Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-04-21
others dying. and still worse those who

were wounded but still alive-into tho
shallow trench. Then came the CROWN
Ing barbarity. A company of artillery.
till now kept In reserve. gailoped for
ward and crushed with Its inhuman
juggernaut Of hoofs and wheels the dy-
Ing. dead and wounded into one indis-
tinguishable mass. The bodies were
subsequently tumbled into mule cars
by chain gang Of negroes and carried
to the place OF burial. 1t had been the
intention OF Gov. Burriel to repeat this
mode OF butchery till the entire crew
of the Virginlus had been massacred.
but on Nov. s. few hours before the
time for third slaughter. n British
warship. the Nlobe. appeared in the
harbor and her captain promptly in
formed the governor that he would toll
crate no further bloodshed until the
matter had been referred to the home
authorities. In consequence the re-
mainder OF the captives were saved
from death. Their rescue was. howev-
er, the act Of an individual English
man. or Irishman. rather. Commander
Ryan. When Ryan returned to Eng
land he was dismissed from her majes-
tvs service "in disgrace" Yet his
name will be remembered forever in
the hearts of all who have read OF his
humane act.
The insurgents in Cuba were fight
ing for their independence. The ma
tives were making silent and pathetic
bid for the protection of the American
flag, and the technical misunderstand-
Ing which arose out OF the Virginius
fostered hope that in the event OF
trouble between Spain and the United
States the immediate expulsion of the
Spaniards from Cuba would ensue. The
universal excitement In the United
States at the conduct OF tho Spanish in
Cuba for a time appeared to make
war between Spain and the United
States inevitable
The United States maintained that
the capture OF the Virginius was a
derogation OF its sovereignty. assum-
(The Spanish officer Who Ordered the
Murder of the Virginius Prisoners.)
ing simultaneously that the vessel was
United States merchant ship lawfully
floating the American flag The Span
ish. however. maintained that the ship.
was manned with pirates who were
also their rebellious subjects. and that
the claim to the protection of the
American flag was fraudulent. Com
plications thickened. and long course
OF diplomatic correspondence ensued.
The United States demanded that the
Nirginius be surrendered: that the sur
vivors be delivered safely to them. and
that the vessel be saluted as rightful
American ship. However, 1t was
agreed that the salute should be dis
pensed with II before the 25th of De-
cember. Spain could satisfy the United
States that the Virginius had no right
to carry the flag. The Spanish ulti-
mately succeeded in convincing the
Americans that the claim of the Vir-
ginius to the flag was unlawful, and
the salute was consequently dispensed
with. However, the other demands
were duly complied with. and a dis
claimer Of an intent of indisnity to the
flag OF the United States was expressed
by the Spanish minister on behalf of
| his government. Thus after pro-
tractcd and complicated network OF
diplomatic negotiations. n peaceable
settlement Of the difficulty was effected,
Thus the loss of many lives through
the clash of war was peaceably averted,
though no apology, however abject,
could bring to life the innocent mar
tyrs to the cruelty of Spanish murder
crs.
1t may be reasoned. possibly, that
according to international law, Spain
was technically right in the Virginius
affair; but there can be no possible
palliation for the horrible barbarity of
the murder OF the unfortunate prison.
ers captured with the vessel, not one
of whom would have been spared but
for the opportune arrival of the British
man. of-war. whose captain promptly
and courageously put n stop to the
brutal and inhuman proceedings. There
is no more revolving chapter in the his
tory Of nations; indeed, one might go
into the annals Of the barbarous ages