The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-23
The Kansas Newspaper Man and
His Companions
Captured on the Competitor,
Again ON American Soil.
STARVED TO ASHADOW
Weighs Less Than 100 Pounds
Normal Weight 165.
Fed Twice a Day in Prison on
Poor Food.

toga, from Havana, has arrived here hav-
ing on board the now famous Competitor
crew, who were recently released from
their Cuban prison.
The men are Captain Alfredo Laborde,
| VIM. Gildea, Ona Melton, VIM. Leavitt
and Charles Bernett, an Englishman. The
| five men were in fairly good health and
excellent spirits on reaching quarantine.
Captain LabOrde suffers somewhat from
paralysis, which he contracted during his
long confinement in the Cabanas fort
ress.
Joseph A. Springer. the United Statesvice
consul at Havana, was also a passenger
on the Saratoga. Mr.. Springer declined
to talk for publication.
The released men wore the clothes in
which they were clad at the time of their
capture, on April b. 1886. at Berracos, San
CayetanO, Cuba.
Another happy passenger on the Sara
toGa was JULIO Arteago y Quezada, the
young Cuban insurgent, who was ordered
to be shot by Weyler. but was pardoned
by General Blanco, a friend of the pris-
oner's father
The six men who had escaped the fate
of the Virginus captives were greeted up
on their arrival in New York by an en-
thusiastic crowd, who gave them a. hearty
welcome The poor wretches were too
weak to respond to the cheers which had
been given in their honor. Captain La
borde's brother was one of those assem-
bled on the dock. The meeting between
the brothers was a. touching one. The
friends of the men cried with joy as they
grasped the hands of the released prison
ers, whose eyes were sunken, faces pallid
and forms emaciated. Representatives of
the Cuban junta were also present and
they added their greeting to the men.
This is the story which young Quezada
told concerning his release:
While a member of the army corps in
the Pinar del Rio district I became pos
sessed of information to the knowledge
of which I think owe the saving of my
life.
Last March wandered about half a
mile away from our hospital tent in
search of some herbs of which I desired
to make some medicine. when a detach-
ment of Spanish infantry captured me-
The noise made by my struggle to free
myself aroused my twelve companions
and they rushed to my assistance. Dur
ing the fight that followed my friends
were beaten and one of them killed.
After the conflict was over I was
bound and thrown on the ground and
beaten numerically. I was told if
would confess where my comrades had
their dynamite stored they would stop
beating me. This I declined to do, and
seeing that they could not force a con-
fession from me they sent me to Artemis.
a, prison. where I was tried and sentenced
to be shot.
'It was at this juncture that my knowl-
edge stood me in good stead. Two promi-
nent Spanish generals, one a brigadier
general, whose name I do not care to
mention, and General Arolos, principally
concerned themselves in my release. They
feared me because they knew I had dis
closures to make which would ruin them.
They thought that if I had to die I would
tell what knew.
These men are either base towards or
their desires to hold their positions over
came their scruples. They were in con-
stant communication with the insurgent
generals, having written letters to them
which 1 saw while in the Pinar del Rio
district, 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 re-
turn the insurgents were to have free ac-
cess to the trocha and be permitted to
pass at will This proposition was accept
ed. and in this way we were able to keep
in constant communication with Gomez,
NIaceo and Garcia.
I'VE had about 5000 men under COM
mand of General Nunez. while the Span
ish had between 10000 and $4,000, yet we
were well able to cope with them"
Probably the most wretched of the Com
petftor's crew is Ona Melton, the news
paper correspondent from Kansas, whose
intention on going to Cuba was not to
participate in the war but to report the
true situation in that country.
In describing his capture and subse-
quent treatment Melton said that when
the first shot was fred by the Spanish
gunboat he and two of his companions
lowered a small boat and tried to es~
cape. They were pursued and captured a
short distance from the shore. On the
gunboat they were cruelty bound with
rope and were prodded with sharp-pointed
sticks which punctured their flesh. They
were afterwards thrown into a cell and
fed but once a day. After the first six
days the prisoners were permitted to see
Consul Williams and were fed twice
day but just the sort of food it was Mel
ton is still unable to say. 1t barely sus-
tained life.
After the respite Melton said he and his
companions were placed in large cell
containing forty other prisoners, both po~
lticaI and criminal in the Cuban fort
ress, and there he remained in trembling
fear Last Thursday afternoon he was
taken out of the dungeon, as he supposed
to be shot but in the corridor he met Con-
sui General Lee. who, to Meltons sur
prise. informed him that all of the Com
petitor prisoners had been pardoned. Then
he and his comrades were placed on board
the Saratoga, which brought them here
When arrested Melton weighed 165 pounds.
but now he couldn't pull down the scales
at 100 pounds. He will remain here for
about a week and then will return to his
home in Kansas.
Captain LabOrde, speaking Of his prison