The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-06
HE SANG OF FREEDOM.
Therefore Spain Murdered Don Jose
RizaI
From the New York Press.

hlEnl.
From the New York Press
Perhaps the saddest and the most he
roic story of the war, as far as Spain is
concerned, was enacted some days ago IN
the military prison of Barcelona, twelve
soldiers and the most promising young
poet Spain has produced for fifty years
being the chief performers.
AS the smoke of the AIausers cleared
away the provost general threw a blan-
ket over the lifeless form of Don Jose
Rial the genius of freedom buried her
head and the muse wept But the court
martial declared that justice had been
done and that the honor of Spain was the
richer for the life ended and the heart
broken. Aye. it was an affair of the heart
as well as of politics, for the priest who
attended Don Jose at the ditch had laic
the poets hand into that of a lovely girl
ten minutes before the curtain rose upon
the last act of the drama of his life.
Don Jose, the notable victim of a war
which seems to demand more civilian than
military blood belonged to one OF the
proudest old families Of CASTLE Though
scarcely 30 year old, his name was famil-
lar to the Spanish-speakng peoples the
world over. The younger generation and
the women generally loved him as one
of their most gifted lyric poets the world
of science and letters looked upon him as
an inventor and historian of wonderful
promise. Rich, healthy, energetic, and
enthusiastic, he was allowed TO put into
his literary work the best that was in
him. Possessing ample means for prose-
cutting his scientific Investigations, he
pushed them to the utmost length.
The Rizals have always owned large es-
tates in the Philippines, a country Don
Jose loved. Two years ago he set out for
the Islands to make them his home and
tn frrlr fn1lr l,v.1
among that poor down-trodden race. His
heart went out to them Every true poet
feels for the oppressed; that is In the ma
ture of poetry. Don Jose, a veritable child
as to politics, seems to have let his heart
run away with his head. What he felt
for the natives, what he had seen of the
conditions under which they groaned, he
put on paper. and his Tyre only too gen.
erOusy responded to the rich impulse of
freedom that swayed him. He wrote per-
haps a dozen poems setting forth the JUS
tice of the islands demands and calling
upon them to defend their ideals.
These poems, conceived in the warmth
| of a freedom hungry heart found ready
echo among those to whom they were adj
dressed. The natives, without literature,
sadly in need of an intellectual leader,
began to look upon Don Jose as their ma
tional poet. His songs, written in an
easy style, became in an incredibly short
! space of time the property of the common
| people. They were sung at all their meet
| ings, the women sang them in the fields,
| the men on their hunting and fishing
trips. and especially when they entered
upon the warpath. What the poet had
intended for an expression of his own
! justice-loving soul became a battle cry
| wholly without effort on his part, and
indeed without his knowledge.
On April l, just a month before Admiral
| Dewey steamed into Manila harbor, Don
/ V<eA r4,slr
Gen. August, at the moment when he en-
/ barked with a party of friends for the is
! land of Iloilo 10 celebrate his betrothal
with Senorita Louise Taufers, a daughter
| of the former consul general of the Ger
man empire, f. B. Taufers.
/ Rial, his intended wife, his new rela-
! tives and friends We're dumbfounded The
| poet was unaware of having done any
| thing unlawful. He could easily prove
! that he had no connection with the insur-
! gents; that, in fact, he was SO thorough a
! novice in matters political that he hardly
! knew the different parties by name.
! No matter-Augusu mad his orders Ri
! zal offered his extensive estates as secur-
! ity. He was laughed at. These estates had
! already been confiscated. Consul General
! Taufers offered bail 10 any amount 1t was
| refused. After a short season of incarCer-
alton, Don Jose was carried TO the man.
! Of-War Gorilla and was sent to Spain.
| At Barcelona a court martial forthwith
assent led to sit upon the case. The crime
! charged against Don Jose was high trea-
son.
The proceedings were short and to the
! point. When Don Jose had confessed that
! certain poems attributed to him were pro-
! ducts OF his pen, "he was already a dead
! man.
| 1t seems almost beyond belief that at
the end of the nineteenth century, a man
! should be executed for his opinions, but
| such was the governments intention from
| the start. Rizals family and the family of
his bride eXerted themselves vainly in his
| behalf. a respite until Don Jose's bride and
| sisters had arrived from Manila was all
| their efforts Welded.
On May q the young women arrived; on
the same day Senorita Taufers had an in
! terview with Don Jose She found a
! changed man. The poet, used to light
! and air. to luxury and freedom, was a
| broken-hearted man, who had withered in
! the foul prison air. He first refused 10
see her. What was he to her. man con-
| demned TO die by powder and lead? But
| after he had talked 10 Louise he consented
to ask a last boon of the Queen Regent
he begged TO be allowed to give his name
| 10 the woman he loved.
on the evening of May 81 that permis-
! sion was gazetted. On the morning of
! the following day the young couple were
| quietly married in the prison chapel Jose
| anu Louise were Together loE ten min
| utes and the Witnesses TO the scene say
that neither spoke single word after the
| ceremony.
Az the end Of the time the priest touched
| Don Jose's arm IL was the signal that
! death was waiting Then the poet fell
upon his brides neck with the words.
mi ultimo pensamiento," and a flood of
| tears broke from his eyes.
! Presently platoon of soldiers appeared
! outside the chapel The commanding Off
! Ger entered. naked sword in hand. The
! young wife swooned away. Don Jose
! pressed a last kiss upon her white lips,
| turned upon his heels, and. holding his
head high walked TO his death