The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-11-25
yONPETITOR NENARRIVR
Enthusiastically Racsived by Theil
New York Friends.
HOW QUEsADA ESCAPED DEATH.
Betrayed Allies OF the Insurgents I'm
the spanish Army-Captain Labortie
Denies the stories orCrueity In SPAN
ish Prlsons-M Surprise.

the spanish Army-Captain Laborde
Denies the stories orCrueity In SPAN
ish Prisons-Mciton's surprise.
New York, Nov. 23.-The steamer Sar.
atoga, from Havana, having on board
the released Nembers of the Competi-
tor filibustering expedition, arrived
here last evening. The men are Cap
tain Alfredo Labordc, William Gildea,
Ona Melton, William Leavirt and
Charles Barnett, an Englishman. The
men are in fairly good health and ex-
cellent spirits. Captain Laborde suffers
somewhat from paralysis, which he
contracted during his long confinement
in the Cabanas fortress. Joseph a.
Springer, the United States vice consul
at Havana. was also a passenger on the
Saratoga. Mr.. Springer declined to
talk for publication.
The released men wore clothes in
which they were clad at the time of
their capture on April %, 1896, at Ber-
races, San Cayetano. Cuba.
Another happy passenger on the Sar-
atoga was Julio Arteago Quezada, the
young Cuban insurgent who was or
dered to be shot by Weyler. but was
pardoned by General Blanco. a friend
Of the prisoners father.
The six men who had escaped the
fate of the Virginius captives were
greeted upon their arrival in New York
by an enthusiastic crowd, who gave
them hearty welcome. The poor
wretches were too weak to respond to
the cheers which had been given in
f,.;n IL, 10,
as they grasped the hands OF the re-
leased prisoners, whose eyes were sunk
en-. faces pallid and forms emaciated.
In telling the story of his release
young Quesada declared that 1t was
owing to information he possessed re-
garding two Spanish generals. After
detailing the manner of his capture and
his sentence to death he continued:
4 1T was at this juncture that my
knowledge stood me in good stead.
Two prominent Spanish generals. one
a brigadier general whose name l do
not care to mention. and General Aro-
las, concerned themselves in my release.
They feared me because they knew ]
had disclosures to make which would
ruin them. They thought that If had
men are either base towards or desire
to hold their positions overcame their
scruples.
! They were in constant communica-
tion with the insurgent generals, hav-
ing written letters to them, which
saw while in the Pinar del Rio district,
/ In which they stated that they wanted
to make arrangements by which Span
ish 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 1t at will. This proposition was
accepted, and In this way we were able
to keep In constant communication
with Gomez. Maceo and Garcia"
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 in
surgents in the Spanish army. II was
this Information, and not General
Blanco's friendship for the late Profess
sor Quesada, that secured his pardon
Probably the most wretched of the
Competitors crew was Ona Melton, the
newspaper correspondent, whose inten-
tion, on going to Cuba. was not to par
tcipate in the war, but to represent
the true situation in that country.
In describing his capture and subsc-
quent treatment Melton said that when
the first shot was fired by the Spanish
gunboat he and two Of his companions
lowered Il small boat and tried to es-
cape. They were pursued and captured
short distance from the shore. on
board the gunboat they were cruelty
bound with ropes and We're prodded
with sharp pointed sticks, which pune
tured their flesh. They were after
wards thrown into a cell and fed bu,
once n day. After the first six days
the prisoners were permitted to see
Consul Williams. and were fed twice a
day, but Just the sort of the food II
was Melton Is still unable to say. II
barely supported life, that was all.
After the respite Melton said he and
his companions We're placed in large
cell containing 40 other prisoners both
political and criminal. in the Cabana,
fortress, and there he remained In
trembling and fear. Last Thursday
afternoon he was taken out of the dun
beoH as He supposed 10 De Snot, nut IN
the corridor he met Consul General Lee
who, to Melton's surprise, informed him
that all of the Competitor prisoners had
been pardoned.
Captain Laborde. speaking of his
prison life. said: THE stories of cruel
ties In the Spanish prisons are utterly
unfounded. | have been there long
enough to know. The jailers were as
kind as could be expected, and Matted
Fernandez, the warden of Cabanas, was
especially kind and considerate, SO
much so that we called him father.
we knew more about what was going
on than you did. How did we learn ?
Wen, can't tell that. as it might hurt
those l have left behind. Yes, Ameri-
can gold went great way"