Norwich bulletin., 1921-11-30
Famous Trials
Trial of Key Abductors.

One of the most sentational eases of abduction by the government of one country of a prisoner who at the time resided in another is the celebrated Key case which took place in the summer of 1S49, and which nearly caused a rupture between the United States government and Spain.
 When the Spanish consul at New Or leans Don Carlos de Espana was arrest ed as an accessory there was ripple of excitement all over the country for the Kidnapping has taken on a political and international aspect. The kidnapped was Jean Francis Key, alias Garcia. a Cuban refugee Through not d common thing a. that period. the arrest of a commercial agent of foreign government was pro- ceeding undreamed of by the American people. and consequently the arrest. and coupled with the announcement that no effort would be spared by Cuban sympa- thizers to secure the meting out of a proper punishment to the guilty parties, could not but cause a ripple in public opinion and provoke much discussion as to it's final outcome.
 Keys crime against the dignity of Spain consisted in the betrayal of a trust reposed in him as a keeper of the Presidio at the time when the revolutionary agita- ton was terminated and the Lopez inva- sion was in it's infancy.
 It appears that one Vincent Fernandez had been convicted of fraudulent bank ruptcy and had been sentenced to a term at hard labor in the Presidio, which is tho Cuban penitentiary. In company with Fernandez were two Cubans who had been sentenced to death for certain ac- tons deemed revolutionary It was for them that Key bartered his trust. Late one night a small boat lowered around the prison. At a given signal it made it's way to a side entrance from which four men emerged Fernandez, the Cuban con- victs, and Key, who. fearing the ven- geance of his superiors, sought safety in flight.
 The party succeeded in reaching the Florida coast, where they separated Key taking up 8 residence in New Orleans. | shortly after his arrival he became i'll and was confined to his bed The .S,,anish authorities were on his track and discov- | cred that he lived in small lodging 1 house. They gave direction to the con- | sul general that he should be taken and | brought to Havana to stand trial. l To do this a scheme was concocted to 1 kidnap him Several confederates got ! into his good graces and persuaded him l to discharge his physician, and when this
 was done they introduced Key to Don
 Carlos de Espana the consul, as a cele- | brated physician of the city. The consul 1 made a pretense of prescribing for him | for several days, and then he persuaded i him to leave the house for an airing. Rey l consented to do so. and he had hardly
 reached the sidewalk before he was hur. 1 ried into a carriage and taken to spanish restaurant. where he was induced
 to drink. After they got him under tn. influence of liquor they hurried him or board a steamer, the Mary Ellen, whicf
 lay at the levee, and which immediately
 put to sea. Then the truth dawned or
 Rey.
 Little did the Spanish government
 dream however. while concooting tn, plan. that the poor Cuban refugee haC ] powerful friends who would make then
 suffer for the outrage committed ol American soil. The affair was instantl,
 brought to the attention of the press, an, then there was a hue and cry. and tn
 national government was called upon t. i act in the matter.
 Keys friends requested the recorder 0 New Orleans, Genois by name. to arres . Don Carlos as an accomplce, but he re
 fused on account of the prominent posi-