The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-24
RUIZ knew
THE RISK.
Had No Flag of Truce When He
Approached the Rebels.
SOME SAY THAT GEN. BLANCo
FORCED HIM TO o-CoNsUL
LEES SECRETARY WAS UNABLE
TO PRESENT THE PLEA FOR
MERCY IN TIME TO MAKE IT
EFFECTIVE.

Havana, Cuba, Dec 23-Ernesto Tosca.
Consul General Lees secretary, who
was sent to Colouel Arranguren's camp
to plead for mercy for Col joaquin Ruiz,
has returned to Havana, having reached
his destination only to obtain full cum
firmation OF the gallant, officers death.
Mr.. Tosca WINS unable to deliver Gen.
eral Lees letter to Colonel Arranguren.
who, soon after the shooting of Ruiz, had
departed for u distant camp. The seoe.
tary brought back the full, statement
from Colonel Arrangements second in
command, giving details OF the death of
ColLnel Ruiz. as follows:
This gentleman" says the statement,
came to our fields dressed in the uni.
form Spanish military officer, and be-
fore the Cuban forces made to Colonel
Arrangnren propositions of autonomy
fer Cuba. Then Colonel Arranguren,
respecting the orders of our army, made
Ruiz prisoner, and he was executed
later after court martial in the name of
the law of organization of our army; and
that 1t maybe known, furnish thi, in
formation to Mr.. EInesto Tosca, who
came commissioned by the United Staus
consul-general in Havana"
Efforts are being made to recover the
body of Colonel Ruiz, which, it is be-
lieved, was buried on the estate Ira Ma
iuga, near San Miguel. General Ice has
hren requested 20 send q messenger TO
the insurgents.to ask for the surrender of
the body. He refused to do so unless Off
cially asked by General Blanco. Two de.
tHchments of troops were sent Yesterday
to try TO find the body.
Indignation over the killing Of Colonel
Ruiz Is still intense in Havana. Many
are disposed to blame General Blanco,
alleging that he forced Colonel Ruiz to
20 in spite Of the latter's protestntion
that it meant certain death. This story
Is improbable, but it's circulation served
to arouse an ugly feeling among the fire
men, of whom Colonel Ruiz was chief and
by whom he WAS adored. The feeling is
intensified by II story that Colonel RUIZ
contributed to the support of Colonel
Arrangements mother, and that only "A
few days before his death he sent her 500
at Colcn Arrangements personal re-
quest
All accounts agree, that Color ell Arran-
guren was personally opposed 80 the in.
fiction of the extreme penalty, and would
have saved Colonel Ruiz, bnt his own life
would have been sacrificed had he refused
immediate compliance with the orders of
his superior officers
"A cablegram was received yesterday
stating that General Lee had been in
structed by Secretary of State Sherman
to notify General Gomez and the other
rebel leaders that they need expect no
American sympathy if they continued to
permit firing Oh flags of truce. General
Lee told me he had received no such in
structinns, and he added that re knew of
no instance OF the display of IL flag of
truce during this war. 1t had never been
stated by the Spanish authorities that
Col Ruiz was under IA mag of truce, that
institution being unh nown to the Span
ish army in Cuba and its use being inter
dittded as involving n recognition of the
insurgents as be,ligerents. This is so
widely known that thesSpaniards, while
denounciEg the killing as an act of saw
aeery, frankly admit that Colonel Ruiz
WAS under no protection, and had been
abundantly warned of the consequences
OF his action in approaching the rebel
camp.
Much excitement was caused last Sun
day morning when a small white war
ship, bearing strong resemblance to the
United States gunboat Annapolis, was
seen slowly approaching tile hartor. A
rumor was spread thst an American war
ship was coming in, and the people be-
came excited when the strangers gun
opened II salute 20 the forts, many believ-
ing that the city was being bombarded.
lt.was soon apparent that the vessel was
the German schoolsbip Stein, but several
hours elapsed before quiet was restored.
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