The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-23
PALMA TELLS
OF RU|z'S DEATH
Says It Did Not Occur as the
Spanish Have Said.
CUBAN LAW PROMULGATED
That Peace Messengers Would Be Shot
Unless independence Was Offered
RUIZ WAS WARNED OF HIS FATE
And BlancO Was Aware of the Existence
of the Decree.
THE PATRIOTS HAVE BEEN HUMANE
And BlanCO Was Aware of the Existence
of the Decree.
THE PATRIOTS HAVE BEEN HUMANE

New York, Dec 22.-T. Estrada Palma
of the Cuban junta made the following
statement last night:
1.-THE death of Col. Ruiz did not occur,
as the Spanish have put it, while he was
negotiating as a peace messenger under a
flag of truce Again and again have the
Cubans promulgated the law that all who
shall come to them with a peace propo-
sition not based upon the independence of
Cuba should be treated as spies and dealt
with accordingly. Col. Ruiz not only knew
of the existence of the law, but, according
to the Spanish accounts, was personally
warned as to is fate. Gen. Blanco and
Secretary General Congosto, too, were well
aware of the existence of the decree. New
ertheless, these latter took advantage of
the unfortunate Quixotism of Col. Ruiz and
sent him to the Cuban lines. The blood of
Col. Ruiz is not on the hands of the Gu
bans, but upon the heads of Blanco and
Congosto who sent him to his fate.
Object Of the Penalty.
"If the penalty of the law had not been
carried into effect doubtless Spain would
have taken advanage of the fact to show
that the Cubans were not in earnest in
the rejection of autonomy absolutely, but
decree was not promulgated because the
Cubans are afraid Of dsaffeetion' in their
ranks, but because it is known that in
Vulnerable commissioners would otherwise
be sent and on their return would make
false statements encouraging the belief
that peace might be established on basis
other than independence.
such statements would only serve the
n, iDi useless
loneation of the war. Besides, Cubans are
advised that the Spanish are seeking to
enter the insurgent lines with the purpose
of assassinating the more important lead
ers. Documentary proof of this fact are
in our hands and we are the more cautious
when we remember that in 1879 General
Blanco authorized General Polavieka, in
Santiago, Cuba, to execute as many Gu
bans as the latter thought necessary as an
example.
Remarkable Circumstance.
at is somewhat remarkable that with the
first news of the death of Col. Ruiz came
the announcement of the killing by the
Spanish of over forty sick and wounded
Cubans found in a hospital and not voice
was raised in protest thereat The shoot
Ing of Cuban prisoners by the score passed
almost without comment; the thousands
of wounded Cuban soldiers slain in hos
pitfalls attract but little notice.
According to all the laws of civilized
warfare the Cubans from the beginning
had the right to retaliate in kind, but they
never have done so. On the contrary, all
prisoners taken by them were set at lib
erty and the wounded attended to.
rive are denied by the entire world
status as beligerents and might, there
fore, claim that we have no obligations to
conduct the war as belfgerents. but We
do not intend to take this stand.
1.-THE conditions obtaining In Cuba. and
the character of the Spanish demand,
however, that we take the necessary meas
ures to speedily terminate the war by con-
vincing the world that independence alone
can satisfy u.s. We accordingly issue
decree and soemnly warn Spain of its en-
actment. II, despite this warning, they
persuade q man to be rash enough to como
to us to treat on the basis of autonomy
we must either acknowledge that our laws
are made only to be broken or be compelled
by q painful duty to carry them out"