The San Francisco call., 1898-05-06
THE REVENGE
 OF 4 CUBAN w Weyler'S Relative in Grave Peril at Key
 w How Laborde Paid Back an Insult to a Helpless
 Prisoner. Men Captured on the Argonauta Taken North as Prisoners Of

KEY WEST, Fla, May 5.-The pris- oners captured on the steamer Argo- nauta were sent north on the steamer City of Key West this morning. They were a colonel and nine staff officers, one sergeant and nine privateS. A guard of ten soldiers of the Twenty fifth United States Infantry, command ed by Lieutenant Moss, acted as escort. Unusual precautions were taken by the military authorities here to pre- vent the Cubans wreaking summary vengeance on Colonel Vicente de Corfu jo. Colonel De Cortijo is distantly re- lated to General Weyler and was on his staff during the latters reign in Cuba. For more than a year he was governor of CabanaS fortress, where most of the Cuban political prisoners are confined, and was noted for his cruelty to the captives. He is said to have been par ticularly venomous toward any Cu- bans suspected of sympathy with the insurgents.
 His cruel acts numbered hundreds and the CubanS Swore to have his life. On this account Colonel De Cortijo's s capture was purposely kept from the Cubans here by the United States au- thorities. What seemed a retrbutive circumstance, however, placed his life in imminent peril.
 The Competitor incident, which oc- cured during Weyler'S rule, was one of the first events which stirred the peo- pie of the United States to a realiza- tion of the condition in Cuba The captain of the ill-fated Competitor was Alfredo Laborde, a Cuban He had rel ativeS in the inSurgent army, and was known to be an active sympathiZer in the cause of Cuba fibre. When La lz1 Cabanas fortress, he was brought be- fore Colonel De Cortijo. Laborde knowing himself to be unjustly de- tained, requested permission to make a statement to the governor of the prison In response Colonel De Cortijo leaned across his magistrates desk and delib- erately spat in Laborde's face. The Spanish officials present openly ap- plauded this act of their superior tow ard a helpless prisoner.
 Laborde was then cast into a cell far beneath the earth, but he took an oath to revenge himself on the man who had insulted him. Time and Consul Lee brought about Laborde's release from cabanas fortress, but a price had been put on his head by Weyler and he could not return to Cuba to get ven- geance.
 Weyler was recalled. and with him went Colonel Cortijo. His absence only u. Two years passed. When war between Spain and the United States began, he volunteered his services as pilot to Ad- n1iral Sampson. He was accepted and assigned to the gunboat Nashville His knowledge of all the intricacies of the Cuban coast and it's waters made him very valuable. When the Argohauta, with Colonel De Cortijo and staff on board, was intercepted off Cienfuegos and captured, fate decreed that the prisoners should be taken on the Nash vile to Key West. One of the first men to see Colonel De Cortijo after he was taken over the Nashville's side was Laborde.
 his face pale with the degrading recol- lection, Laborde stepped directly in front of the Spanish colonel. Do you remember me?" he asked in Spanish.
 Colonel De Cortijo looked at the white faced man for several seconds. then shook his head.
 Perhaps Cabanas fortress and this. y calculated Laborde, splitting in De Cor tijo's face, will assist your memory. ,
 It was De Cortijos turn to grow pale. but he did not reply. A naval officer ordered Laborde away and the incident closed.
 The prisoners will be taken direct to Fort McPherson, near Atlanta They seemed glad to get away from Key West, for there are too many Cubans here. Just before leaving their bag gage was searched, and it is said docu- ments were found which will be for warded to Washington.
 The monitor Miantonomoh arrived from Philadelphia to-day.
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