The sun., 1897-09-26
74MEN AND WOMEN KILLED.
MORE GRIMES ADDED TO THE LOAD
THAT WELLER CARRIES.

Their Bodies Unburied Near the Doomed Town
OF AEuacate. where All Are BeinE shet or
starved-Ren,arkabio story OF the neroisua
OF Ono or the Victins-His Mother spared.
HAVANA. Sept 22.-Tho murders committed
by the Spanish troops under Don German Villa
nueva at the town OF Aguacatc. Havana prov
ince, are still enacted with relentless cruelty.
The FIRST news OF them cont to THE Sun last
week aroused tho attention of the correspond
ents of Dondon and Madrid newspapers in this
city, and they have fully confirmed 1t. Now tho
terrible report comes, from tho Same trustwor-
thy source OF the massacre in the same place OF
seventy.forr persons, among them thirty wo-
men. Most OF them were pacifcos, but many
were old residents Of tho town. owning houses
and other property there.
One of the victims was n young countryman
named Bias Martinez, whose heroism and devo-
tion to the cause OF his countrys freedom have
rarely been equalled. He was arrested upon tho
charge of having crossed the Spanish lines by
stealth to give some information about the
garrison to the Cuban leader, Baldomero
Acosta. The Spaniards believed him to bo
n in pOsSseSipn q E''aASlo i RSTs.s sN-nSfSRi0S -
confession from him. First he was subjected
for three days to the horrible torture OF thirst,
one OF the fiendish inventions Of Spanish bar
barsm that ends the lives OF the tortured per
sons in fits OF madness. He submitted without
uttcring word. When villanueva saw that
Mariners strong VIM could not be broken by
that method. he rcsorted to the componte. order
ing two soldiers to beat him with manatics until
he confessed. But the young Cuban proved that
he would rather die than reveal any secret of
tho patriots intrusted to him.
Then the barbarous Spanish commander
ordered the tortures to stop. and sent physi-
rfa fn In kfrh artip
kept, to treat his wounds. Two days later he
sent messenger to him to announce that Doha
Blasa Arangurcn. Mariners mother, nearly
20 years old, had been arrested and was under
guard in the Office Of the Military Commander.
The Spanish point to the fact as ono of the
most brilliant deeds of herosm in their history
| that GuZman el Bueno besicged in Tarifa, when
| notified that tho Moors had captured his son
| and were going to kill him II he did not sur
render tho town. climbed to the ramparts and
threw his own knife to the Moors, shouting
that he preferred to have his son dead rather
than dishonored by the cowardice OF his father
But the modest unknown young Cuban pacihco
was a greater hero than the proud Guzman.
| When he received the terrible message. in
which the Governor threatened to infict tor
lures upon the hapless old woman. ho only an
| swered:
Tell tho Governor that when he was treating
me as an enemy left to my countrymen the
duty Of avenging me. But believe also in q
God, mightier than us all, and before His tri.
bunal he will have to answer for the unspeak.
| able crime he intends to commit"
Even the iron-hearted Villanueva was touched
by the manly ans yer. Martinez's g mother was set
free, but her son was Immediately sent to the
place OF execution in the outskirts Of FL Aguacatc
where he was shot among the other victims oi
Villanueva's barbarity.
The seventyfour corpses were piled, un
buried, half mile from the town, and unit
yesterday they were the prey OF the vultures
The correspondent in Havana Of Ell HerdLdo d,
Madrid had endeavored to go to el Aguacate
but permission has been denied to him by Gen
Weyler's staff.
According to the press censor's information
an epidemic OF smallpox is the cause OF all tn,
deaths in Aguacate; but the crimes OF Dor
German Villanneva. in spite Of all official men
dacity, are beyond doubt.
Gen. Weyler publicly defends this sys
tenn OF warfare. saying that It is tn,
only ono that will put an end t
tho revolution. The sentimentalism o
the Spanish press" he wrote last week to hi
friend. Deputy Retana. will not dim my sue
cess in this war. l have done the most tha
my task will be compile ed. Is it crueltyi an
not here as q benefactor Of the Cuban insur
gents.
The truth is that by such crimes Weyler ha
deepened the hatred OF the Cubans agans
Spain. and this is the main reason why. not
= withstandinG the Captain-Generals statement
! the revolution is to-day strong in the 81
provinces. The patriots are fighting day an
D night like demons in Matanzas. Havana. IN
. Pinar del Rio. where uninterrupted peace pr,
: vailed during the ten years war.
|