Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-12-23
GEN GOMEZ oBEYED.
Autonomy Envoy In Executed by II
surgents.

ItaVaf,a Ice. LII eX~cltenleug
prevailed here Saturday when it be-
came known that Capt. Gen. Blanco,
In order to save the life of his adju-
tant, Col. Ruiz, had taken the extra
ordinary step Of submitting to Ameri-
can Intervention by requesting Consul
General Lee to use his influence in in-
terfering for mercy with Col. Nestor
Aranguren. to whose camp Col. Ruiz
had been sent with a proposition to
surrender.
That Col. Ruiz has already paid the
final penalty formally prescribed by
Gen. Gomez to be inflicted on any per-
son entering a rebel camp to negotiate
terms of peace there can be no doubt.
The consequences of the death of
this intrepid but imprudent officer will
be OF the utmost importance, for with
him perishes the last hope of the gov
eminent being able to negotiate any
terms with the insurgents. 1t will be
useless now to attempt TO find any one
so foolhardy as to deliberately invite
h fate melted out to the captain gen
erals adjutant. 1t means that the in
surgents will now continue the strug-
gle with even more than their present
determination, and that it will be
marked by all the atrocities that at
tend a war in which quarter is neither
asked or given.
Col. Ruiz went TO Col. Aranguren's
camp on Sunday and on Wednesday
morning IL was confidently asserted i'm
Havana that he had been killed. On
the following day the Russian consul,
MIR. Truffain, called on Gen. Lee and
asked him if he were willing to take
action to save Col. Ruiz's life, the colo
mel having been personally acquainted
with Gen. Lee. Gen. Lee was much
surprised. and said he wished to know
positively first whether the man was
dead or alive. If alive he would be
glad to save his life, but he declined to
take action unless authorized or re-
quested to do so by Gen. Blanco. Mr..
Truffain suggested going at nee to
the palace and the W. consuls drove
there. Gen. Lee saw Gen. Blanco, who
expressed an earnest desire to the
American consul to place himself in
communication with the insurgents
and exert all his influence to have
mercy extended to Col. Ruiz. Gen.
Lee expressed n willingness to oblige
the captain general, and undertook to
send to Col. A%ranguren's camp Ernest
Tosca. an employee of the consulate
and n naturaliZed citizen. Mr.. Tosca
left Havana, carrying a letter from
Gen. Lee to Col. Aranguren requesting
that mercy be extended to Col. Ruiz, TX
consistent with the orders of his mill
tary superior.
1t Is stoutly asserted by palace of
ficials that Col. Ruiz is still alive.
despite the receipt of this telegram by
Gen. Lee:
''Have just arrived from the enemy's
camp. where / slept. Ruiz was exc
cuted on the day Of his arrival. |
leave for Havana this evening with
proofs. -Tosca
Reported MT the Spanish Legation.
Washington, Dee. 21.-The following
cable advlces were received at the
Spanish legation:
absolutely trustworthy advices per-
nit us to affirm that Ruiz was shot
with Aranguren Friday by order OF
Alexander Rodriguez. After several
letters exchanged between Ruiz and
Aranguren, Ruiz left on Monday to
meet Arangureu, not upon official mis-
sion, and only as a friend. 1t is not
known how Rodriguez arrived, but the
fact is that the leader ordered the
shooting of both. The ferocity of such
act and proceeding indicates better
than anything else the faith In auton-
omy. the insurgents being obliged to
resort to terror to prevent the disband-
ing of their bands. Such Is the gen.
eral opinion and public opinion unani-
mously qualities such act as savage
and unworthy. -Congosto."