The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-16
SURRENDER IS complete.

owing +o a misunderstanding of what
was said at the personal interview be
tween General Shafter and General
Toral at noon At that time our in
terpreter, translating the language of
General Toral had given Generals
Shafter. Miles and Wheeler distinctly
to understand that Captain General
BIanco had consented that the COM
missioners should have plenary powers
to negotiate the terms of surrender,
such terms as they agreed upon to be
binding upon both parties. Something
was said about a notification to the
Madrid government, but General
shafter insisted that the capitulation
had been actually agreed to and that
no further consent of the Madrid gov
ernment was required. =
When the commissioners met shortly
after o'clock in the afternoon, those
in behalf of General ToraL General
Escario, Lieutenant Colonel Foran,
and Robert Mason. the British vice
consul, combatted at once the idea
that the capituIation had in fact ac-
tualIy taken place. The consent of
Madrid, they insisted was still neces-
sary, but at the same time they
claimed strongly that it would be
forthcoming.
General Toral who was present and
who in fact, directed the negotiations
on his own behalf, said he had never
been overruled by the captain general.
Still he added until Madrid had sane
toned it, Santiago had not capitulated.
All this was extremely unsatisfactory
to our commissioners, who clung te-
naciously to the understanding Gen.
Shafter had received earlier in the day.
Finally with the question of whether
or not the Spanish forces had actually
surrendered still open, the commission
ers proceeded to the consideration of
the preliminaries.
Capt. NIiley had drawn up thirteen
articles of a general nature, and these
were submitted to General Toral per
sonaIly He made a strong appeal that
the word "capitulation" be used in
stead of the harsher term surrender"
and that his army be allowed to march
out the officers with their side arms
and the men with their small arms.
He said the arms could afterwards be
sent to Spain either on the same ships
with the troops or on some other ships.
General Toral further remarked that
he expected our commissioners as rep
resentatives of a brave and chivalrous
people would not seek to humiliate his
army or make it appear that he was
vanquished.
AS brave men his soldiers desired to
go home with honor. They had simply
yielded to superior force and did pre-
fer dying to going home without their
honor. Our commissioners did not re-
sist this appeal but said it lay beyond
the terms laid down by cur government
and they could only recommend the
matter to Washington. At o'clock
Gen. ToraI went to the city to consult
with Gen. Linares. Gen. Toral and the
Spanish commissioners returned at $50
saying they desired a still further
change in the phraseology of the ar
ticles and suggested a postponement of
the negotiations until morning. This
Gen. Wheeler firmly declined. There
upon a recess was taken until $50. The
commissioners returned at that hour
and the articles were again gone over
in detail Various changes of verbiage,
which tended only to soften the sound
of the terms without affecting the sense,
were proposed by the Spaniards and
our commissioners accepted practically
all of them.
Shortly after midnight Gen. Wheeler
suggested that the good faith of the
Spaniards be tested. All the articles
were re-read and each commissioner in
turn was asked if they were satisfac-
tory. When they replied in the affirm
ative. Gen. Wheeler asked them to af-
fix their signatures. This they appear
ed reluctant to do but they could not
well refuse. When all had signed, the
commissioners separated to meet again
at $50 in the morning.
The Proposed Terms.
The present municipal authorities are
to continue in control of the city until
the Spanish troops are embarked. The
Spanish troops from other points are
to be embarked at the nearest points.
Refugees are to return to their
homes, but not until the sanction of
Madrid is received, and the same ap-
plies to the removal of the obstruc-
tions at the mouth of the harbor
Pending this, however, Miss Clara
Barton and the Red Cross agents with
supplies are to be allowed to enter
the city over the line of the Juragua
railroad.
The water pipe which was cut is to