The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-04
Washington Letter. Chicago Record.

1t Is less than twenty-five years since
another vessel whose crew met its fate
in a Spanish port in Cuba was the
subject of as intense public interest as
today is directed toward the Maine.
The case of the Virginius had in 1t ele-
hpe' IS of tragedy that made 1t more
pectacular and dramatic than that or
he Maine, and American spirit was
worked to an even higher tension than
It is now before diplomacy and eau
tion averted a war between the United
States and Spain. In the case of the
Nirginius the facts of Spanish aggres-
sior were in no way denied, but, on the
Gov Try, avowed for a time with pride.
unit. the authorities at Madrid subdued
their people, who were making a set
tlement more difficult by their talk.
The only controversy was as to wheth-
er or not Spain's action in the matter
was within its rights. But the settle
ment however it might have left the
rights of the vessel still unsolved, was
a rebuke to Spain. and for it's execu-
tion of American citizens with scarce
ly formality of law 1t has never been
forgiven by those who remember 1t,
whatever diplomacy decided as to be-
ing satisfied.
The Vireinus was originally an Eng
1sh-bult siewheel steamer called the
Virgin, and during the war between
the states was one of the most fam
Gus of blockade runners until captured
by q vessel of the United States. In
1870 she was sold in Washington to
an agent of the Cuban junta at New
York, her name was changed to Virgin
ius, and she cleared for Curacao in
fhp WpGf Indipc From that tiO1n fill
her unhappy fate she was never in
United States waters. At Asplnwall
and in the ports of Venezuela and the
Wet Indies she was known for three
yea ,as the, most daring and the most
successful'of filibusters, making repeat
\ ed landings on the Cuban coast with
Hsupplies of arms, ammunition, food and
R0thes for the insurgents who were
Pghting the ten-year war. In all
clustering it was claimed, how
that the Virginius never lost
kapter as an American ship,
yh the Cuban flag was kept at the
ADhasthead Whenever that practice serv-
ed any good purpose. The vessel sailed
on the fatal voyage from Kingston,
Jamaica, Oct. 23, 1873 having cleared
at the United States consulate as a
United States vessel bound for Port
Simon, Costa Rica. The commander
was Captain Joseph Fry, citizen OF
the United States. The cargo was
made up Of munitions of war for the
Cuban insurgents, and the crew was
part of Cuban and part of American
citizens. There were also on board a
number of enlisted men on their way
to join the insurgent army.
MEN CAPTURED AND EXECUTED.
1t was not until Oct. 81 that the Vir-
ginius approached the coast of Cuba to
make her landing, and was intercepted
by the Spanish gunboat Tornado. The
Tornado had been built by the same
English firm that constructed the Vir-
ginius, also for blockade running, but
in the race that followed the Virginius
was unable to equal the speed of her
Spanish purBuer The chase lasted
eight hours, during which the men
OF the Virginius threw overheard
all the ammunition and guns they car
ried, to destroy evidence of their in
tent Finally, at 10 o'clock at night TIE
Virginius was stopped and surrendered
in response to the cannon shots of the
Tornado, which had come in range.
The captain protested that his papers
were regular and that the Virginius
was "an American ship, carrying Amer
ican colors and papers, with an Amer
ican captain and crew" In response
he was told that he was a pirate, his
flag was lowered and trampled upon.
and the Spanish flag was hoisted in it's
place.
When the Tornado and the Virginius
reached Santiago de Cuba the next day
the 155 men captured We're placed in
close confinement and a court martial
was convened at once. The various
courts-martial condemned most if not
all of the prisoners to death, this sum-
mary proceeding being, as was alleged,
in accordance with Spanish laws, so
fdr at least as the character of the
cturt and the nature of the judicial
forms were concerned. The first exc
cqtions were on the morning of Nov.
4, when four men We're shot, one of
them being Brigadier Washington
Ryan. who claimed British citizenship,
as Canadian, although he had served
I'M the union army during the late war.
The victims We're shot Nin the back,
afd their bodies were afterward be-
headed, the heads displayed on spikes
afd the trunks trampled by horses.
George w. Sherman, the correspond
cnf of the New York Herald, tried to
sketch the scene and was imprisoned
fot four days for his attempt. guard
kept the American consul in his house,
50 he could not appear to protest
On the Sth of November twelve more
men were executed, and on the 18th
thirty-seVen were executed, this last
batch including the officers and crew
of the Virginius and most of the Ameri-
can citizens. At o'clock in the after
noon the condemned men were marched
TO the place of execution, passing and
saluting the American consulate, where
the flag was not flying from it's staff.
Captain Fry was shot first, and was
the only man, though the soldiers stood
but ten feet away, who fell dead at the
first volley. The majority of the poor
fellows, as the firing continued, were
wounded, and killed as they lay on the
ground by the usual Spanish fashion of
firing rifles in the mouths of those who
were disabled. The second engineer of
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