The age-herald., 1897-11-23
Pale and Emac'v. By Long Impris.
 ment Ts Were Snatched
JULIO Qv "A CAME OVER WITH HEEL ,N
 6 He, Too Was Sentenced To Be Shot, But Had Knowledge Dangerous to Reveal Against Spanish Officers and Thus Effect
 ed His Own Release.

New York, Nov. 22.-The steamer Sara-
 toga from Havana, having on board the
 released members of the Competitor fill- bustering expedition, has been signa,ed l entering the harbor. The men are Al- | fred Labordo, William Glldea, Ona Mel- ton, William Leavitt and Charles Bar
 nett, an Englishman.
 All of them were in fairly good health
 and excellent spirits on reaching quar-. antine. Joseph Springer, the United States vice consul at Havana, was also a pas-
 senger on the Saratoga. He declined to
 talk for publication.
 The released men wore the clothing In which they were clad at the time of their capture on April 20, 1896, in Cuba. An- l other happy passenger on the Saratoga
 was Julio Artega Quesada, the young
 insurgent who was ordersd to be shot shot by Weyler.
 The six men who mad escaped the fate of the VirginiHs captives were greeted upon their arrival in New York by an enthusiastic crowd who gave them a
 hearty welcome. The men were too weak
 to respond to the chsers which had been given in their honor.
 Captain Laborde's brother was one of
 those assembled in the dock The meet ing 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 we're sarken, faces rallid and fo ms smaciated. Representatives of the Cuban junta were also present and they added their greet. ing to that of the crowd. This is the story which young Quesada told tonight concerning his release: While member of the army corps
 in the Pinar del Rio district I became
 possessed of information, to the knowl-
 edge of which I think I owe the saving
 of my life.
 Hast March I wandered about half mile away from our hospital tent, when
 detachment of Spanish infantry cor
 nered me. The noise made by me to free myself aroused my twelve. companions and they rushed to my assistance. Dur ing the fight that ensude my friends were
 beaten and one of them was killed. Afser the conflict was over I was thrown on the ground and was beaten unmerci- fully. I was told that if I would con-
 fess where my comrades had their dyn-
 amite stored they would stop beating me.
 This declined doing and they sent me to A1temisa prison, where I was tried and sentenced to be shot. Two prominent Spanish generals one a brigadier-gen eral, whose name I do net care to men- tion, and Gen. Arloas particularly con- cerned themselves in my behalf They feared me because they knew I had dis closures to make which would ruin them
 They thought that if I had to die
 would tell what I knew of them.
 "Thse men are arqant towards or th.fr desire to hold their positions caused them to lose thelr confidence. They were in constant correspondence with insurgsnt generals, having written let ters to them which I saw while in the Pinar del Rio district in which they stated they wanted to make arrange ments by which Spanish soldiers would net be attacked in districts controlled by thsm. In return for this the insurg gents were to have free access to the coast and towns and to return at will By these means they were able to ke.p in conxtlnt communication with Gomez, Maceo and other leaders,
 
 surprised to hear he had secured his own release. It was this information and not Gen. Blancos friendship for the late Quesada that secured his informal tion for him.
 Among the members of the Competition crew is Ona Melton. the newspaper cor respondent, whose intention, in going to Cuba, was not to participate in the war, but to report the true situation in that country.
 When arrested Melton weighed 165 pounds but now he could not pull down the scales at 100 pounds. He will re- main here about a week and will then return to his home.
 The other two members of the Cont petitor crew, Dr. Ebordia and Delgade Masso both Spaniards, are still in prison in Cuba. Their release. 1t is said. has been promised. u-. ...i-i