New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-19
THE HISTORY OF THE CASE.
CAPTURE AND TRIAL OF THE COMPETITOR PRIs
ONERS

ONERs
Washington Nov. 1S-Minister WoOdford ca
bed to the State Department to-day that the
Spanish Cabinet had informed him that the
Queen-Regent had pardoned the Competitor
prisoners. The Department announced that the
prisoners were turned over to Consul-General
Lee last Monday and would be sent by him di-
rect to New-York to-day. 1t is believed here
that the prisoners are liberated some such
conditions as were imposed in the case Of former
prisoners-that is. that they will not return TO
Cuba After their bitter experience in the Cuban
jails 1t is not believed that the will be dis
posed to violate any understanding of this KIND
1t is singular that the should have been
for four days in the custody Of Consul-General
Lee without the fact having become generally
known, but 1t is supposed that secrecy was OBJ
served in order to insure their departure from
Havana without exciting trouble from the ex-
treme conservative Spanish faction.
There were four prsOners-Alfredo Laboroe,
the captain of the Competitor native OF New
Orleans; William Gildea, the mate. naturalized
citizen; Ona Melton. who claims Kansas as his
native State, and who went on the Competitor as
a newspaper correspondent, and Charles Bar
nett, of British birth, but who claimed the pro-
lection OF the United States Government by
virtue OF his sailing on an American vessel. The
ured on April 81. 1896. off the Cuban coast.
while engaged in landing arms for the insur
gents have often been described. The defence
Of the was that they were forced into the
expedition against their will by the insurgents
on the vessel. They were tried by naval court
martial, before which they could make only
poor showing, principally because OF their ig-
norance Of the Spanish language. In which the
proceedings were conducted so that their con-
vction and the imposition Of the death sentence
caused no surprise. At that point. however. the
case assumed diplomatic Importance.
PROTESTS FROM THIS GOVERNMENT.
This Government, through its COnsul-General
at Havana then Ramon O. Williams. and also
through Minister Hannis Taylor at Madrid
made an energetic protest against the execution
Of the sentence, asserting that the men were
improperly tried without the guarantee given
In the Gushing protocol. This protest caused the
removal of the case to the higher judicial au-
thorites at Madrid. by whom a new trial was
ordered
conceded that the Gushing protocol applied TO
such cases. To admit that would, In the opinion
OF the Spanish authorities greatly stimulate the
hitting out OF flbustering expeditions In the
United States. The trial was ordered by
ihe Madrid Supreme Court. on the ground or
Irregularities in the original trial. not because
!ections interposed by the United States Of
hcers. 1t was to have begun last Monday. and
II Is thought would have resulted in the Inn
position Of the death sentence again. This
would have provoked explosion In this coun-
try, according to the antlcipatons Of the De-
partment officials that would have been hardly
less violent than the feeling caused by the
famous Virgnius episode. II Is 10 them a
matter of satisfaction that the Queen Regent
has cut the diplomatic tangle by the pardon OF
the prisoners before the second trial.
MAY REVOKE WEYLER'S TOBACCO EDICT.
sehor de LONE the Spanish Minister, had a
long conference with Assistant Secretary Day
this morning, and 1t is believed that the Span
ish Government is voluntarily about to remove
another troublesome factor from the field Of
negotiations In revoking the decree made by
Weyier prohibiting the expectation Of tobacco
from Cuba This prohibition has worked great
hardship to large American cigarmaking inter
ests. and up to this time all the efforts OF the
State Department to secure an amelioration OF
the harsh conditions of the decree have been
unavailing The reason set up by General Wey-
Ter for the order was the necessity Of keeping
IN Havana the supply Of tobacco necessary to