The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-03

4
responded TO the Senate resolution calling
for the correspondence in the Ruiz case
by sending an abstract of tie'natter, de.
Ginning to send the full correspondence on
che ground that it would not seem to he
IN the public interest. The abstract fur
nished by the State Department shows
the following facts:
That Ruiz WAS Il native born Cuban
and came to this country during the pro
grcss OF the Cuban Instruction, which
terminated in 1878. lie received his final
papers as IL nnturalized citizen in Janu-
AIRY, 1880, in Philadelphia. Immediately
after he returned to Cuba entered upon
the practice Of dentistry, married and
reared family and has resided there per.
Nanently and continuously ever since
lie was arrested February land thrown
into prison on the Charge OF participation
IN the capture and robbery of II railroad
train. HIS arrest was reported to this
Government by telegraph on the same
day, and until the 18th nothing more was
heard of the case by the department,
which assumed that il was being attend.
ed to by the consulate in the regular
course; that ut the end of seventy. two
hours the prisoner. would. either be put
communicate or If not that IL proper tie
mand for such relief would be made and
that If such demand were made and were
not successful, the department would ut
once he notified. No measures of the sort
were taken. however, though the prisoner
remained incommunicalo, aud on the
10th the consulate reported to the depart
mcnt that Ruiz lad been found dead in
his cell under circumstances which iusti
fled and led to II demand for immed ate
in rcstigaton.
The consul general reported that Ruiz
IiC a in. al, Il
most filthy cell, three by five feet, hav.
ing rough stone floor, with no window
ard only i%inch square opening in
the door for the admission of food, which
aperture was kept shut except when
used; that no one was allowed To see him:
that he died from neglect and violence:
that he became deranged; that IN AUTOPSY
showed severe confusion on top of the
head; that he died from congestion of the
brain: that there was no fracture of the
skull: that all knowledge was confined to
officials ard it was difficult to ascertain
the facts
Secretary Olney then quotes the report
OF the acting governor general OF Cuba to
SHOW that Ruiz was kept in Il large,
roomy cell, lighted and ventilated: that
he had an easy chair, and mattress.
sheets, pillows, etc: that IL blow being
heard III his room on the 10TH he was
found very much excited with confusion
on the head, and was ut once removed to
II better room, here he could more easily
he watched and placed under medical
treatment; that OH the eth he was found
by an attendant in the act of butuing his
head against the grating of the door,
and though quieted by the attendant.
shortly after died that nn autopsy being
held, the physicians present concurrcd in
the opinion that death ensued from cere-
0rAl congestion, not induced by the
wounu on the head, which was superb.
cial; and that the prisoners treatment
during confinement was. most considerable
and better than in the cases of other pris.
onerS, an attendant going 10 his room
whenever called for.
Secretary Olney Says that the conclu.
sions of the official representatives of the
TWO governments, being thus radically
conflicting, another open and thorough
seemed to this government
In this view the Spanish
government concurred, and IL letter from
Minister DeLome is quoted barring upon
the case, dated February 81 In this note
DeI.ome says:
The Spanish government mas ordered
that most thorough Investigation be
made in order to throw the light upon
the facts so chat if it appears 'therefrom
that there has been culpability or inegli-
gence, ali the weight of the law NAV fall
upon the guilty. To this end, after re.
ceiving General Ahumada's telegram. the
government ordered by cable that "a Judge
be designated, who in view of the facts
and communicated by Mr. Tay-
Tor, United States minister mt Madrid
shalt institute judicial process in which
all the circumstances shall he scrupu
lously and actively ascertained His
government Wishes and To that
end directs, that the consul of the'United
states be invited to submit if he so de-
sires. any evidence which may assist in
making the facts clear, and of which he
may have knowledge, and also to take
coGnizance of the proceedings of the case.
If the consul of the United States desires
TO become IL party in the proceedings he
can do so, ana To that end he will he
afforded every facility he may need
In this note Minister DeI4ome calls at.
tention TO the failure of Ruiz to announce
his citizenship on the occasion of his ar
rest. In conclusion the minister saws of
the investigation about to be undertaken:
The government of his majest; in inn
partial vindication of Justice and defer
ence to pre.occupied public opinion in
Spain, intends that the truth shall he
known, whatever be the nationality of
Ruiz"
Continuing Mr.. Olney then says
Until the results of the full investigi.
ton thus agree upon by tho two govern
mcnts shall have been reached, what fur
Their steps should be taken in the matter
by the United States cannot, of course,