The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-06-19

Mercedes, Meme, Evangeline, Ricardtso-
Good-by children of my life. I give you my
blessing. Be obedieut to your mother. They
will kill me. II / am taken to Havana tell
everything. Good-by, Rita OF my soul"
This chair. Mrs. Ruiz says, she sent for after
her husbands death, and 1 have seen lately
statements OF persons in whom I place reliance,
that the writing around the rim or the back was
not discovered, as the chair was OF light color,
and the indented letters not distinct, for some
days after 1t had been returned to her house.
make these statements because I found that
witnesses who had testimony unfavorable to
the Spanish authorities would not give 1t for
obvious reasons, and II the right to make them
appear was exercised il would result, they said,
in their giving non-cOmmittal evidence, for in
their opinion the mere fact of being summoned
would make them suspects" considered dis
loyal TO the Spanish authorities on the island.
GEN. LEES ~CoNCLUsIoNS
An autopsy was held on his body on the after
noon OF the 18th at Guanabacoa, participated in
by two Spanish doctors, viz: Francisco
Vidal Alvando and Jose Martinez
Castrillion. and DR.. d. NJ Burgess, the
United States sanitary Inspector at this
port, at which the United States consul-gen-
eral'
WAS NoT PRESENT.
That said autopsy, signed by the two Spanish
doctors, declared DIR. RuiZ's death resulted from
cerebral congestion; that on the apex or top Of
the head OF deceased there was found a contu-
sion or wound which is described by the Span
ish doctors as being q small abrasion which
only involved the first surfaces of the skin.
about O centimeterl long, more or less" a cent?
meter being about two-fifths Of an inch, but
which is described by DR.. Burgess as being "a
severe confusion OF about an inch and q half
long by a half-inch wide"
Ideduce from my knowledge Of the facts the
following conclusions:
First-Dr. Ruiz was arrested on . false
charge.
Second-He was placed under an improper
jurisdiction, and died before the proper tribu-
nal considered his case, thereby giving him no
opportunity to prove his innocence.
Third-Thath he was kept "incommunicado'in
q solitary cell for 35 hours, in violation Of his
treaty rights, which limits such confinement to
- hours.
Fourth-He died from congestion of the
brain, produced by q blow on the top Of the
head.
~Fifth-There are two theories connected with
the wound on the head: One that in a state OF
mental excitement he ran across the cell as de-
scribed by one OF the jailers, and butted his own
head on the door in a frantic effort to get out.
Another, that he was struck over the head with
one of the clubs carried by the iailers-by the
immediate w2tchman-who had probably or
dered him TO cease his cries for relief and for
his children, and upon his not doing so struck
him with more force than he intended, or il is
possible the blow was delivered to make him
confess or give evidence againt others.
1t is possible he went mad and many causes
combined to produce such a result. Els knowl-
edge Of his innocence. his confinement in a
gloomy cell, where he was not allowed to COM
municute with family or friends-or to send or
write. Alone-all alone with the thought
doubtless impressed upon his mind that he was
~ - ALa ~ - .~-n~- 49, -.
ing in and around GuaHabacOa, to be
summarily executed at any moment.
He loved his wife and children, and
in the darkness and loneliness of his cell he
was constantly crying out for them. The
thought that they were but q few rods away
and yet he might never see them again, or hear
the sound of their voices, or feel the touch Of
their lips and hands, maddened him and proved
too much for the mind Of the distracted and IN
happy man, and 1 thought it not improbable, as
the long time passed by, it may have given way
and left him a mailman.
His derby hat was all battered up, and his
clothes greatly torn, says his wife, when re-
turned to her. But whether when bereft Of
reason he inflicted the blows which produced
brain congestion, or whether he died at the
hands of others, the truth probably Will
csly be known when the hearts Of all
are revealed-the fact remains, his con-
6nement killed him. Had he been released
rom incommunicado by the hand of man at the
end OF - hours, the band of death might not
have released him at the end of 315 hours, and
to-day the widow would have had the support
of her husband and the means OF his fatherless
children would never have been heard.
1 therefore conclude, saying as l have done in
all previous reports about this case, that
whether Ruiz killed himself or was killed by
someone else will, under the existing condi-
lions, always remain unknown. 1 am, very re-
spectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed) F%ITZHUGH Lea