The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-23
BLANC0 ANXIOUS FOR PEACE
OFFERING INSURGENT LEADERS
MONEY TO STOP THEIR WARFARE.
Negotiations So Far UnsuccessfuI-Re-
concentrates I'm Need of Aid
Death Rate Increasing.

~~oNt
released members of the Competitor flibus-
Capt. Alfredo Laborde, William Gildea, Ona
Melton, William Leavitt and Charles Bar
nett, an Englishmau. Captain Laborde was
suffering somewhat from paralysis, which
he contracted during his long confinement
in the Cabanas fortress A happy passenger
| on the Saratoga was Julio Arteago Que
| sada, the young Cuban insurgent who was
ordered to be shot by Weyler, but was por-
| doned by General Blanco, a friend of the
| prisoners father. Joseph A. Springer the
| United States vice consul at Havana, was
| also a passenger. He declined to talk for
| publication.
| The released members of the Competitor
| crew wore the clothes in which they were
| clad at the time of their capture on April
| %, 1896, at Berracos San Cayetano, Cuba.
| They were greeted on 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 their honor. Capt.
| Laborde's brother was one of those as
| sembed on the dock. The meeting between
| the brothers was a touching one. The
| friends of the others cried with joy as they
| grasped the hands of the released prisoners
whose eyes were sunken, faces pallid and
forms emaciated. Representatives of the
Cuban Junta were also present and they
added their greeting to the men.
YOUNG QUESADA'S STORY.
This is the story which young Quesada
told tonight concerning his release: while
a member of the army corps in the Pinar
del Rio district 1 became possessed of in
formation to the knowledge of which 1 think
/ owe the saving of my life. Last March
/ wandered about half a mile away from
our hospital tent in search of some herbs of
which 1 desired to make medicine, when a
detachment of Spanish infantry captured
me. The noise made by my struggle to free
myself aroused my 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 con-
hict was over 1 was bound and thrown on
the ground and beaten unmercifully was
told if / would confess where my comrades
had their dynamite stored they would stop
beating me. This declined to do, and see
ing that they could not force confession
from me- they sent me to Artemisa Prison,
where was tried and sentenced to be shot.
1T was at this juncture that my knowl-
| edge stood in good stead. Two prominent
| Spanish generals one a brigadier general,
| whose name do not care to mention, and
| General Arolas, principally concerned them
| selves in my release. They feared me be-
| cause they knew had disclosures to make
which would ruin them. They thought that
| if / had to die l would tell what l knew.
| These men are either base towards or their
| desire TO hold their positions overcame their
| scruples They were in constant communi-
| cation with the insurgent generals, having
| written letters to them which l saw while
| in the Pinar del Rio district in which they
| stated that they wanted to make arrange
| ments by which Spanish soldiers would not
be attacked in the district 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 ac-
cepted, and in this way we were able to
keep in constant communication with Co.
meZ, Maceo and Garcia. We had about five
thousand men, under command of General
Nunez, while the Spaniards had between
forty and fifty thousand men; yet we were
well able to cope with them.'
The friends of young Quesada were sur
prised to learn that he had secured his re-
lease by giving away a secret which be-
trayed the allies of the insurgents in the
Spanish army. 1t was this information and
HDb lIlSLuSLp lOA lAle ldlS
Professor Quesada that secured his pardon.
THE COMPETITORS CREW.
Probably the most wretched of the Com
petitor's crew is Ona Melton, the newspaper
correspondent, whose intention, on going to
Cuba, was not to participate in the war,
but to report the true situation in that coun-
try. In describing his capture and subse-
quent treatment, Melton said that when the
first shot was fired by the Spanish gunboat
he and two of his companions lowered
small boat and tried to escape. They were
pursued and captured a short distance from
the shore. On board the gunboat they were
cruelty bound with ropes and were prodded
with sharp-pointed sticks which punctured
their flesh. They were afterward thrown
| into a cell and fed but once a day. After
the first six days the prisoners were per-
| mitted to see Consul Williams, and were
| fed twice a day. but just the sort of food
| it was Melton is still unable to say. 1t
! barely supported life, that was ALL After
| the respite Melton said he and his COM
panions were placed in a large cell con-
| tanning forty other prisoners, both political
| and criminal, in the Cabanas fortress, and
| there he remained in trembling and fear.
Last Thursday afternoon he was taken out
of the dungeon as he supposed to be shot,
| DHt In the cOfrluOr lie met OOISul NSHeIdl
Lee, who to Melton's surprise, informed
him that all of the Competitor prisoners
had been pardoned. Then he and his COM
rades 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 for about week and
will then return to his home.
Captain Laborde. speaking of his prison
life said: THE stories of cruelties in
Spanish prisons are utterly unfounded 1
have been there long enough to know. The
1aiers were as kind as could be expected,
and Mattoe Fernandez, the warden of Ca
banas, was especially kind and considerate
| so much so that we called him father
Why, we knew mere about what was gong
on than you did. How did we learn? Well.
1 can't tell that, as it might hurt those 1
have left behind. Yes. American gold went
great way. l got little money from
/ time to time, and the guards, who did not
receive any pay while I was there were