Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-07-12

eSG TONE, saying:
ssI am an American citizen forever
and ever.'
The Cuban question, as it was pres
ented in the opening months OF
Grants first term, is strangely paral-
leled in this beginning Of the McKin-
lev administration. Then, as now,
the incoming President found the Gu
bans in revolt against Spanish donin-
ion. There were concentration or
ders, executions, murders of non COM
batants and atrocities in 1869 as there
are in 1897. Reports of American
Consuls in Cuba % years ago might
easily be mistaken for those which
are coming to the State Department
now, if dates and signatures we're
omitted. The Grant administration
had to deal with the Speakman case,
which bears striking similarity to the
Ruiz case Of today, in that both men
were American citizens, and both
were killed in defiance Of treaty rights.
The despairing message Ruiz scratch
ed with his finger nail on the back Of
his chair will be recalled when the
farewell letter from Speakman is
read:
Santiago de Cuba, June II, 1867
My Dear Wife and Child: These are
the last lines you will ever receive
from me. In four hours am to be
shot, having been captured by the
.1c To1o TT7ho
where the vessel ran instead of going
to Falmouth, Jamaica, where I shipp-
ed to go. Now, Maggie, I have no
money TO leave you, and am sorry,
darling as leave you penniless; but
you may get some by getting good
lawyer to sue the owners of the YES
sci for damages; they have taken my
life and deprived you of my support,
and ought to support you.
Now, time is getting short, darling,
whatever you may think to the con-
trary, God knows it is true. For you
and only you I have tried to get along
and make you a good living. You
have always been a good and true
all the trouble I have ever given you,
and meet me in heaven. Tell Smith
he must let you have some money to
get along; tell him as dying brother
I entreat him to take care of you and
my little boy. [ have one kind friend
a Mr.. O7Callaghan. Darling, I cannot
write more; my hand is sore. Tell
Cousin Fanny and Alden. May God
Almighty bless you and keep you and
baby is my last and only prayer.
Tell baby his fathers last prayer to
him is that he never drinks ore drop
and be good to his mother.
After am dead Mr.. O'Callaghan
will cut lock of my hair, and put it
in my handkerchief and send it to
you.
Good bye, darling. I command you
to see the owners; call witness, one
William Craig of Oliver street, New
York, who was on the vessel with me.
God bless you. Your affectionate
and dying husband, CHARLES SPEAK
MAN.
Speakman was from Aurora, Ind.
He shipped on vessel called the
Just out Of New York |
harbor a body of Cubans With sup
plies came on board. AS soon as he |
learned that the ship was going on a
expedition Speakman
tried to get off, but was prev ented.
When the ship reached the eastern
end Of Cuba the expedition was land
ed, and Speakman was driven ashore
along with a Pennsylvania, Albert
Wyeth, who had taken passage for
land with the Cubans, but kept along
the shore until he met some Spanish
soldiers, to whom ne surrendered,
making an explanation of the cir
He was taken into San
5iago, given a sham trial and, not
the appeals of the Am
eriean consul, was shot. Young Wy
eth was also shot.
AS soon as the Consu1s report
reached Washington President Grant
sent an Admiral and two war ships to
Santiago. An investigation was made
with such celebrity that within five
weeks of the time the Consul's report
vas received the demand for repara-
ion was on the way to Madrid. This
s what Secretary of State Hamilton
Fish wrote to Gen. Sickles, Minister
10 Spain:
Washington, D. c., August 10, 1862
On the Sd day of July last information
vas received at this department from
Dr.. Phillips, Vice Consul of the Unit
ID States at Santiago de Cuba, that