The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-03-10
HORRIBLE! HORRIBLE!

HOHHlBLE. HOHHIBLE.
May the curses of all mankind, to
the latest generations, rest on the
memory OF Grover Cleveland, for his
treatment or the poor Cubans. 1t has
been dastardly to the last extre nifty.
Read the following and then remem-
Der that when Consul General Lee
wired the administration for war
ships three days elapsed before any reply
uas receired! In the meantime an
American citizen was pounded to
death in a Havana prison. Read the
horrible details:
New York, Feb. PA special from
Havana to the Sun gives the following
story:
The torture known as "componte"
in Cuba and by means Of which the
American citizen, DR.. Ricardo Ruiz,
was assassinatCd by the most barDar-
Gus Of all the cruel punishments in
vented by the Spaniards.
A prisoner is beaten, sometimes
with cane and sometimes with a
large cylindrical piece of iron, until
he faints from pain or loss OF blood.
His wounds are then cared for, and
when he is better the awful treatment
is repeated.
Care is taken by the savage execu-
tiOnerS that the victim shall not die
at the first "compontc." The design is
to kill him by degrees, and when the
climax OF cruelty is reached, then a
powerful and decisive blow on the
head puts an end to the IOor victim $
Suffer ingS.
Ii Consul General Lee lives in Cuba
much longer he will come to under
stand perfectly what was meant by
the componte when some prisoners in
by this method DR.. Ruiz had been
done to death by the orders of Major
EOndaviela.
The American citizen, DR.. Ruiz,
suffered the componte for four days.
Fondaviela and the Marquis of
Ahumada say that he committed sui
eide in fit of madness.
There is no doubt that he was out
of his sense when killed. He was
bereft OF reason by his knowledge Of
the terrible end which awaited him,
and Of his perfect helplessness.
The torture began on Friday. Feb.
II, Ruiz was patiently awaiting as
sistance from the American consul
ate, it being then the ninth day of
his arrest. The only persons who had
entered his cell were the Auditor de
Guerra and his notary. He declared
before them that he was innocent of
any connection with the insurgents,
denied all the charges against him,
and, asserting his American citizen
ship, asked permission to communi-
cate with the American consul gen.
eral.
He received no answer, and was left
alone. Meanwhile his wife sent word
to Consul General Lee, and later called
herself at the American consulate.
General Lee, as usual in these cases,
notified the state department of the
arrest, and awaited instructions, which
did not come. Neither General Lee
nor Mrs. Ruiz could believe that the
doctor was In danger Of being assas-
sinated.
Without any answer from Washing
ton and without any more news from
DR.. Ruiz, the time passed until Feb,
18th
On the night Of Feb. II, the doors
Of the cell in which DR.. Ruiz was con-
fined were opened. and the componte
began. The details of the awful scene
cannot be told, as no witness was
there except RUIZ and his murderers.
What all the other prisoners heard
were the desperate cries Of the victim,
his entreaties for mercy. and his des-
pairing imprecatiOnS. "A fact is also
known, which is proof that the tor
ture was inflicted by the majors or
ders. for at the door Of the cell, while
jor Fondaviela, and several times he
addressed the prisoner and the execu-
tionerS.
On the 18th, about p. M, the scene
was repeated. The unfortunate Ruiz
appears to have made desperate ef-
fort to over throw his enemies and
get to the door. The noise sounded
as though he had made IA leap, and
had at once received a terrible blow
which felied him, and as he fell he Ut
tered loud cry.
The door was Immediately locked,
and the asSassins, passing through one
Of the narrow halls, expressed to each
other the fear OF having killed the
man against orders"
One of them was plainly seen in the
dim light OF the corridor. He wore
the uniform Of soldier belonging to
the military police called Orden Pub
iico.
On the next day, Sunday, Ruiz was
left alone in his cell and the torture
was not repeated. He passed the day
crying. "Socorro, 5 ocUrro.' (Hclp, help)
for hour; together, until his strength
was exhausted.
During the night. like wild beast
in its cage, the doctor was heard
scratching the walls and the door OF
his prison. How could he live in such
situation and suffer still two tor
lures more?
The situation Of his fellow prisoners
was also most distressing. They
breathlessly heard his cries OF agony
and expected the same fate for them
selves from one moment to another.
Fear and the instinct OF self-preserva-
ton made him keep silent, while DR.,
Ruiz was appealing for help.
On Monday night, the murderers in
ficted upon the doctor one or two
blows. The voice Of the unfortunate
mal was not heard again that even
ing. He was thought to be dead by
everyone in the prison except the in
famous agents OF Fondaviela.
On Tuesday. night. the 10Th, the
struggles and cries were heard again.
and also the last tremendous blow
which put an end to Ru rs life.
The above details are now known to