The herald., 1898-12-11
Press Special Wire

PARIS, Dec lO.--The joint peace commits
sion met at $3.50 p. M The Americans were
the first to arrive at the foreign Office, the
Spaniards coming half an hour later. Senor
Montero Rios, president of the Spanish COM
mission, assembled the steps leaning on cane
and bundled up I'M a fur coat. The Ameri-
cans snook hands with the Spaniards when
the latter entered the conference hall. The
faces of the representatives of Spain were
exceedingly solemn. Apparently they re-
garded the occasion as funereal one.
TREATY NOT READY
The treaty, which was not completed, was
brought in sections in the hands of the en-.
grossers, while the commissions were sit
ting After being photographed, the com
missioners listened to the reading of the
treaty until 5:l5, at which hour they took
recess until clock, while awaiting the
arrival of the treaty. The long sessions
arrival of the last sections of the treaty.
The long session this afternoon and the
subsequent recess were due only to the fact
that each article of the treaty had to be
carefully read and compared in Spanish and
English, and to the fact that the engrossng
of the last article in Spanish was incom
pete.
THE DOCUMENT SIGNED
The treaty of peace was signed at S:45 this
evening.
Although the commissions met at half
past 3 clock, expecting to finish their work
in half an hour, the engrossing of the treaty
on parchment was found to be so trouble
some that it delayed the signing of the doe
ument until $40. Clerk Martin of the
American commission, who worked all day
without even stopping to eat, when he came
into the chamber at 7:30 with the document
found the commissioners waiting The Span
ish copy had arrived an hour earlier Mr..
Ferguson then proceeded to read first the
English and then after that the Spanish
version of the treaty This finished, two
copies were passed around the table, the
commissioners signing them in the order of
their rank; William r. Dav Senator Cush.
man X. Davis. Senator William p. Frye,
White'aw Reid and Senator George Gray;
Senor Montero Rios, Senor Abarzuza, Senor
Garnica. Senior Nillauruta and General Ger
rero Y Saons, each commission signing the
opponents treaty. Both were tied with the
Spanish and American colors.
When the seals were prepared to be af
fved attendants were sent scurrying for
ribbons of the French tri-color, with which
the documents were sealed as a compliment
to the French hosts of the commission.
Many officials interestedly watched every
detail of the proceedings.
The last seal being impressed, the COM
missioners rose and. without formality, each
member shook the hands of all of his antag-
onists and exchanged assurances of sincere
personal esteem.
PENS IN DEMAND
There has been a great contest among the
families and friends, of the American com
miseioners for possession of the pens with
which the signatures to the treaty were
written. Some of the Americans were pro
vided with handsome pens purchased for
the purpose. The Spaniards appeared to be
unaffected by the souvenir craze and con.
tented themselves with the ordinary quill
pens strewn on the table.
Arthur Ferguson, the interpreter of the
American commission, requested Senor
Montero to give him his pen, saying: "Have
you any desire to preserve the pen with
which you will sign?"
''Not in the slightest" said the Spaniard,
with a courtly bow
EXCUSABLE ACERBITY
The Spaniards afterward commented ac.
riGly upon what they termed the bad taste
OF the Americans in mastering crowd of
attaches to goat over the conslummation of
their downfall and the scramble for relics
The signing was finished at S:45. At that
time the door Of the chamber opened and
Senor NiHaurutia appeared and exclaimed
to group of correspondents who were wait
ing in the corridor
"Cest fni!'
The other members of the Spanish CON-
mission followed Senor Villaurutia and |
passed silently through the vestibule 10
their waiting carriages, the American COM
missioners stroling out, chatting complac
entity, and as they descended the steps the
lights in the chamber were darkened.
SEVENTEEN ARTICLES
The treaty signed consists of seventeen