The New York Herald Newspaper, June 13, 1873, Page 3

' SPANISH DINGEONS telecast Two Stariling Chapters of Experi- ence in Cuban Prisons. Messrs. Price and O'Kelly Describe Their Jails and Jailers. ceaherrasiiadiaeriamecace “THE POETRY OF DIRT.” | eat made Bon Quixote in the New World as a Tyrannous Turnkey. ae REFINEMENTS OF INDIGNITY. Brom Gerona to the Morro, Thence to the Cabana---The “Carcel Nacional.” How Lying Accusations Are Trumped Up. An English Naval Commander In- sulted by the Spaniards. ——--—— Consul General Torbert ‘‘Snubbed’ by the Captain General. @ BLACK HOLE IN A CASEMATE. | Revolting Outrages Upon | an Untried Prisoner. A FRIENDLY FACE IN THE GLOOM, Meeting of Herald Men in Durance Vile. Strange “There is More Grit Wanted at the State Department.” i FIFTY CENTS FOR INCENSE. The Chivalrous Spanish Government and a Steerage Passage. + MR. PRICE RELEASED YESTERDAY TELEGRAM TO THE NEW YORK HERALD. “Havana, June 12, 1873. I was released from ihe Cabana fortress | this morning. L, A. PRICE. Wasnineoror, June 12, 1873. The State Department is in receipt of in- formation from our Consul General at Havana that L. A. Price, an American citizen, who was under arrest for a supposed violation of public order, was to-day released. MB. PRICE’S STORY OF HIS DUN- GEONS. woiiton FORTRESS “LA CABANA CALAB0Z0 No. 60, June 7, 1 On the morning of the 21st ultimo, at four o'clock, | 1 was aroused from @ sound sleep and informed that a captain of the Spanish army, two cela- | @ores and several serenos had been knocking at my house door and wanted to see me. | toid the servant to open the door, admit the party anv ask what they wanted. The servant soon returned, informing me that the officer wished to sce me in Person. I then arose and hurriedly dressed and then walked down to the first floor of my nouse: and there met Captain Manuel Lescano, an officer | ‘with whom I was acquainted, accompanied by the police officers already mentioned, who, advancing towaras me, in a whining tone, informed me ot his “regrets” to tell me that he had received orders to SEARCH THE HOUSE AND ARREST ME. Replying to him that the “regrets”? were entirely on my side, I requested him to give me the reason of the violent procedure. Captain Lescano stated that he was ignorant of the reason, but that ne ‘was acting entirely in obedience to ‘superior | authority.” “SUPERIOR AUTHORITY” IN CUBA signifies “Captain General,” but Charles Reade ‘would likely also call it “formula,” as ths “au- thority” is shifted {rom the shoulders of one ruler to the shoulders of another. As it was altogether wreless to make any protest, in the face of the cir- cumstances, I toid the Captain to proceed, ordered | the members of my family, who by this time were | Up and dressed and very much alarmed, to open the rooms, &c., which, as soon as done, the Cap. tain and his assistants commenced to search for papers, looking for them in wardrones, bookcases, drawers and corners, making altogether a very thorough search. Most of the documents i possess gre in the English language, and as THE CAPTAIN DID NOT UNDERSTAND THEM he first put them close to nis eyes, squinted at them and then referred them to me, inquiring, “What is this paper about, I can't see very well?” AsIhad no motive whatever in concealing the @atore of any of my papers I informed the officer— who, I must say, behaved thronghout with the at- most courtesy—of the purport and nature of the du ferent documents and letters he discovered. They were mostly private correspondence, old passports my appointment as United States Consular Agent at Neuvitas by the Secretary of State, Mr. Fish; correspondence with my lawyer in New York, papers referring to a eommission intrusted to me by the Bupreme Court of New York some twe years ago to establish the validity of a will and testament, telegrams from Mr, O'Kelly, the United States Consul at Santiago de Cuba, and Manzanillo and other miscellaneous documents, papers, &c. The Captain gathered together and took charge of a great number of these, and when, probably, he Supposed he had a suficient “pile” to make outa sumaria, he JOINED ME IN A CUP OF COFFEE, which was offered him, and requested to know if I was ready. “ As I was as ready then as ever I would be to ac- company him I took leave of my family in the firm belief that all this was some mistake, and that in 8 few hours at the utmost I would retarn to them, and with the Captain and one of his assistants ieft my house on the way to the common jail, or, as te Spaniards euphoniously call it, “La Carcel Nacional.” A FORTUNATE MEETING. Beolore artivipe ab the Prieow Aoweves, 1 Was. NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, JUNE 1: fortunate enongh to meet Mr. J. A, Springer, the | of my calaboose, tho breakfast was set down before Jnited States Consular Clerk, whorn I had sent for, and, informing him that 1 was arrested without any charge being made or any