The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-03
REVOLVING DEATH OF RUIZ.
TWO STORIES SENT TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT ABOUT 1T.

The Governor General of Cuba
Claims That the Prisoner Wns
Kept in n Well Lighted, Ventilated
and Well Furnished CeII-The
S2aniHrds Also Claim That Ruiz
Was Found Butting His Head
Against the wall and Intimate
That He Was Insane.
Washington, March 2.-Secretary Olney
to-day responded to the Senate resolution
calling for the correspondence in the Ruiz
case by sending an abstract of the mat
ter, declining to send the full correspond
ence on the ground that sit would not
seem to be in the public interest"
The abstract furnished by the state de-
partment shows the following facts: That
Ricardo Ruiz was a native born Cuban,
and came to this country during the prog
ress of the Cuban insurrection, which
terminated in 1873 He received his final
papers as a naturalized citizen in Janu-
airy, 1880, in Philadelphia. Immediately
after he returned to Cuba, entered upon
the practice of dentistry, married and
reared a family, and has resided there
| permanently and continuously ever since.
He was arrested Feb. 4, and thrown into
| prison on the charge of participation in
the capture and robbery of a railroad
| train. His arrest was reported to this
| government by telegraph on the same
| day, and until the 18th nothing more was
| heard of the case by the department,
| which assumed that II was being attend
! ed to by the consulate, in the regular
| course; that at the end of seventy-two
| hours the prisoner would either be put
I 4
| demand for such relief would be made;
and that if such demand were made and
were not successful, the department
| would at once be notified No measures
| of the sort were taken, however, though
| the prisoner remained incommunicado,
sulate reported to the depart
ment that Ruiz had been found dead
| in his cell under circumstances which JUS
| titled and led to a demand for immediate
| investigation. The consul general report
| ed that Ruiz was kept 315 hours in small,
closed and most filthy cell, by feet
| having a rough stone floor, with no win
| dow, and only six inch square opening
in the door for the admission of food
which aperture was kept shut except when
| used; that no one was allowed to see him;
! that he died from neglect and violence;
| that he became deranged; that an autopsy
| showed severe contusions on top of the
| neGQ. IlaL he QleQ from CUNBtSllOu VI NilG
brain; that there was no fracture of the
skull; that all Knowledge was confined
to officials and it was difficult to ascertain
| the facts.
Secretary Olney then quotes the report
| of the acting governor general of Cuba
to show that Ruiz was kept in large
| roomy cell lighted and ventilated; that
| he had an easy chair and mattress, sheets,
| pillows, etc. that a blow being heard in his
| room on the 18th, he was found very much
| excited with confusion on the head, and
was at once removed to a better room,
where he could more easily be watched,
! and placed under medical treatment; that
| on the 18th he was found by an attendant
in the act of butting his head against
| the grating of the door, and, though quiet
ed by the attendant, shortly after died
that an autopsy being held, the physician
present concurred in the opinion that
| death ensued from cerebral congestion,
not induced by the wound on the head,
which was superficial; and that the pris-
| oner's treatment during the confinement
| was most considerate and better than in
! the case of other prisoners an attendant
| going to his room whenever called for
| Secretary Olney says that the conclu-
sions of the official reports of the two
governments being thus radically conflict
ing, another open and thorough investiga-
ton seemed to this government indispen-
sable. In this view, the Spanish govern
ment concurred, and a letter from Minis
| ter de LONE is quoted bearing upon the
| case, dated Feb. q.
In this note Minister de LONE says:
"The Spanish government has ordered
that a most thorough investigation be
| made, in order to throw light upon the
facts so that If it appear therefrom, that
there has been culpabilty or negligence,
all the weight of the law may fall upon
| the guilty. To this end, after receiving
Gen. Ahumada's telegram. the govern
| ment ordered, by cable, that a judge be
| designated who, in view of the facts
charged and communicated by Mr.. Tay-
lor United States minister at Madrid,
shall institute a judicial process in which
all the circumstances shall be
scrupulously and actively ascer-
tanned. His majesty government
wishes, and in that end directs that the
consul of the United States be invited 10
suggest, If he so desires, any evidence
which may assist In making the facts clear
and of which he may have knowledge,
and also to take cognizance Of the proceed
ings of the case. If the consul of the
United States desires TO become a party
IN the proceedings he can do so, and to that
end he will be afforded every facility he
may need"
In his note Minister de LONE calls at
tention to the failure OF Ruiz to announce
hrs citizenship upon the occasion of his
arrest. In conclusion the minister says
Of the investigation about 20 be undertake
en-: 1.-THE government of his majesty, in
impartial vindication of Justice and in
Difference to pre-occupied public opinion in
Spain. intends that the truth shall be
known whatevet be the nationality Of
Ruiz"
Continuing. Mr.. Olney then says: "Un-
til the results OF the full investigation
thus agreed upon by the two governments
shall have been reached, what further
steps should be taken I'm the matter by the
United States cannot of course be deter
mined. The inquiry should be set on foot
and completed with all possible dispatch,
and IL would seem to be wise that the con-
sui general of the United States should
be provided with the best assistance
available, not only In this country, but in
Havana Meanwhile, and pending the pro-
posed investigation, which Is not unlike
iy to excite local feeling, and which should
not be embarrassed or defeated by any
forestalling or perverting OF testimony
the publication OF the correspondence on
the subject between this department and
the consul general at Havana would not
seem TO be in the public interest"