Evening journal., 1898-04-23
THE YIRGIHIUS MASSACRE
THE STORY OF ARTHUR NORD. OF
CLEVELAND, ONE OF THE SUR


VIVORS.
Arthur Nord, who was o passenger |
on the Virglnius when she was cap
tured by the Spanish and who mar
rowly escaped with his life, is now liv-
ing in Cleveland, Ohio. He gives The
following story to the Cleveland Plain
Dealer;
'After a stop Of ten days at Porto
Rico / left on the steamer Arno for st.
Thomas, the island our government
Is considering buying from Denmark.
There / boarded a sailing vessel for
Kingston, Jamaica, arriving in due
time. l wandered to the wharf a few
days later and learned the Virginius,
a trim little steamer, was about to sail
for Cuba. l didn't know her exact
mission. but boarded and asked for
passage. l was gruffly informed that
the boat didn't carry passengers and
had directed my steps toward the deck.
/ had gone but a short distance when a
mamie proved to be the captain OF
the Virginius-asked me II had sought
passage to Cuba, / replied that ! had
and IN manner much more gentle
than / noticed a moment before but
still firm, he said: "Stay on board and
keep your mouth shut
In a short time the Virginius was
steaming out OF Kingston harbor fori
Cuba with arms, ammunition and pro-
visions for the insurgents. The boat
was built for Boston four years before
for the fruit trade, but had served in
that business but one year. Though
an American boat, she was practically
in English service, for at that time the
English in Jamaica were furnishing
anything the insurgents wanted. We
steamed along at good speed, with
out incident, and had sighted land,
when suddenly there loomed up in the
distance the Tornado, a Spanish man
of-war. There was a flush Of excite
ment and rustic OF the rudder chains,
and in little more time than II takes to
tell the Virginius was headed for King
ston, lashing the water beneath her
stern like an infuriated sea monster.
We were too much for the Tornado
and showed her a clean pair OF heels.
Soon we were again in the harbOr
from whence we started.
'But we did not make fast. Cap
tain Fry had made many such trips,
and was withal a shrewd man. lie
turned about almost as quickly as he
had done a few hours before, and We
were again headed for Cuba. Captain
Fry had figured that the Spanish war
ship would not be expecting the Nir-
ginus in Cuban waters again for two
weeks. and then at another point, and
basing his judgment on this had put
out Immediately for the war-stricken
island. All went we'll and we had
sighted land again from the very spot
in which we had done so before, when
suddenly we also sighted the Spanish
man-of-war, but much closer than be-
fore. The same tactics were followed,
but the Spaniards were close upon us.
Every effort was made to elude her,
and the boilers were crowded to al
most the explosion point Our coal
supply was exhausted and the decks
and everything available Tor fuel, IN
Guiding the supplies for the Cubans,
were consumed as fuel, but 1T was to
no avail, and we were overhauled.
ION board the Virginius were Cap
tain Fry, OF Boston, a New York cor
respondent by the name OF Gen Ryan
El- Sol and Jose MANUEL, leaders OF the
fnsareentr army, probably twenty-five
or thirty Cubans or other dark-skin-
ned people, and eighty-two English
men and Americans. We were al
taken aboard the Tornado and held
as prisoners. The Tornado then pro
ceeded to Havana harbOr, where Cap
tain Fry. Gen Ryan and El Sol anc
Jose MANUEL were sent ashore. VIZ
then proceeded to St. Jago de Cuba
where all the dark-skinned people
were sent ashore. The rest Of us
eighty-two Americans and English
men, were taken further on to Glen
fuegOs, where we were thrown int
prison. We remained in prison owe
night and the next day were marched
TO the outskirts of the city directly L
the rear OF a cemetery, where wer
buried all persons dying from small
pox or other infectious diseases. 1hi
cemetery is an isolated spot borders
aipon the water. Around the Ctne
three sides was q ditch six or sevei
feet deep. Along the length Of on
of these bitches the entire eighty-tw
men were placed, facing the ceme
terry, our backs to the Spaniards, VIII
at a command from an officer were I
send us into eternity. The firing sqia
was composed Of ten men, aud i
blocks of ten they were TO dispatc
us. Ready, aim, fire. came the word
in the Spanish tongue, and ten me
plunged forward with gaping wound
in their backs, mute testimony of th
the Spaniards. This operation was r.
peated again, and preparations wer
being made for third fire when con
motion among the firing party was ne
ticed. Up to that time l had not full
realized the fate that awaited me, an
half unconsciously turned to discov'
the cause of the delay. As l turne
saw coming to shore yawl boS
filed with English sailors the Office
in charge bearing aloft the Britis
flag. In turning I tripped, I lno
not how, and fell down the embanl
ment. Without giving Thought to m
surroundings l jumped TO my feet an
impulsively scrambled to the end
the ditch and ran in the direction
the yawl boat. / reached the shore
moment after the men had landed. al
one Of the sailors remained behind Il
others long enough to throw me in
the boat. Why l ran and how l c