The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-06
CASE OF THE WReINlUS.
HOW WAR WAS AVERTED IN 1873
BY DIPLOMACY.
Outrages Committed by Spain Twen-
ty-Five Years Ago That stirred the
Country-ExecutiOn of American
Citixens-The settlement.

From the Chicago Record.
Washington, Feb. 27.-It 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 dramatic than that of the
Maine, and American spirit was worked
10 an even higher tension than 1t Is now
before diplomacy and caution averted a
war between the United States and Spain.
In the case of the Virglnius the facts Of
Spanish aggression were in no way de-
MED, but, on the contrary, avowed for a
time with pride. until the authorities at
Madrid subdued their people. who were
making a settlement more difficult by their
talk. The only controversy was as to
whether or not spain's action in the mat
ter was within its rights But the settle
ment, however it might have left the
rights of the vessel still unsolyed, was a
rebuke to Spain, and for its execution Of
American citizens with scarcely formal
ity of law 1t has never been forgiven by
those who remember it, whatever diplo-
macy dcided as 10 being satisfied.
The Virginius was originally an Eng
lish-built sidewheel steamer called the Wiz
gin, and during the war between the states
was one of the most famous blockade
runners until captured by a vessel OF the
United States. In 1870 she was sold IN
Washington to an agent of the Cuban
Z Juuta at New York, her name was
changed TO the Virginius, and she cleared
for Curacao in the West Indies. From
that lime until her unhappy fate she was
never IN United States waters. At Aspin-
wall and in the ports of Venezuela and the
West Indies she was known for three
years as the most daring and most sue
cessful of filibusters. making repeated
landings on the Cuban coast witch supplies
OF arms, ammunition, food and clothes
Tor the insurgents who were then fight
ing the ten-year war. In all her hlibus-
tering IL was claimed, however, that the
Nirginius 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, Oct. %, 1873. having
cleared at the United States consulate as
a United States vessel bound for Port
simon, Costa Rica, The commander was
Capt. Joseph Fry, a citizen of the United
states. The cargo was made up of NUM-
tons of war for the Cuban INSURGENTS
and the crew was pari of Cuban and
part of American citizens. There were
also on board number of enlisted men
on their way to join the nsurgent army.
II was not until Oct. 81 that tn Virginius
approached the coast of Cuba to make her
landing, and intercepted by the Spanish
gunboat Tornado. The Tornado had been
bdilt by the same English firm that con-
structed the Nirginius, also for blockade
running, but in the race that followed The
Nirginius was unable TO equal the speed
of her Spanish pursuer. The chase lasted
eight hours, during which the men of the
NHglnius threw overheard all the ammuni-
tons and guns they carried, TO destroy
evidence Of their intent. Finally. at 10
O'Clock at night, the Virginius was stopped
and surrendered in response to the can
non shots of the Tornado, which had come
IN range. The captain protested
that ms papers We're regular and that the
Virginius was IAN American ship carry
ing American colors and papers with an
American captain and an American crew.
IN response he was told that he was a pi-
rate, his flag was lowered and trampled
upon, and the Spanish flag hoisted in it's
place.
When the Tornado and the Virginii,s
reached Santiago de Cuba the next day the
100 men captured were placed in close CON
nnement and court-martial was conyen-
ca az once. The various courts-martial
condemned most if not all of the prisoners
10 death, this summary proceeding being.
as was alleged, in accordance with Spanish
laws, so far at least as the character of
the court and the nature of the judicial
forms were concerned. The first execu
lions were on the morning of Nov. A. when
TOUR men were shot, one of them being
brlgadler Washington Ryan. who claimed
BRUSH citizenship, as a Canadian all
though he had served In the union army
during the late war. The victims were
shot IN the back. and their bodies were
afterward beheaded, the heads displaya
on spikes and the trunks trampled by
horses. George W. Sherman. the CORES
pondent of the New York Herald. tried TO
sketch the scene and was imprisoned for
four days for his attempt. A guard kept
the American consul in his house. so he
could nor appear to protest
On Nov. twelve more men were exc
cuted, and Nov.13 thirty-seven were eye.
cuted. this last batch including the ON
GERS and crew of the Virginius and most
OF the American citizens. Al 4 o'clock in
the afternoon the condemned men were
marched 80 the place of execution. mass
ing and saluting the American consulate.
where the flag was not flying from its
staff Capt. Fry was shot first. and was
the only man, though the soldiers stood
but ten feet away who fell dead at the
first volley. The majority of The moor
fellows, as the firing continued. were
wounded, and killed as they lay on the
ground by the usual Spanish fashion OF
firing rifles in the mouths of those who
were disabled. The second engineer of the
Vfrginius was among those executed. He
had made a declaration TO the Spanish
that he had tempered with The engines
and cut down the speed of the vessel
so that she could be captured. and was
marched with the rest to prevent his
comrades from knowing that he was to he
spared. He was shot by mistake. while
making frantic protests and explanations
but, as he was a traitor in one way or
the other. his death was she only one OF
all tthat was never regretted
During all this time the consuls at San
tiago were not idle but they were help
less. f. q. Schmitt, the American vice
consul, and Theodore Brooks the British
vice consul. made all sorts Of protests MAT
We're unavailing. Schmitt was not per-
mitted to see the prisoners before or after
the court martial, until the very end. when
he reached Capt. Fry and signed his pro-