The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-14
TIED In AN ARM CHAIR
SKELETON OF ADMIRAL vILLAMIL
FOUND NEAR SANTIAGO.
Skeleton Examined by Gen. Wood and
respondents Reminiscence.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, March 13.-Yes-
terday General Leonard Wood, military
governor of the department OF Santiago, in
the presence of the adjutants general Of the
department, Colonel Beacon and Captain
Gilmore. Captain Scott, captain OF the
port, and other officers, positively identifled
the remains of the Spanish officer discovered
a few days ago among the rocks on the
shore about four miles west Of FL MORO
as those of Admiral Villamil, who COM
manded the Spanish torpedo-boat destroyers
in the naval battle which resulted In the
destruction of Admiral Cervera's squadron
Accompanied by the officers named. and
by others, General Wood went in tug to
investigate personally as TO the truth or
the report that the body of Spanish Of
ficer had been found. tied in an arm chair,
at the point designated. The report proved
we'll founded. Nearly opposite the point
where the wrecked torpedo-boat destroyer
Pluton lies, General Wood found an arm
chair, with ropes around it, skull, bones
on the ground and the ragged remnants OF
the uniform of a captain in the Spanish
navy. 1t was evident that the buzzards had
stripped the bones of flesh.
1t is understood here-though as TO this
there is no certainty-that Admiral Villamil
was taken ashore from the Pluton in a
dying condition, tied in an arm chair. and
the superstition is that he died Immediately
on reaching the shore, the body being left
abandoned among the rocks, where 1t re-
manned undiscovered until few days ago.
Admiral Villamil it is known, was wounded
In the right arm and left leg. General Wood
put the bones together showing the unmis-
taxable marks of wounds in these places.
The Identification was in every respect COM
plete In the pocket of the coat was found
the fleet countersign for June &c, signed by
the late Captain Oviedo Bustamente, then
Admiral Cervera's chief of staff Colonel
Beacon and Captain Gilmore carried the
arm chair, the tattered uniform and the
bones tied together by a handkerchief to
the tug, which lay about four miles OIL.
The Identification caused a sensation
among the Spaniards here, as Admiral Villa
mil was one Of the best known strategists
in the Spanish navy and a man held in high
esteem by his countrymen. General Wood.
through the War Department, will notify
the secretary of state of the finding of the
remains. so that these can be removed TO
Spain if the Spanish government SO desires
Pending final disposition, they Will be Kept
at the arsenal here. The tattered uniform
will also be held subject 20 Spain's wishes:
The arm chair is at present in charge OF
The presence Of the arm chair in which
the supposed remains of the late Admlral
Nillamil were found by Gen. Leonard Wood
Is accounted for in the following statement
by a correspondent of the Associated Press,
who witnessed the destruction OF the tor
pedo boat destroyers Pluton and Juror on
July 5 last, from the Associated Press dis
patch boat Wanda: while the Pluton was
pounding to pieces on the reckS and when
many of her crew were on shore near by,
the correspondent went ashore in the Wan
n hoo nfrr1ffa mt Wit
Spanards. He found them in charge OF
small squad of sailors from the American
that there was wounded man on the rocks
above the beach, who had been carried there
by some of his companions The CORE
spondent found the man. who was apparent
~ dying, and Immediately sent his boats
crew back to the Wanda with instructions
to inform Capt. f. c. Miller, of the dis
patch boat, OF the circumstances, and to
ask him to send a litter or something of
that kind ashore that the wounded man
could be taken out to The Gloucester. Capt
Miller promptly sent wicker steamer chair,
which had been in use in the after deck
of the Wanda and which was the nearest
approach TO a litter which the yacht pos
sailors of the Gloucester on shore, who said
they would try TO get the wounded man TO
their vessel. The correspondent, with his
boats crew, then returned to the Wanda,
leaving the chair on shore.
THE man for whom the chair was intend
ed was certainly not Admiral Villamil, but
a common sailor or fireman from the Pluton
IT is not known what became of him, but
he probably died before he. could be taken
TO the Gloucester. as he had a frightful
wound in the body, caused by a piece of
shell. If the man did die. the Gloucester
sailors doubtless left the chair on Shore
where il was probably used later by some
of the escaped Spanish sailors In giving as
sistance to Admiral Villamil. The admiral
at that time was reported TO be shore
badly wounded, but he could not be found
by the American sailors. The Santiago dis
patch would indicate that Spanish sailors
placed him in the chair and that he died
there"