The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-23
LIBERATED AT LAST


Und-r tue .u.hinE Protocol thus Avoid
eide LONE u" .""f,r- &c With >-ere-
tarv Ag-i"-. Exp"rtin. L"
bAcc" from . ub,,. b k~'ok.d
Washington, November 18--Minister
Woodford has telegraphed the stale de-
partment that the Spanish cabinet has
notified him that the queen has par
doned the Competitor prisoners. The
state department now that
the Competitor prisoners were turned
| over to Consul General Lee last Mon
day and will be sent by him direct to
New York today.
1t is not doubted here that the pris-
oners are liberated OIL some such con-
ditions 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 here that the men will
be disposed to violate any understand
ing of this kind to which they may be
parties. 1t is singular that the men
should have been for four days in the
custody of Consul General Lee, without
the IdCC having DSCOllc SSISl LII
known, but it is supposed hat secrecy
was observed in order to ensure de-
parture from Havana without exciting
trouble from the extreme conservative
Spanish faction.
There were four prisoners, namely,
Alfredo Laborde, the captain Of the
Competitor, a native of New Orleans;
William Gildea, the mate, a natural
lied citizen; Ona Melton, who claims
Kansas as his native state, and who
went on the Competitor in the capacity
of a newspaper correspondent, and
Charles Barnett, of British birth, but
who claimed the protection of the
United States by virtue Of his sailing
on an American vessel.
The conditions under which the Com
petitor was captured April rs, 1896, off
the Cuban coast while engaged in land
ing arms for the insurgents, have been
often described. The defense of the
men was that they were forced into
the expedition against their will by
the insurgent party aboard the boat.
They were tried by a naval court-mar-
tial, before which they could make only
a poor showing, principally because OF
their ignorance of the Spanish Ian
guage, in which the proceedings were
conducted, so that their conviction and
the imposition of the death sentence
was not a matter Of surprise. At that
point, however, the case assumed d1plo-
matte Importance. Our government,
through it's consul general at Havana,
then Ramon Williams: and also
through Minister Hannis Taylor at
Madrid, interposed an energetic pro-
test against the execution of the sem
tence, claiming that the men were Inn
properly tried without the guarantees
held out in the famous Gushing proto-
:, col. This protest caused the removal
Of the case to the higher judicial au-
thorities at Madrid, by whom a new
. trial was ordered. The Spanish gov
. eminent, however, did not and has not
conceded that the Gushing protocol ap-
: piled to such ceases. To admit that
= would, in the opinion Of the Spanish
authorities, greatly stimulate the fit
y ting out Of flibustering parties in the
United States.
. The new trial had been ordered by
: the Madrid supreme court on tn
ground of irregularities in the origina
trial. not because Of any concession O
. the s~oundness OF the objections inter
, posed by the United States officers. I
:. was to have begun last Monday, and i
is thought would have resulted in tn
imposition of the death sentence again
This would lave provoked an explosion
in this country, according to the an
t~icipations Of the department officials
= that would nave been hardly less vic
lent than the feeling caused by tn
famous Virginius episode, so it is t
;s them a matter of satisfaction that tn
80 Spanish queen has cut the diplomat
tangle by the pardon Of the men befOr
the second trial.
Senior Dupuy de LONE, the SPANS
10 minister, had a long conference wit
Assistant Secretary Day this mornin
j. and it is believed hat the SPANS
ic government is voluntarily about to re
L. move another troublesome factor frol
is the field of negotiations in revoking tn
e. decree made by Weyler prohibiting tn
er expectation Of tobacco from Cuba. TIL
~ prohibition has worked great hardship
3. upon large American cigar making II
III terests, and up to this time all effor
of the state department to secur a
a~meliorations Of the harsh conditions
the decree have been ~unavailing. II
he reason set up by General Weyler Il
1T the order was the necessity Of keepir
tn in Havana the supply o. tobacco ne
p. essay to run the domestic cigar IA
tories and thus, by giving employing
ue to workmen. keep them from driftil
away into the insurgent ranks. 1t W
AS a matter Of common report, howeVe
S that another potent reason was a d
~ sire to cripple the Cuban cigar make
~ in the United States, from whom t
~. insurgents drew funds.
Reports that come to Washingt
are to the effect that the new crop
,av tobacco that will be ripe in Februa
~ next is Of excellent quality and amour
to four-fifths of an average crop. Blu
M ers for foreign consumers are alrea
er- III the ieio ioohihs orei IL Pc
and it is expected hat to facilits
sales the revocation Of the decree
i've pronlpltlon VIII soon pe hiaoe'
id Havana, November 1S.-In pursual
re of cabled Instructions from Spain
MT ceived yesterday. Captain Gene
for Blanco today released from Cabanl
7 6 fortress Alfredo Laborde, Charles
far nett, Ona Melton and William Gid
my members Of the crew or the AmerlT
schooner Competitor, captured
April, 1896, by the Spanish gunb