Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-29
THEY WILL Be CONVICTED.
Competitor Prisoners to Be Placed on
Trial Next Thursday.
A Spanish Magistrate Says They
Will be Sentenced to Death, But
Will Not be Shot, as Their Death
Would Force President Mckinley
to Act,


Would Force President Mckinley
to Act.
New York, June 2S.-A dispatch
from Havana says: Consul General
Lee has finally been officially notified
that Ona Melton, the American news.
paper correspondent, Capt. Laborde
and others belonging to the captured
American schooner Competitor, and
one or two other Americans incarcer-
ated with them in the Cabanas for
tress will be called for public trial July
l. The hearing will be before civil
judges and judgment will be based on
the declarations previously made with
in the walls of the military prisons on
evidence taken by government official
acting on behalf of the Spanish ad-
miralty and war department. The
court will listen to no new testimony.
George Ferren, the only witness the
Competitor men were permitted to call.
is still in prison here. His sworn
statement was that the vessel was be-
yond the three-mile limit when fired
upon and seized. The statement dis
pleased the Spaniards and Ferran was
therefore detained and stands charged
with perjury.
EnncnI EnnnrnI o.
ceived no instructions from Washing
ton to employ, counsel to defend the
prisoners. A Spanish magistrate said
the men would undoubtedly be found
guilty again and sentenced to death
or long term Imprisonment, but added:
Their friends need not fear their be-
ing executed or. deported. Were the
men shot" he said, popular indigna-
ton in the United States would compel
Mckinley to act On the other hand,
were they declared innocent or par
doned Spanish sentiment might drive
the judge and magistrate from the
bench. But they can be kept as pris-
oners indefinitely in Cabanas, through
judicial and diplomatic red tape"
The rebel generals, Riviera and Ba-
calloa. will not be shot. Gen. Weyler
has received a cable from the minister
of war to suspend the sentences OF
death pending the close Of hostilities.'
At Matanzas, Sagua, Sante Clara,
Sancti Spiritus, Cienfuegos and Pinar
del Rio. dozens of executions have oc-
Cured during the last few days. AT
Sagua. two Cuban girls, Rosa Prieto
and Josepha Borges, accused of sending
out clothes to their brothers, were
convicted of aiding the rebellion and
sentenced to long Imprisonment in the
African penal colonies.
Leading Havana papers commenting
on Canovass Cuban reform bill, insist
ttat according to its provisions the
franchise will be extended TO loyal
Spaniards only and will exclude Cubans
VINO bore arms against Spain.
La Lucha publishes dispatch from
Tunas stating that in the last engage
ment between the Spanish forces and
the insurgents under Gen. MaXimo Co
mez. the horse ridden by Gomez was
shot under him. According to Official
advices the number of insurgents who
have surrendered to the authorities at
Placetas assert positively that in the
same engagement in which General
Gomez's horse was killed the insurgent
leader was wounded.
A dispatch to the Herald from Key
West says: Private advices from SAN
tiago province gives further details OF
the fighting last week around Gibara
and Banes, between the insurgents and
the Spanish forces. The adyices state
that the insurgents under Gen. Garcia
and Col Torres, numbering between
5000 and 5000 men, attacked both sea-
ports simultaneously, but met with
stubborn resistance. The demonstra-
ton against Banes, which is less tnan
ten leagues distant from Gibara, was
merely feint by the rebels to divert
attention and draw the Spanish forces
from Gibara, which was the point real
" TO be attacked. The ruse was par
tally successful, and Garcia with his
forces entered Gibara. His success,
however. was of only short duration,
as he was subsequently driven out after
a hot fight, during which many were
killed and wounded on both sides.
Col. Machado. veteran of the ten
wears war, says that Gen. Gomez has
planned his summer campaign and put
il in operation. He has distributed
columns of men throughout Matanzas,
Havana and other provinces.
GENERAL THOMAS B. DAVIS.