Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-31
AWARD OF DAMAGES
Amount, Allowed by the Span
ish Treaty Commission.
AGGREGATE OF $1,330,877
Nearly $500, 900 for Personal Indig-
mites, Imprisonment and Injuries.
RUIZ CASE MOST CONSPICUOUS

Spain Exempted From Liability fol
Claims Growing Out Of Destruc-
ton Of Maine.
By WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
As told you the other day. $40 claims
we're filed with the Spanish treaty claims
commission for damages to person and
property growing out Of the Cuban insur-
rection and the Spanish american war
OF the total OF 81 BOOST damages award
ed, $270. $50 was for personal indignities,
imprisonment and other injuries suffered
by American citizens at the hands OF the
Spanish authorities before the war.
There were many Of these cases. but
most Of them were thrown out, including
one filed by Julio Sanguily, at present
minister OF foreign affairs in the cabinet
OF the President Of Cuba He claimed
to be an American citizen, and to have
suffered in person and in feelings to the
amount of $4,000, because of arrest,
imprisonment and humiliation imposed
upon him by the Spanish authorities. Sew
eral other notorious Cuban patriots also
came to the commission to have their
feelings soothed by poultices of gold.
Most Of such claims were thrown out.
because of defects or doubts concerning
citizenship, and the only personal dam
age cases where awards were made were
as follows: Ricardo de Ruiz. $4,000;
Francisco J. Larrieu, $4,000; Jose Gre
carlo Delgado. $4,000: Enrique Otazo,
$4,000; Luis Someillon, $4,000; Charles
Gown, $4,000; Samuel T. Tolon, 1900;
Peter Duarte. $4,000; William A. Clean,
$4,000; Luis NJ. Clean. $4,000; John A.
Sewers. $500: August Bolton. 5000;
Gustav Richelieu. 5000; Charles r.
Scott Camara, 5000; w. G. Dygert,
5000: Ralph Denton Wilson, 5000;
Maria Casanova, $500; Frederick Law
son Craycraft. $3.50: Julia Cesar Fidal,
81 500: G. A. Betancourt, $1,000; Francisco
Edwardo Cazanas, $1,000.
Claimed Large Amounts.
Most Of these people claimed very large
amounts. For example, Mr.. Dygert
wanted $4,000 damages for arrest and
Imprisonment for two months by the
Spanish authorities; Luis Clean. who got
$4,000. wanted $4,000. and William
Clean, who asked for 10000, got $4,000
The heirs of Francisco Larrieu claimed
81 %, 800 for personal injuries and indig-
mites, from which he died. also damages
for the loss Of business, live stock and de-
struction Of his property by Spanish
troops and guerrillas, and were given
$4,000.
The only personal case which came from
the Philippines was that of Ralph Den
ton Wilson, who asked $4,000 damages
because he was arrested. imprisoned and
expelled by the Spanish authorities. The
court gave him $1,000.
The most interesting case In the list
was brought by the heirs of the late DR..
Ricardo Ruiz. which, William e. Fuller,
port to Congress says, excited more COM
ment and was used more effectively to
stir up sympathy for the Cuban cause
than any other.
DR.. Ruiz studied dentistry in PhiladeI-
phia, where he took out naturalization
He married a Cuban woman
and at the time Of hts death had four
children. He prospered in business and
was the owner of four small houses
bought from the savings Of fourteen
years practice. He was arrested in one
of the suburbs of Havana, charged with
having derailed a train of troops, and
kept in prison until he died, no one being
allowed to communicate with him. His
death created great excitement because
in his cell, and after some correspondence
between the officials at Washington, Ha-
vana and Madrid Mr.. W. j. Calhoun of
Chicago. recently appointed minister to
China, was sent to investigate.
Defense Made by Spain. - \
The Spanish authorities claim that DR..
Ruiz became deranged and butted his
head against the door of his cell so VIC
lently as to cause conclusion of the brain,
from which he died. Mr.. CALHOUN report
ed that the real truth would never be
known, because the witnesses were afraid
to speak. The matter was still under
and the Spanish authorities
had agreed to pay $4,000 indemnity when
the war broke out.
A. soon as the commission was organ
lied the widow Of DR.. Ruiz filed claim
for 100000, although there was grave
doubt as to whether his naturalization
papers had not been obtained by mis-
The evidence, however,
was convincing that DR.. Ruiz was only a
paper citizen" even II his papers were
genuine, and that his only claim was a
brief residence in Philadelphia while he
was studying his profession. Neverthe-
less the sympathies of the commission
were aroused and his widow was given
$4,000.
"A
Of Amaia Tejada de Gown of Key West,
who asked 100000 damages because her
son, Charles Gown, was brutally shot by
order of Gen. Ochoa, commanding the
Spanish forces near Havana, on the after
noon Of July 8. 1895. There was no doubt
on the question of citizenship Manual
Gown, the father, was for many years a
resident Of this country. was postmaster
Of Jacksonville, Fla, collector Of internal
revenue at Key West and American con-
sui at Leghorn, and Charles was born in
New York city.
At the time Of his death Charles Gown
and his brother, Jose Manuel Gown,
were conducting a news bureau at Key
West. and furnishing correspondence to
several prominent papers in different
parts Of the United States. They were
also connected with the daily EQUATOR
Democrat. published at Key West In
pursuit Of his profession Charles GOWN
accompanied filibustering expedition to
Cuba on the little steamer the Three
Friends. After landing on the Cuban
coast the filibusters were captured and
shot in the most brutal manner, including
Gown, although he proclaimed his nation-
Atty and exhibited his credentials as a
Report Of Consul General Lee.
This incident created sensation and
was thoroughly investigated by Consul
General Lee, who declared that the muir
der was a crime and an insult to the
rights and dignities OF American citizens
AS Lee put it. 1.-THE declaration of his
by Charles Gown sealed his
fate with the Spaniards. It was the red
"lost' by his Spanish cap
turers.