The Portland daily press., 1897-11-23

Jaunta at the Dock-Young Qucsada's
Story.
New York. November 22.-Alfrado
Laborde Of New Orleans, Ona Melton of
Kansas, VIM. Leavitt of Bangor, Me-,
VIM. Gildea, a native of England, but
naturalized citizen of the United States,
and Charles Barnett, British subject,
the master and members of the crew Of
the schooner Competitor, who were re-
leased last week from prison in Cuba, ar
rived this evening on the steamer Sara
toga from Havana.
Although in deplorable condition on
account of their confinement in filthy
and unhealthy Spanish dungeon for 10
months and expecting daily during the
whole of that time to be taken out and
shot as filibusterers, the five men were
very happy when they landed.
The men wore the same clothes which
they had on at the time of their capture,
April 25, 1896 at Berracos.
Another equally happy passenger was
Julio Arteagoy Quesada, the young Cuban
insurgent, who was ordered to be shot
by WeyIer, but who was pardoned by
Marshal Blanco, friend of the prisoners s
father, who before the latter's death in
Mexico. had for years been profes sor in
| the Havana college.
The six men were greeted upon their
arrival by an enthusiastic crowd, who
gave them hearty welcome. The poor
Wretches were too weak to respond to
the cheers given in their honor. Capt.
Laborde's brother was one of those assem-
bled 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. their
faces pallid and their forms emaciated.
| Representatives of the Cuban iunta
| were also present and they added their
greeting to the men who risked their
lives for the cause of Cuba hbre. Young
Quesada is nephew of Gonzales de
| Quesada, secretary of the Cuban Junta in
this city. The youth. who had abandoned
| his studies in Columbia college here to
| fight in the ranks of the Cuban army,
was captured in the sacking of an insur-
| gent hospital by the Spanish troops and
was sentenced to be shot by Weyler on
| November 4th, last
| The story of the capture of the men on
the Competitor, their sentence to death
| by this government in their behalf, are
too well known. All would doubtless
| have been shot had not the Spanish gov
ernment feared such action would have
| brought on conflict with the United
States. Their release was practically de-
manded by this country and at the last
moment tho Spaniards yielded to the de-.
mand.
This is the story which young Quesada
told tonight concerning his release. 1t
will not please his Cuban friends who
consider him to be q martyr for freedom:
"While member of the army corps in
the Pinar del Rio district, 1 became pos
sessed of information to the knowledge
of which think I owe the saving OF my
| life. Last March I wandered about
half a mile Eaway from our hospital
| when detachment of the infantry bat.
TALON 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 conflict was over was
bound and beaten numerically. I was
| told if would confess where my COM
rades had their dynamite stored they
| would stop beating me. This declined
| to do and seeing that they could not
| force a confession from me they 1 sent
| tried and sentenced to be shot.
"It was at this juncture that mySknowl
edge stood me in good stead. Two prom
inent Spanish generals, one brigadier
general, whose name l do not care to
mention, and General Arolas principally
concerned themselves in my release.
They feared me because they knew I had
disclosures to make which would ruin
them. They thought that If had to
die l would tell what knew. These
men are either base towards or desire
to hold their positions over came their
scruples.
s-'' They were in constant communication
with the insurgent generals, having
written letters to them which saw in
which they stated that they wanted to
make arrangements by which Spanish
soldiers would not be attacked in the
districts controlled by them. In return
the insurgents were to have free access
pass at will. This proposition was
accepted and in this way able to keep in
constant communication with Gomez,
Maceo and Garcia. We had about 5000
men under command of Gen. Nunez,
while the Spaniards had between 10000
ana 81, 600, yet We were well able to cope
The friends of young Quesada were sur
prlsed to learn that he had secured his
release by giving away secret which
betrayed the allies of the insurgents in
the spanish army It was information
and not Gen. Blanco's friendship for the
don.
Probably the most wretched Of the
Competltors's crew is Ona Melton, the
newspaper correspondent, whose inten-
tlon IN going to Cuba was not to partici-
pate In the war, but to report the true
situation in that country.