cause assigned, I begged him to report the occurrence at once to Consul General Yorbvert and have him inquire in- mediately into the aifair, which I supposed to be an error on the part of the authorities, as I was Jully convinced that f had not knowingly infringed apy of the laws of the country. Mr. Springer PROMISED ME 818 IMMEDIATE ATTENTION and to take all possible interest in my affairs, Leaving him to do this we continued on our way to the “Carcel.” Upon arrival here 1 was delivered over to the aleaide or keeper. He immediately called one of bis assistants, a gruff, uncouth and dirty rascal, who proceeded to search me, taking away from me ail | had on me—money, papers, &c. As the fellow commenced to feel all over my body, run- ning his dirty bands up and down my arms and legs to see if I bad anything concealed in my sleeves or om my bedy, and to put his hands Into iny pockets, I remonstrated, teiling him I would give up whatever I had upon me, at the same time putting my own hands into my pockets, With A TERRIBLE, OBSCENE OATH the rufflan struck my hands aside saying, ‘Nothing belonging to you is going to stick to my fingers,”’ and proceeded with his work, Alter this scene, so revolting to my feelings, I was furnished with a receipt for the money taken from me and informed at the same time I could have whatever I wanted of it, as occasion offered, Jn small sums. J then had to follow my jailer up a long gallery which contained a number of cells oc- cupied by criminals. Into the last one of the row | was pushed, for upon viewing it 1 involuntarily shrank back from entering. Upon looking around I found it about sixteen feet long by eight wide, very low and without any ven- wWation, bare of anything like furniture ani not even a stool to sit on, and containing only a wooden tub, the odor from which was not of roses, and can be better imagined than described, Lasked my jailer to furnish me with a chair, He said he had none; but I promised him $1 for the loan of something to sit on, as I was very tired. He soon returned with a leather-boitomed char. The grated iron door was locked upon me and I found myself in solitary confinement, or, as the Spaniards pecultarly term this condition of cutting one ef trom mankind, “INCOMUNICADO,”* the horrors of which I was soon to experience, but which at that particular juncture I could not real- ize, Left to myself, and atter the echoes of my jailer’s footsteps had died away, I sank, exhausted and stifled by the = close atmosphere, upon my chair, My = brain was in & whirl from the unexpected scenes I had just gone through, and I racked it in vain to dis- cover some clew to my imprisonment, All seemed to me to be a dream, and I could not even divine any earthly reason for such an unwarranted seizure of my person, What erfme could I possibly have committed against Spain, unknown to mysell? Neither did my conscience or any act of mine accuse me of anything. Was it because | am the correspondent of the NEw YORK HERALD? That idea remamed a few minutes, but I retused to entertain it, a8 1 had served the HERALD iu that capacity during the reigns of Rodas, Valmaseda and Ceballos and ALL THE OTHER ROYAL AD INTERIMS, and it could not be possible that a republican Cap- tain General like Pieltain would be less tolerant than his monarchical predecessors, A FALSE HOPE. In the midst of my speculations I was interrupted by the return of the turnkey, who informed me that the officer who had brought me had returned to take me away. My spirits rose at the idea that the authorities had so soon recognized their error and that my imprisonment was in only the duration of a dream. But my own conyiction of innocence betrayed me_ into this candor, as 1 soon discovered that the officer, under a misunderstanding, had taken me to the Carcel Nacions|, aud his orders were to take me to the fortress’ Cabuila, When this knowledge was politely imparted to me the barome- ter of my hopes again fell. I saw 1 was only to be taken to a still greater distance from my family and | friends, and the knowledge that Iwas to be in- mored in a military prison showed me that the government considered MY ARREST AN IMPORTANT ONE, although 1 understood that a fortress is considered more “respectabie” that acommon Carce! Nacional. In a boat [ was taken across the bay to the tortress and caiaboose No, 50 assigned to me, ‘This was not shutting a nanghty newspaper cor. respondent in a closet, for casemate No. 50 is long and large, with a low, vaulted ceiling and two grated windows, A kind-hearted sergeant fur- nished me with a cot bed and a chair, and T was again left to my reflections, this time more bitter than betore, for my arrest seemed finally to have been no mere mistake, but a deliberate outrage. My door was locked upon me, and guarded by a sentinel, who had the strictest orders to allow no one to approach my windows, nor allow me to speak to any one. The horrors of