Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-05
SHOT BY MOONLIGHT.
A sample of Spanish Cruelty ms De-
scribed by Richard Harding Dnvis.

scribed by Richard Harding Davis.
Richard Harding Davis writes from
Trinidad, Cuba, via Key West, recently,
as follows:
Adolfo Rodriguez was the only son Of
Cuban farmer, who lives nine miles
outside Of Santa Clara, beyond the hills
that surround that city TO the north.
When the revolution broke out young
Rodriguez Joined the insurgents, leaving
father, mother. and two sisters at tho
farm. He was taken two months ago by
a force Of the Guardia Civil, the corps
d elite Of the Spanish army. and defended
himself when they tried to capture him,
wounding three Of them with his ma
| chete. He was tried by a military court
for bearing arms against the government,
and sentenced to be shot by a fusillade
the next morning before sunrise.
Previous TO execution he was confined
In the military prison Of Santa Clara
with thirty other insurgents, all Of whom
were sentenced to be shot one after the
/ other, on mornings following the execu-
tion Of Rodriguez His execution took
place the morning Of the 18th, at a place
| half q mile distant from the city, on
the great plain that stretches from the
forts out 10 the hills over beyond which
At tho time Of his death he was twenty
years old.
] witnessed his execution, and what
follows is an account of the way he
went to death. / hope it Is not imperti-
nent for the writer 10 introduce HIM
self. so far as To cay that he did not
go 10 see this man die through any idle
or morbid curiosity. The young mans
friends could not be present. IT was
impossible for them TO show themselves
I'm that crowd and that place with
wisdom or without distress and 1 like
to think that, although Rodriguez could
not know it. there was one person pre-
sent when he died who felt keenly for
him. and who was a sympathetic though
unwilling onlooker. There had been a
full moon the night preceding the eXecu-
ton. and when the squad Of soldiers
marched out from the town IL was still
shining brightly through the mists, al
though after o'clock. 1t lit plain
TWO miles In extent, broken by ridges and
rullies and covered with thick, high grass
and with lunches of cactus and palmetto.
IN the hollow Of the ridges the mist
lay like broad lakes Of water, and on
one side Of the plain stood the walls
of the old town. On the other, rose hills
: covered with royal palms that showed
white in the moonlight like hundreds OF
marble columns. A line of tiny camp
fires the sentries had built during the
night stretched between the forts at regu-
lar intervals and burned brightly. But
as the light grew brighter and the moon
light faded these were stamped out, ana
when the soldiers came IN force the
moon was a white ball in the sky, with
out radiance. the fires had sunk TO asnes'
and the sun had not yet risen.
NH
on three sides Of hollow square they
were scarcely able 20 distinguish one
another I'm the uncertain light OF the
morning There were about three nun
dred soldiers in the formation. They
belonged TO the volunteers, and they de-
ployed upon the plain with their banu IN
front playing a jaunty Quickstep' Whiie
their officers galloped from one sac 10
the other through the grass seeking
suitable place for the execution.
4 troop of calvalry halted at the end
OF the right wing of the square the band
outside the line still playing merrily. A
few men and boys who had been dragged
out of their beds by the music moved
about the ridges behind the soldiers half
clothed. unshaven, sleepy-eyed, yawnlng
and stretching themselves nervously ana
ebiverlng i'm the cool, damp air or the
morning. Either owing TO discipline or
ou account Of the nature OF their errahu,
or because the men were still but nan
awake. there was no talking In the ranks
and the soldiers stood mouonless, leaning
ON their rifles. with their backs turned
10 the town, looking out across inc
plain TO tine hills.
PREPARING FOR THE EXECUTION
The men in the crowd behind them
,,.ere also grlmly silent They did not
,,no,v but what they might say would De
twisted into a word Of sympathy Tor the