The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-15
CUBA'S AMERICAN CAPTlVES.
RESOLUTION LOOKING TO HEROIC
STEPS IN THEIR BEHALF.

Chairman Davis of the Foreign Re
l0tiOns Committee Reports II to
the sennte-It Empowers PreSi-
dent Mckinley TO Take Such steps
as He Sees Fit to Secure the Re-
lease OF Ona Melton, Alfred o. Ln-
horde and William G. GtIdca.
Washington, July Ex-senator Davis,
chairman of the committee ON foreign re-
lations, to-day reported from that commit
tee the following joint resolution: THAT
the President be empowered to take such
measures as in his Judgment may be nee
essary to obtain the release by the Spanish
government of Ona Melton, Alfred O. La
borde and William G. Glider and the res
toration of the schooner Competitor to her
owner, and to secure this he is authorized
ana requested to employ such means, or
exercise such power as may be necessary"
The report recites all the facts that have
been brought out in the Competitor case,
her ownership, capture and the citizenship
of the three men named in the resolution.
together with the proceedings thus far
had by the Spanish authorities.
The trial, sentence, etc, the report char
acterizes as "mockery of trial"
The ailidavits of the parties are cited
to show that they were coerced into Span
ish waters in which case they were not
amenable to Spanish jurisdiction. They
We're not subject to piracy and intended
no act of depreciation on the high seas.
They were not subject to the Spanish au-
thorities on account Of the rebellion.
The report then says; Irrespective of
any Of the foregoing considera lions, the
conduct of Spain as hereinbefore detailed,
constitutes such delay and denial Of JUS
tce, and such an actual infection Of in
justice upon these men as to make it the
duty of this government to demand re-
paration therefor irrespective of any act
which these prisoners may have commit
ted up to the date of their capture Among
the acts of reparation which ought to be
demanded should be the release of these
captives"
Secretary Evarts Is quoted TO sustain
this position. The report declares that
the rights Of the men have been violated,
and continues: They have been tried
and sentenced to death by a summary
naval court martial in a proceeding which
has been annulled by the appellate courts
of Madrid on the ground that such a
court martial had no jurisdiction what
ever over them. Ten months have elaps-
ed since this death sentence was annulled
and they have not again been brought
to trial In the meantime they have
been subjected to protraeted preliminary
examinations preparatory to their trial by
another court martial which differs from
the first one in the fact that It Is less
summary and more formal in its charac-
ter than the first"
The report says that the men at the
first trial did not know until after the tes-
timony for the prosecution was in that
an interpreter was presents and the only
translations made to them was al the
close of the sangIinary proceedings when
they were asked ST they had anything 10
say and necessarily they could have lit
tie to say, yet one Of them protested that
he had not understood one word Of the
proceedings against him, by which his life
was adjudged forfeited.
with these protests" continues the re-
port, 1.-THE trial ended and the defendants
were Immediately sentenced to death. 1t
is now fourteen months since they were
arrested, during all Of which time they
have been held I'm the Cahanas fortress as
prisoners. Melton and Laborde are un-
questiOnably citizens Of the United States:
Gldea is a British subject but he was a
sailor upon an American vessel when ta X
en-. was acting as its mate, and Il Is the
opinion OF your committee that he is entit-
ed to be protected by this government. He
was serving under the flag ana he is en-
titled TO be protected by ID.
"ln our opinion, these acts Of delay and
denial Of Justice and Of the inhicuon OF
injustice, vitiate and make void any right
which Spain had in the beginning Of this
transaction TO proceed crimnally against
any OF these men. This government should
demand that they be set al liberty and that
the Competitor be restored 10 her owner,
as there Is no evidence that the owner
knew anything about the divergence Of the
vessel from It's regular voyage 20 Lemon
city, Fla"
-1H~e=-=-~@