The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-11-25
FRESH FROM CUBAN PR|SONS|
DETECTED APPEARANCE OF THE
COMPETITOR PRISONERS ON
ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK.
THE RELEASE Of YOUNG QUESADA.
1t Was Secured by Betraying Insur-
gent Secrets-Onn Melton and
Capt. Laborde Differ Wide
ly as to Prison Life.

ly AS to Prison Life.
New York, Nov. 22.-The steamer
Saratoga, from Havana, having on board
the released members of the Competitor
filibustering expedition, has arrived The
men are Capt. Alfred Laborde, William
Gildea. Ona Melton. William Leavitt and
Charles Barnett, an Englshman. The
five men were in fairly good health. Capt.
Lahorde suffers somewhat from paralysis,
which he contracted during his long CON
fnement in the Cabanas fortress. Joseph
A. Springer, the United States vice CON
sui at Havana, was also passenger on
the Saratoga. He declined to talk for
publication.
The released men wore the clothes
which they had on at the time of cap
ture.
Another happy passenger on the Sara
toga was Julia Artega v Quesada. the
young Cuban insurgent who was ordered
to be silot by Weyler, but who was par
doned by Gen. Blanco, friend of the
prisoners father.
The six men We're greeted upon their
arrival in New York by an enthusiastic
crowd who gave them n hearty welcome.
l.
spond to the cheers which had been given
in their honor. Capt. Laborde's brother
was one of those assembled on the dock.
The meeting between the brothers was
touching one. The friends of others
| were overcome with joy as they grasped
the hands of the released prisoners, whose
eyes We're suken, faces pallid and forms
emaciated. The representatives of the
F, Cuban junta were also present and eX-
i tended their greetings to the men.
| This is the story which one of the
party told tonight concerning his release:
"While member of the army corps in
! the Pinar del Rio district l became pos
sessed of information to the knowledge
| of which l think l owe the saving of my
life.
"Last March l wandered about half a
mile from our hospital tent in search of
some herbs of which desired to make
medicine, when detachment of Spanish
infantry captured me. The noise made
by my struggles to free myself aroused
nv twelve companions, and they rushed
to my assistance. During the fight that
followed my friends were beaten and
one of them was killed.
"After the conflict was over i was
bound and thrown on the ground and
beaten numerically. l was told that If
I would confess where my comrades had
their dynamite stored they would stop
beating me. This l declined to do, and
seeing that they could not force con-
fession from me they sent me to Artemlsa
!, prison, where l was tried and sentenced
to be shot.
at was at this juncture that my knowl-
edge stood me in good stead.
) 1.-Two prominent Spanish generals, one
a brigadier general whose name l DO not
care to mention, and Gen. Arolas, princi-
I pally concerned themselves in my re-
lease. They feared me because they
+. knew I had disclosures to make which
: would ruin them. They thought that if
/ had to die | would tell what l knew.
: 'These men are either base towards or
, their desire to hold their positions over
came their scruples. They were in con-
\ slant communication with the insurgent
generals, having written letters to them n
which | saw while in the Pinar del Rlo
district in which they stated that they
wanted to make arrangements by when
Spanish soldiers would not be attacked
in the districts 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, and IN
this way we were able to Keep III con
slant communication with Gomez Maceo
and Garcia.
mand of Gen. Nunez, while the Snan-
iards had between 10000 and 5O;Voo'
yet we were able to cope with them
The friends of young Quesada were
surprised to learn that he had secured
his release by giving away secret
which betrayed the allies of the lnsur-
gents in the Spanish army: 1t was TINS TINS
| friendship for the late President Quesa-
| da, that secured his pardon.
Probably the most wretched OF the
| Councillors crew is Ona Melton, the
| newspaper correspondent, whose Intention
| in going to Cuba was not to participate
| in the war, but to report the true STU
alton. H.,
In describing his capture and subse-
nuent Imprisonment, Melton said that
when the shot was fired by the Spanish
gunboat, he and two of his companions
lowered a small boat and tried to escape.
They were pursued and captured snort
distance from the shore. On board the
gunboat they were cruelty bound with
ropes and prodded with sharp-p0inted
sticks which punctured their flesh. They,
were afterwards thrown into cell ana
days the prisoners were permitted to see
Consul General Williams and were FED
twice day, but just the sort it was,
Melton is still unable to say. 1t barely
supported life, that was all.
Last Thursday afternoon he was taken
out of the dungeon, as he supposed, to
be shot; but in the corridor he met Con-
sui General Lee, who, to Melton's sur
prise, 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
not pull down the scales at 100 pounds:
He will remain here about n week and |
will then return to his home.
Capt. Laborde, speaking of his prison
life, said:
"rhe stories of cruelties in Spanish
prisons are utterly unfounded; l have
been there long enough to know. The
iailers were as kind as could be expected.
and Mateo Fernandez, the warden of
Cabanas, was especially kind and con-
much so that we called him
father
''Why, we knew more about what was
yoing on than you did. How did we
earn? Well 1 can't tell that, as it
night hurt those l have left behind.
Yes, American gold went great way. |
rot little money from time to time and
he guards, who did not receive any pay
while was there, were always gratified
or anything I gave them, and amply s
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