Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-02-03
SLAIN IN COLD BLOOD.
Aranguren + lied by His CaptOrs
After He Had Surrendered.

Havana, Jan. 3l.-The following de-
tails of the death of Gen. Nestor Aran-
guren, who was killed on Thursday last,
have been received:
1T appears that the column under Col
AranJare, which had been operating in the
neighborhood of Campo Florido, captured
negro named Morales, whom they tor
tured in order to extort from him iLtorma-
ton regarding the insurgents For long
time the prisoner bore the torture and re-
FUSED to make a statement, but finally,
upon being promised a reward of $500, ne
agreed to betray Aranguren. Gen. Aran-
guren, the negro said, was in the habit of
visiting the house of a pacifico called
Cajagal, who lived in the Tapaste heights,
between the town of Tapaste and Campo
F'lorido. with his family, which consisted
OF his wife, a grown daughter, of whom
Gen. Aranguren was enamored, and sew
eral younger children.
Col. Anajare, with three columns, led
by himself and Lieut.. Coils. Arece ar Ben
edicto, the entire force numbering about
thousand, infantry and cavalry. proceed
ed, under the guidance of the negro Mo-
rales. to the hut. which they surrounded.
1T was the intention Of Col. Aranjare,
after assuring himself that all of those
whom he wished to secure were in the hut
to fall upon the building and capture the
inmates alive, but Lieut.. Col. Benedicto,
who was formerly second in command to
Maj Fonsdeviela advised that the inmates
be killed, and this was finally decided upon
When the hut had been completely sur
rounded squad Of men were ordered to
advance cautiously, which they did, arriv-
Ing near the entrance before being seen. A
child about eight years Of age was playing
outside the doorway of the building when
she discovered the soldiers and screaming
in alarm ran toward the hut to inform the
inmates of the presence of the Spaniards
volley from the squad stretched her life
less on the ground, and then a general firirg
was ordered by the Spanish commander
which resulted in the wounding of Aran-
guren in the leg, the killing of his servant
Fernandez, and the mortal wounding of
his sweetheart and another woman, the
latter of whom fled towards the woods and
fell dead a short distance away. Aran-
guren's sweetheart died from the effects of
her wounds while being taken to Campo
Florido.
"Aranguren was in bed when the Span
iards arrived, and, hearing the alarm given
by the child, ran out of the hut only par
TALLY dressed. His captor seized him and
made close search of his clothing for doc
uments relating to the death of Col Ruiz,
which they secured. They also obtained a
verbal declaration from the prisoner on
the same subject, and then bullet was
fired through his breast and he fell. but not
dying instantly, a bayonet was thrust
through the head, the weapon entering near
the mouth, ending his life.
while Arrangements death Is considered
just vengeance for the execution of Ruiz
the killing of women and children when
they could have taken alive is generally
condemned"
Washington, Jan. 31.-Senor Depuy
de LONE, the Spanish minister, has re-
ceived the following from Secretary
Congasta at Havana:
THE correspondents of certain papers are
already starting series of horrors in con-
nection with the killing of Nestor Aran-
guren. Not one of them has been out of
Havana, and all they say has been manu-
featured by the rebel agents. The facts are
as follows: A combination of columns
that had been operating several days de-
fe&ted on the 9th the band of Aranguren, of
about 100 men, They captured one prisoner.
who led a small force as guide, and the
rest of the troops covered all the issues of
a place called La Pila en- ell Monte, where
Aranguren was in hiding with his escort.
The rebels when discovered fired at the
troops, who replied, advancing suddenly.
dispensing the escort, killing Aranguren
and four others and capturing five pris-
oners, one of them wounded. The escort
escaped and with 1t the mistress of Aran-
guren. In the place was found a woman
wounded, who was not seen until after the
engagement. She was carried in a litter to
Campo Florido in order to try to save her
by giving her proper attendance.
LAS a proof of the falsehood of the re-
ports about to be circulated there is the
fact that five prisoners have been can
tured, and that none of the dead had a
single saber or machete cut. The documents
captured on the body of Aranguren prove
that he was Ruiz assassin. The saddle
he used was Ruiz, and he had two buttons
of Ruiz uniform in his pocket, as already
reported.
Havana, Jan. 31.--The killing of Gen.
Aranguren has aroused much excite
ment in Havana. The killing of Maria
Sarsa, his mistress, is severely cen
sured on all sides. The shooting
through a frail hut, known to con-
tain women and children, without
challenge or any means given for the
escape of the noncomba tants, has by
it's savagery lost Blanco all the ground
Spain gained by the revulsion of feel
ing over the killing of Col. Ruiz by
Aranguren.
Carthegenia, Spain, Jan. 31.-The
first-class armoreG cruiser Viscaya has
started for America. The rest of the
Spanish squadron is preparing to sail
for Havana. The ironclad Cristobal
Colon, formerly Gieuseppe Garibaldi H..
will accompany the torpedo fotilla
later.
Madrid, Jan. 31.-It is announced that
the Spanish fleet will, in the first place,
proceed to the Canaries to engage in