The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-08
THE EXECUTION OF RUIZ
The Papers in the Case Transmit.
ted to the House.
LEE TRIED TO SAVE HIN
Ruiz Was Under No Flag of Truce or
Other Ofacial Protection Arangueren
Simply Followed Orders in
Having Him Shot.

Washington. Feb THE president
to-day transmitted to the house the re-
ports from Consul General Lee relating
to the execution Of Colonel Ruiz. which
the house called for by resolution.
These reports consist of two dispatches
TO the state department from General
Lee The first under date of Dec. ~.
is in the form of narrative, account
of the circumstances attending the eN-
ecution.
LAS a matter of public interest" says
General Lee, Il have the honor to in
form the department that on Monday.
Dec. Is. Lieutenant Colonel Don Juan
Ruiz of the Spanish corps. of engineers
and aide de camp of the captain gen
era1. an officer we'll and faNoraby
known in this city, visited Colonel
Arangueren. an active and enterprising
insurgent chief, With whom he had
been formerly well acquainted. as he
had been in his employment when Ruiz
had, charge of the water works OF TINS
city. Colonel Ruiz left here at a. III.
Monday. Dec. Is, alighting at Camp
Florida y miles from this city, where
he breakfasted with the Spanish COM
mander and in company with guides.
a white man and a negro, he rode on
horseback in the direction of Aran-
gueren's camp. After he had proceeded
two leagues, he was met by Aran-
gueren, who was mounted and had an
escort of IA cavalry. Colonel RniZ,
after the exchange of salutations. be-
gan a speech to Arangueren and his
party, setting forth the prospective
glories of autonomc rule and. ! am adj
vised, made offers upon the part of the
authorities for the surrender of his
command whereupon Arangueren. act
ing under the instructions OF his gen
eral in chief, Maxine Gomez, had col
onel Ruiz and his two men executed. e
TT will be remembered that in No
vember last Gomez issued proclamn-
ton ordering his officers to put to death
any person or persons who approached
them with the effort to make them trait
orS to their comrades or cause, or 10
induce them to accept autonomy under
Spanish rule. Angueren. previous TO
the war. lived in Havana with his
mother but has since been bold ana
active officer of the insurgent ranks.
I'm accordance with a request made
of me by the Russian consul and other
friends of Ruiz. and with the knowledge,
consent and approval OF General Blanco,
i made the attempt to save the life of
the Spanish officer by sending to him
Ernest Tosca as my representative with
the following note:
Mr.. NeStor Arangueren.
My Dear Sr---I am Informed that
a Spanish officer named Col. Joaquin
Ruiz is your prisoner. / write To say
of mine and has shown ME kindness
and courtesy since my arrival in Ha-
pana. i therefore request you as spe-
cial favor to me to release Colonel Rulz
and TO allow him to return to this capt.
tai. The bearer of this note Ernesto
Tosca, is my personal representative ana
] commend him to you
II regret to say continues General
Lee, that my representative did not
reach the insurgent camp in time to
deliver said note before Colonel Ruiz's
execution. which had taken place ON the
day of Tosca's arrival"
On Dec. 20 General Lee wrote as fol-
lows: Referring to my previous dis
patch, desire to say further that the
note to Arangueren contained therein
was not delivered, because when my
representative reached his camp the in
surgent chief was temporarily absent
fherefrom. but the next ranking officer
Major Alfredo Lima, then in command,
gave to Mr.. Tosca the following state
ment, dated at Camp Cuba, and
entitled "Details of the death of Lieu
tenant Colonel Joaquin Ruiz This
gentleman came to these fields dressed
in the uniform of Spanish military
officer and before the Cuban forces
made to Colonel Nestor Arangueren
propositions of autonomy for Cuba.
Colonel Arangueren, respecting the
orders of our army, made Ruiz prisoner
ana ne WAS tAtCultu lditls dliti "a Aoaib
martial had been held and in the name
of the law of the organization of our
army And that il may be known. |
furnish this information TO Mr.. Tosca,
who came commissioned by the Ameri-
can consul at Havana.
1T now appears that Colonel Ruiz
visited the insurgent camp in his pri-
vate or unofficial capacity, and that
with the exception of one or two of the.
authorities of the palace. or possibly
few others, no one knew of his errand
or departure. 1t would seem. there
fore. that he went into the insurgent
camp in an unofficial or private capac-
ity. and not under flag OF truce, or
other official protection in war. pro-
cedure always hazardous to the life of
anyone who attempts it,
Both these dispatches are addressed
10 Assistant Secretary of State Day
and not to Secretary Sherman.