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

suIIng In Cuba and Puerto Rico, which de-
rmandS that Provisional Imprisonment shall
be made in the manner and form least preju-
.dicial to the person and reputation Of the ac-
Ssused."
VIOLATION OF TREATY RIGHTS.
While the cognizance of his case being con-
Ianed, at first, to the jurisdiction of the military
authorities was a violation of section l of the
protocol between Spain and the United States,
signed January 10, 1877, which stipulated that no
citizen of the United States residing in Spain,
her adjacent islands or her ultra marine
possessions charged with any crime whatSo-
ever" shall be subject to trial by any excep-
rtionaI tribunal, but exclusively by the ordinary
Jurisdiction, except in the case of being cap
rtured with arms IN hand. The testimony shows
the jailer knew DR.. Ruiz was an American citi-
zen on the day of his arrest. viz. 4th of Febru-
,ary. I896-and that the acting governor and
captain-general Of the island was informed Of
the fact on the next day; but it was ten days
after his arrest and three days before his death,
viz. the 18th day of February, 1S96-that the
acting encouragement directed his case to be
referred to the jurisdiction of the civil court
and he died before said court considered it.
The improper judicial proceedings in the first
place, and the length of time consumed in get
ting the case before the proper authorities,
during which the solitary prisoner was the &C.
cupant of q cell, proved fatal.
The testimony shows that DR.. Ruiz was a
healthy and unusually strong, able and athletic
man. That he had no hereditary mental or
heart disease or other body ailments.
He was confined incommunicado and neither
This wife, children nor friends were allowed to
communicate with him. He was carried alive
60 his cell, and at the end Of 3l5 hours was
Drought out a corpse, having been subjected to
-'incommunicado" Imprisonment in violation of
lhis treaty rights 243 hours over and above the
az hour limit
From the time he was placed "incommuni-
cador until his death, all knowledge of his con-
dition was confined to his ~jailers, and therefore,
there can be no other testimony except that Of
cheese officials as to the mode OF his treatment
.or manner of his death, and it could not be ex-
,pected that in case OF bad treatment they would
testify against themselves or against each 9TH
O.. Sc such testimony should be received not
with "a grain Of salt, but with a barrel.
A witness named Rafael alindo. who holds a
government position, testified that he carried,
at Mrs. Ruiz request, some bed clothes for the
use of DR.. Ruiz to his cell on the same
day be was arrested, but the testimony
oil his most intimate friends, viz: Juan
Gratoeos and Jose Puiggros, does not
confirm such testimony: and a letter from Mrs.
Ruiz to me, written four days after his death, a
COPY of which is hereby transmitted, says:
During the 13days he remained 'incommunlcs-
do they did not allow me to take to him a cot
or even a hammock, but only a hard chair, on
the 9Th Of February, wnen the jail Official final
ly, after my repeated requests, consented or al
lowed me to send to my husband the chair 1
send you herewith, and in which you will see
the last impressions Of a man in his full mental
faculties"
The impressions" referred to and which l
have seen, were sentences around the rim Of the
back, evidently indented with the nails Of the
anger. and which read: