply paid for
what they got"
Two members of the Competitor crew
DR.. F.. Berdia and Telgado Massox,
both SpaniardS, are still in prison in
Cuba. Their release has, it is said,
been promised.
ubo S,,ffar fropo