being incomunicado can only be realized by those who have endured this inquisi- torial torture. No galley slave, no convict is so wi ed as the immolated incomunicado. Jt ay pears to me A GNAWING IMPRISONMENT. Devarred from acquiring advice trom my Consul and my friends, | was entirely unable to fathom the cause o! this mysterious proceeding on the part of the authorities. With the irresponsible power of those in immediate command they continually applied toward me the tortures of petty aunoy- ances, insolence, insults, needless humiliation and the most unreasonable refusals, One would be better off among the cobras or wolves and ask pity from wild beasts than be a prisoner, innocent of any crime, immured in a jort, without knowing the cause and deprived of every means of commu- nication with the outside world, But It is useless to enrer into the detaiis of my sufferings during ‘THE SIX LONG DAYS Iwas cut off from the world and my friends and specify them one by onh. Most certainly there is agreat deal of injustice combined with ignorance and stupidity in the manner arrested persons are treated in this fortress. The Governor of La Cabafia, Brigadier Velasco, cannot understand that a prisoner is a human being, flesh and blood as he is, and accustomed to the decencies ef civilization. Among the officers some are gentlemen and hu- | manely inclined, but ail stand in such terribie awe and terror of THE TYRANT WHO COMMANDS THEM that harshness is the order of the day, as the slightest imaginary infringement on their part of the rules laid out for them by the Governor is se- verely punjshed by “His Excellency.” “The man- agement here is inquisitorial,’ as some of the gar- rison have remarked to me, and the acts of despot- ism that have come under my own eye are quite numerous. But it would be unwise at present to go into details and useless to multiply instances of My own experience. What benefit is to be deriveu from hanging out these people in 4 moral cage for the world to gaze upon! They ave behaved so jong in this wilful, arbitrary manner that it has become their second nature. No distinction is made nor any consideration taken of the circumstances of the prisoner. I have since learned that THE WILDEST RUMORS WERE AFLOAT in Havana regarding my arrest; no reason was known, and, consequently, rumor invented a hun- dred, The mildest accusation hurled against me by the inventive genius was that documents of importance had been found upon the dead body of the Cuban General Agramonte which implicated me in the insurrection, and so forth and so on, Naturally these rumors reached the officers of this fortress, and caused them to treat me harshly. Thus I tallied of six cruel days, minute by minute, hour by hour, enduring all sorts of petty annoyances, varied daily by the change of the ofll- cer of the guard and according to his whims, AN EXPENSIVE HOTEL. Arrangements had been made for me for my meals—breakiast and dinner—at the cantina of the fortress, for which I have to pay $3 a day and get miserable stuf to eat into the bargain. Occasionally the officer on duty, who had the special charge of the key 10 wy Cell, Was dighaglined to NEM tha soos Teality | th» door, and atter being weil peppered with dust and dirt, and Sefior “convenience” chose to open the door, the meal was UNFIT EVEN FOR A PASTING STOMACH. One day it was haif-past one o’clock before 1 go, my breakfast. One Sunday | was deprived of knife and fork. I had the officer called and remon- strated. He answered gruffly and insaltingly, and Stated that prisoners ‘ineomunicado” were not* entitied to this luxury, I politely intimated the uselessness of this restriction, The officer said, “Ibis TO PREVENT YOU FROM COMMITTING SUICIDE.” This appeared so ridiculous. to me that I found no reply, and ate my meal with my fingers for a fork. ‘Six days and nights I passed im conjectures and suspense—nights nearly sleepless, for at every quarter of an hour the ‘:Alerta,” or ‘All's well” would be yelled from sentinel to sentinel through- out the fort, oftentimes the soldier who was keep- ing his watch and ward over your correspondent volunteering the information, “A-LE-E-R-R-RT-A> AvA |”? through the gratings of my window in a prolonged howl. On the afternoon of the sixth day the Milt- tary Fiscal, the captain who arrested me, arrived, telling me that the object of his visit was 70 TAKE MY DECLARATION, Tat first hesitated, refusing to declare unless in the presence of the United States Consul General. The Military Fiscal said he was ignorant that I had any such right, but that if I persisted he would retire, and the matter would result worse for me, as he would have to report to the “superior gutho- rity’? (formula agam), which implied further delay, and that my “incommunication” would continue; but if] answered his written mterrogatories and nothing serious appeared against me he would immediately release me from