The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-04-28
(ChicagO Record. }

1t is less than twenty-five years
since another vessel whose crew met
its fate in a Spanish port in Cuba
was the subject of an intense public
interest as to-day is directed toward
the Maine. The case of the Virginius
had in it elements of tragedy that
made it more spectacular and dra-
matte than that of the Maine, and
American spirit was worked to an
even higher tension than it is now
before diplomacy and caution avert
ed war between the United States
and Spain. In the case of the Vir-
ginius tue facts of Spanish aggres
sion were in no way denied, but on
the contrary, avowed for time with
| pride until the authorities at Madrid
subdued their people, who were
making "A sentiment more difficult by
| their talk. The only controversy
was as to whether or not SPANS
| action in the matter was within its
rights. But the settlement, how
ever it may have left the rights of
the vessel still unsOlvea, was a re-
Duke to Spain, and for its execution
| of American citizens with scarelv
| formalitv OF law it has never been
| forgiven by those who remember it.
Whatever diplomacy decided as to
| being satisfied.
| The FirginiuS WAS originally an
English built side wheel steamer call
Ell the Virgin, and during the war
between the States was one OF the
most famous blockade runners until
captured by vessel of the United
States. In 1870 she was sold i'll
Washington to an agent of the Cuban
Junta at New York, her name was
changed to Nirginius, and she cleared
for Curacao in the West Indies.
From that time until her unhappy fate
she was never in the United States
waters. At Aspinwall and in the
ports of Venezuela, and the West
Indies she was known for three years
as the most daring and most success
full of tiibusterers, making repeated
landing on the Cuban coast with
supplies of arms, ammunition, food
and clothes for the insurgents who
were then fighting the ten-year war.
In all her tilibustering it was claimed,
however, that the Virginius never
lost her character as an American
ship, though the Cuban flag was kept
at the masthead whenever that
practice served any good purpose.
The vessel sailed on the fatal voyage
from Kingston Jamaica, October %,
1878, having cleared at the United
| States consulate as United States
vessel bound for Port Simon, Costa
| Rico. The commander was Captain
Joseph Fry, Il citizen of the United
States. The cargo was made up OF
| munitions of war for the Cuban insur-
gents. and the crew was part or
Cuban and part of American citizens.
There were also on board a number
of enlisted men on their way to join
the insurgent army.
1t was not until October 81 that
the Virginius approached the coast
of Cuba to make her landing, and
was intercepted by the Spanish gun
boat Tornado. The Tornado had been
built by the same English firm that
constructed the Virginius, also for
blockade running, but in the race
that followed the Virginius was I'M
able to equal the speed of the Spanish
pursuer. The chase lasted eight
hours, during which the men Of the
Virginius threw overheard all the
munitions and guns they carried, to
DESTROY evidence of their intentions.
Finally at 10 O'Clock at night, the
Virginius was stopped and surren-
dered in response to the cannon shots
of the Tornado, which had come in
range. The captain protested that
his papers were regular and that the
Nirginius was ian American ship,
carrying American colors and papers,
with an American captain and Amerl-
can crew In response he was told
that he was a pirate. his flag was
lowered and trampled upon and the
Spanish flag hoisted in its place,
i When the Tornado and the Nir'
ginius reached Santiago de Cuba the
next day the 155 men captured were
placed in close confinement and 8
court martial was convened at once.
The various courts martial condemn
ed most of them to death, this
summary proceeding being. as it was
alleged. in accordance with Spanish
laws. so far at least as the character
of the court and the nature of the
t judicial forms were concerned. The
: first executions were on the morning
of November /. when four men were
shot one of them being Brigadiel
Washington Ryan. who claimed
British citizenship, as a Canadian
although he had served in the Union
army during the late war. The
. victims were shot in the back. theil
bodies were afterwards beheaded, the
heads displayed on spikes and the
trunks trampled by horses. George
, w. Sherman, the correspondent OF
the New York Herald, tried to sketch
the scene and was imprisoned TO
four days for his attempt. A guare
kept the American Consul in hi'
house, SO he could not appear to pro
test.
On November s, twelve more mel
=, were executed, and November 1:
o thirtv-seyen were executed, this las
5 batch included the officers and crev
$ of the Nirginius and most of tn
= American citizens. At 1 O'Clock il
II the afternoon the condemned mel
were marched to the place of execu
), ton. passing and saluting the Amer
e lean consulate. where the flag wa
d not flying from its staff. Captain
% FRY was shot first and was the onl
man. though the soldiers stood bu
II ten feet away, who fell dead at tn
3 first volley. The majority OF tn
poor-fellows, as the firing continued
were wounded and killed as they la