Washington sentinel., 1898-06-04
An Uarorsotten Tragedy.

II would be something of ret
ribution, says the Boston Her0Ld,
il the scene of the collapse OF the
war with Spain should happen to
be Santiago, which was also the
scene of the Virginius tragedy,
when thirty Americans, ninety
Cubans and six British subjects
were shot as pirates. That was
almost twenty-five years ago, but
it frequently takes a good many
years for times whirligig to bring
about revsnges.
The Virginius, ship registered in the
New York custom house September 26,
1870 as the property of an American
citizen was captured on the high seas
near Jamaica by the Spanish man-of-
war Tornado, on October 81, 1873. The
reason given was that she was about to
land men and arms in Cuba, which was
then engaged in the ten years war
against Spain. AT the time Ot its capture
the Virginius was flying the American
flag. She was taken into Santiago.
President Grant at once demonstrated
with the Spanish Government, and
through the United States Minister to
Spain, General Daniel E Sickles, de-
manded the release of the Virginius and
her crew.
Spain was at this time a republic,
under President CASTELAR,, and while his
government was asking for time to
obtain Information and was making
promises, the authorities in Cuba de-
termined to take matters into their own
hands. On November 7, 1873, the
captain of the Virginus Joseph Fry
and thirtY-six of the crew were shot.
The next day twelve Of the most
prominent ofthe passengers were also
shot The captain general OF Cuba
Gen, De Rodas, directly sanctioned
these murders.
When the news of this action becamC
known in this country the excitement
was intense Meetings were held, anC
the bloody work was denounced.
President Grant authorized the put
ting the navy on war footing, diplo
matte relations were on the point o
severance and war was imminent.
Meanwhile President CASTELAR, mad,
the excuse that his orders to stay pro
ceedings were received too late to pre-
vent the crime. Itwas probably becaus
Spain was just starting on her career a
a republic that President Grant uset
every effort to adjust the difficult
through diplomatic means, and that wa
was aVerted.
Several times it seemed that bostilitie
could not be prevented. Once Ger
Sickles sent for ship to take him iror
Spain. At last, however, on Move mbe
40, protocol was signed between Sc
retary Fish and Admiral Polo, by whic
Spain agreed to surrender the survivor
of the crew and passengers of the Vii
ginius, together with the ship, and t
salute the flag of the United States o
December IS II, however, 1t shoul
be proved in the interval that the Vir
glnluS mad no right to lily the Unite
States flag the salute should be dispense
with, though Spain should disclaim an
intention to insult the flag. Three day
before the time agreed on Secretar
Fish announced himself as satisfied tina
the Virginius had no right to fly the flag
and the salute was dispensed with. o.
January 23 Admiral Polo made the dis
claimer agreed on
The VirGinrus was delivered to tn
United States at Bahia Honda on Dec
IS. with the American flag flying. Sh
was, however, unseaworthY, and, en-
countering heavy storm off Cape Fear
sank. The prisoners who survived wer
surrendered on December IS, at San
tiago de Cuba, and landed in safety il
New York.