incommunication, and I would then be ENABLED TO SEE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, Worn out by my long Imprisonment—“incomnw- nica’—and considering that further persistency in My refusal would only postpone the early conclu- sion of the affair, and as 1 was anxious to be re- leased from this den, fully convinced that I was unjustly imprisoned, T consented to give my decla- ration, first stating to the Fiscal that I did so under protest, , Then the Fiscal propounded to me the following questions :— THE INQUISITION, “How long had I known Mr. James J. O'Kelly, correspondent of the NEW YORK HERALD, and under what circumstances had I become acquainted | with bim,” “Whether I knew the object of his visit to this island.” “Whether I had received letters from or written letters to Mr. O'Kelly since he left the city of Havana.” “Whether I had communicated with him per telegraph.” “What was the purport of our correspondence.” “How long since I had seen Mr. O'Kelly, and where I had seen him for the last time.” “Whether I had corresponded with him in cipher. or used a code.” AY, THERE’S THE RUB. “Whether I instructed him how to penetrate into the insurgent camps, or if 1 could give any intorma- tion who assisted him; as, in the character of a foreigner and unacquainted with the country, he could not have accomplished this undertaking aione and unassisted.” ‘Did 1 know 1f Mr. O'Kelly had any despatches, fetters or documents for Cespedes or other promi- nent insurgents, or 1f I had any knowledge of Mr. O'Kelly being charged with any private mission?” All the questions propounded me were in refer- ence to Mr. U’Kelly’s mission, and seemed to refer to my connection with him in his great and unpar- donable offence of not believing Spanish reports, but WISHING TO SEE FOR RIMSELF the state of the insurrection and report it to the outside world, Of course 1 gave a truthful statement of my con- nection with Mr. O’Kelly—there is nothing what- ever to hide—and stated that my intercourse with him was only suchas one correspondent would have told another of the same journal, Perfectly convinced as I was that Mr. O’Keily’s mission to this island had nothing tn it that wonld compro- | inise him in regard to taking any active or even passive part in the insurrection, as his only onject was to carry out the instructions of Mr. Bennett, “ro see for himself and give an impartial version of the affairs of the island, penetrate into the insar- rection and pieture the situation as he found it,” My going to Manzanillo! had also to explain. I went TO INTERVIEW THE INTERVIEWER, having the verbal consent of His Excellency the Captain General, Sefior Don Candido Pieltain, and 4 written permit by Brigadier Don Pedro de Zea, Chief of Stam After replying to ALL SORTS OF CONUNDRUMS and interrogatories put to me and made up for my partial silence of #ix days I was informed by the Fiscal that 1 was at liberty to communicate with my triends. and | at once sent word tomy family. The same afternoon Consul General Torbert called and informed me of ail the exertions he had made to accomplish som®thing towards my benefit, but that he had been SNUBBED AND THWARTED BY THE AUTHORITIES at every turn, who as yet had not deigned to an- swer any of his communications, I then learned that my fellow sufferer, Mr. O'Kelly, had arrived from Santiago de Cuba, and was the oecupant of the foulest dungeon in the" fort not far from me. In the pill I paid to the cantinero for Mr. O’Kelly’s maintenance there is one item of FIFTY CENTS FOR INCENSE. Mr. O'Kelly, however, said that the entire stock ofincense in the churches of Havana would not have purified the air of his dungeon. Brigadier Velasco, che Governor of the Jort, called to see me on the day following my communicacion gra- cionsly informing me that O’Kelly’s incommuni- cacion was AN ERROR, and stating that he had given orders to allow Mr. O’Kelly to occupy the same casemate with myself, inquired if we would not rather have our quarters with some Spanish officers who were under arrest. I politely deciined, thinking that Mr. O'Kelly would be companionship enough for ine, and, as I had been informed that he would leave on the 30th for Spain, hoped that the order for his departure would be the signal for my release, Since I was allowed to see my friends and family my situation became more bearable, and the treat- ment | receive at the hands of the oMcers much kinder; but it is hard to be imprisoned without any cause assigned, and cooped up like a malefac- tor, deprived of the greatest of all boons—‘lib- erty.” MR. O'KELLY LEFT FOR SPAIN @ week ago, in excellent spirits, only tuo glad to Shake the soil of Cuba from his shoes, but I still remain in prison. The hopes I entertained of being released upon his departure were without founda- tion. I still linger on, hoping from day to day what each would be the last in this hateful vault, OFFICIAL ACTION. Consul