Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-06-27
CUBA WILL HONOR RYAN
Plan Erection of Monument to Mon
tana Man Who Served There.
GARC1A's TRIBUTE TO MARTYR
Says massacre of the American
and His Patriots II Blot on
the EscutcheOn of
Spain.

Cuba is going to erect a monument to
Colonel Washington A. Ryan" said Gen
eral Carlos Garcia -velez, who went from
Omaha TO Denver last night, "in memory
of his martyrdom for the cause of CUBA
in 1873 Colonel Ryan is regarded as one
Of the greatest of Cuba's friends and the
unprovoked massacre of him and his gal
liant band OF patriots at Santiago de Cuba
has always been a blotch upon the escut-
cheon OF Spain"
Colonel Washington A. Ryan, was an old
time resident of Montana He had served
through the civil war and went west, To-
eating at Helena. He was a Jealous friend
OF Cuba and her struggles for freedom
from the calling yoke OF Spain.
"Whack" Ryan, as he was better known
in the west, set about organizing a Cuban
expedition. He received a commission from
Generals Maceo and Garcia with the rank
of colonel of the Cuban revolutionary
army. He worked on his plan throughout
the United States, enlisting a big surround
ing of adventurous men who had seen
service in the civil war.
Ryan Loads Her Up.
These men were to assemble at Williams
| port, Long lbldnu, III the SuIlIncI oL 1910
In the meanwhile the steamer Virginius
had been bought and Ryan had the vessel
loaded with arms and ammunition. The
expedtionary force kept well hidden until
the Virginius was to set sail. Just then
some traitor to the cause reported to the
United States government and Spanish au-
| thorites in New York the object of the
expedition and watch was set on the Vir-
| ginius to prevent her sailing. The expedi-
| tionary force later assembled at q point
below Sandy Hook and long as the
| Virginius sailed without any unusual or
suspicious number of men on board she
was given her clearing papers, and sailed
out ostensibly for Corpus Christi, Tex.
The expeditonary force boarded the yes
sci off Sandy Hook in small boats in the
night.
| While Colonel w. A, Ryan was ostensibly
in command of the expedition, Captain Fry
was captain of the vessel. The expedition
ary force consisted OF about 300 men.
Among the Cuban officers were Generals
Caspido Verona and Del Sal, regularly
commissioned in the Cuban revolutionary
army. With the expedition were about 200
Americans, fifty British subjects, the rest
being Cubans.
btrRtntus Carries fInB'
The Virginus carried the American flag
at her mast head, but she had no sooner
sailed than word was sent to the Spanish
authorities at Havana TO be on the look
out for her. The Virglnius kept pretty
close to the American shores and was
compelled TO put into Galveston through
yellow fever breaking out on board. The
plague was also very virulent at Galveston.
The sick men, numbering twenty-five or
thirty, were sent ashore and placed in the
Mnriro hosnital at Galveston where all
but two OF them died Of the plague.
The Virginius then went on down to Cor
pus Christ but owing to the heavy seas
in the gulf she tackled over toward King
stOn, Jamaica, intending TO put IN there
Before reaching Kingston the ship wal
ovSrhauled by the Spanish man-of-wal
Tornado, and was taken to Santiago d.
Cuba where, on November T. without trial
Colonel Ryan, Generals Caspido Veron'
and Del Sal we're shot to death against
the walls of the moro Of Santiago de Cuba
On November 7, thirty-six Of the crew
and sixteen passengers were similarly exc
cuted. Most OF them were American citi
gems and five Of them British subjects
American Consul Inactive.
The American consul at Santiago d.
Cuba only mildly protested against thu
; execution OF the Americans.
$ 1t was the determined intention Of tn,
Spanish governor, General BuTiel, to exc
cute every man on the Virginius, wher
they were kept in the utmost terror by tn
, brutalities Of the Spanish in charge Of th'
captured vessel
The American flag had been torn dAI'l