The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-11
DEATH OF COLONEL RUIZ,
AN ACCOUNT OF HIS EXECUTION
BY THE INSURGENTS.
Consul General Lees Account Of the AT.
fair, Sent to the State Department, Laid
Before Congress-General Lees Efforts
to Save His Life-His Messenger Arrives
at thu Cuban Camp too Late-Ruiz Not
Under Flag Of Truce, and Acting With
out Orders.

| u OTueI9s
Washington, February The president
today transmitted to the house the re-
ports from Consul General Lee relative
TO the execution of Colonel Ruiz. which
the house called for by resolution. Those
reports consist of two dispatches to the
state department from General Lee. The
first, under date of December 2lst, is in
the form of a narrative account of the
circumstances attending the execution.
AS a matter Of public interest," says
General Lee, Il have the honor to inform
the department that ON Monday. Decem-
Der 18th, Lieutenant Don Joaquin Ruiz,
Of the Spanish corps Of engineers and
aide-de-camp of the captain general, an
officer Well and favorab.y known in the
city, visited Colonel Aranguren, an ac-
tive and e~nterprising insurgent chief
with whom he had been formerly well ac-
qualnted, as the latter had been in his
employment when Ruiz had charge OF
Lne waterworks of this city. Colonel
Ruiz left here at 6 O'Clock a. IN. Monday.
December 18th, aIightIng at Camp Flo
Vldo, tWenJy-one miles FROM this city,
where he Dreakfasted with the Spanish
commander, ard in company with prac-
tlcoS (guideS), a white man and a negro,
he rode on horseback into the direction
of Aranguren's camp. After he had pro-
ceeded two leagues ne was met by Aran-
guren, who was mounted and had an eS-
cOrt of fourteen cavalry. Colonel Ruiz,
after the exchange of Salutations, be-
gan a speech to Aranguren and his par
~, setting forth the prospective glories
of antOnOTnatic rule, and l am advised,
made offers upon the part of the author
tiles here for the surrender of his COM
maTd. Whereupon, Aranguren, acting
under the Instructions of his general-in-
chief, Maxine Gomez, had Colonel Ruiz
and his two men executed.
1t will be remembered that in Novem-
Der last Gomez issued a proclamation or
dering his officers to put to death any
person or persons that should approach
them with the effort to make them trail
tors to their comrades or cause, or to
induce them to accept autonomy under
Spanish rule. Aranguren, previous to the
war, lived in Havana with his mother,
but has since been a bold and active Of
ficer of the inSurgent ranks.
In accordance with a request made to
me by the Russian consul and other
friends of Colonel Ruiz, and with the
knowledge, consent and approval of Cen
eral Blanco, 1 made the attempt to save
the life of the Spanish officer, by send
ing to Colonel A~ranguren Mr.. Ernest
Tosca, as my representative here, with
the following note:
"'Habana, December 16, 1897.
Mr.. NeStOn Aranguren:
my Dear Sir: l am informed that a
Spanish officer named Colonel JOAQUIN
Ruiz is your prisoner. 1 write to say
that the said officer is a personal friend
of mine and has shown me kindness and
courtesy since my arrival in Habana. I
therefore,, request you as a special favor
to me to release Colonel Ruiz and to al
low him to- reurn to this capital. The
bearer of this note. Mr.. Ernesto Tosca, is
my personal representative and l COM
mend him to you. l am. etc,
[signed.] FITzHUGH LEE
Il regret to say" continues General
Lee, THAT my representative did not
reach the insurgent camp in time to de-
liver said note before Colonel Ruiz's exc
cutlon, which had taken place on the
day of Ruiz's arrival"
On December 3Oth. General Lee wrote
as follows:
referring to my previous dispatch, I
desire to say further that the note to
A~ranguren contained therein, was not de-
Mvered, because when my representative
reached his camp this insurgerit chief
was temporarily absent therefrom, but
the next ranking officer, then in COM
mand, gave to Mr.. Tosca the following
statement:
"'Camp of Cubba.
"Details Of the Death of Lieutenant
Colonel Joaquin Ruiz:
This gentleman came to these fields
dressed in the uniform of a Spanish mil
itary officer and before the Cuban forces,
made to Colonel Neston Aranguren prop
ositiOns of autonomy for Cuba. Colonel
Aranguren respecting the orders of our
army, made Ruiz prisoner and he was
executed later. after a court-martial had
oNNAA hOINt anu IN NAC NNiAA> VI VIZ 60
organization of our army. And that it
may be known I furnish this information
to Mr.. ErnestO Tosca. who came commits
stoned by the American consul at Ha-
bana.
"CP. Y. L., Country and Liberty,
| army of Cuba
| TSigned.l MAJOR LIMA"
December IS, 1897.
1t now appears that Colonel Ruiz visit
ed the insurgent camp in his private and
unofficial capacity and that with the ex-
ception of one or two of the authorities
of the palace and possibly a few others,
no one knew of his errand, or departure.
1t would seem. therefore. that he went
into the inSurgent camp in an unofficial
or private character, and not under a flag
of truce, or other official protection in
war, a procedure always hazardous to
the life of any one who attempts it. Both
these dispatches are addressed to Assist
| ant Secretary Day and not to Secretary
| Sherman.