General Torbert visits me almost daily and is taking great interest in my case, which he has reported at great length to Washington. He telegraphed my arrest, and the Depart- ment of State telegraphed back once and again -to demand the reasons of my arrest. But beyond the mere acknowledgment that I had been arrested by order of a military judge, and granting him permission to visit me, with conditions, while I was “incomunicado,” which General Torbert did not accept, the high and mighty authorities have TAKEN NO NOTICE OF HIS DEMAND, made in the name of the United States. Uniess the government of the United States takes up the question with more lively interest my stay within these already too Jamiliar walis may be indefinite. Spain may apply her laws to her own subjects with all the arbitrary informalities she may wish; but when Spain arrests a citizen of the United States, who bas faithfully served his government in an om. cial capacity, and without warning or cause shuts him up fn solitary confinement a week, and then indefnitely prolongs his imprisonment before ex- pressing apy charges, then the United States should firmly and forcibly, too, draw attention to treaty stipulations, which provide that citizens of either country shail be proceeded against ONLY BY DUB COURSE OF ZAW, aya plowed ip employ counach J haye daily e- | process Geayored to get an idea, and my friends for me, | island that Tshould havea of how my case stood; but beyond that it was in | of sumario—another interminable, peculiar proceeding, which seems to mean preparing an indictment and finding a case against a man—could for a number of days learn nothing. Finally, to my great relief, as showing that the sumario haa reached an end, and another step in the slow march to @ conclusion of my imprisonment had been taken, 1 was assured that the “expediente” or case had gone to the Auditor de Guerra, where, AY LAST ACCOUNTS, IT STUCK, ‘This gentleman will wade through the pile of papers, &c.; and, in due course of time, unless ne is hurried, give bis dictum as to the disposal of the case, and will consider the plea of the Fiscal, who is the prosecuting officer, and ask for a trial by court martial, and a sentence or release of a prisoner. As soon as the Auditor de Guerra con- signs his opinion of the case the papers will pass into the hands of the Captain General, the SUPERIOR AUTHORITY OR FORMULA, and be finally disposed of. All very irregular to justice-loving minds and people accustomed to fair play, but eminently Spanish. During all this time the prisoner in the case— which in this instunce is my unhappy self—is allowed no favors, General Torbert interceded personally with the Captain General to allow my release on bail or parole, or any kind of security demanded, but met with Spanish, A CURT REFUSAL. Even the privilege to have the fort as my prison, and leave my cell for exercise and fresh air, as occasion might require, was denied me. I am grateful, indeed, to General Torbert for his efforts to better my condition, and the attention and assistance he paid my quondam fellow pris- oner, Mr. O'Kelly, in making preparations for his voyage to Spain, &c., but I am convinced that MORE GRIT IS NEEDED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE and determination on the part of the United States government in their representations regarding their citizens abroad, Meanwhile I am awaiting, with what patience God will grant me, for the end of my imprison- ment, L, A. PRICE. MR. O’KELLEY’S TALE OF THREE PRISONS. FORTRESS OF THE CABANA, } HAVANA, May 30, 1873. It appears that the Spanish government has at last resolved on some decisive action in my regard, but, like most Spanish resolutions, it is in its na- ture most unlooked for. It would be useless to waste time in conjecture either as to the cause or end of my voyage to Spain. So far I have no oMicial intimation that I am to be sent across the ocean, although the steamer sails to-morrow. However, the General commanding the fort in- formed Mr. Price yesterday that I would be sent away by the next steamer. It has been my misfor- vane to be too much in contact with Spanish oMcials to allow any action on their part to sur- prise me, so that WHEN I READ IN THE HERALD that I was to be sent for “trial” to Spain I only shrugged my shoulders, consoling myself with the reflection that in no part of the world could I fall ihto the power of a more shameless lot of rascals than the gentry who hold me prisoner in Cuba, Some notice has already reached the HERALD of the manner of my treatment by the sot-disant chivalry, whose dread of the light of trath makes them desire my extanction. fortunately, THE LIGHT CANNOT BE PUT OUT, nor hid from the world, as before this letter leaves Cuba General Millen, the gallant HERALD corre- spondent, who entered the insurgent camp after me, will be able to supply the missing links of in- formation about the state of affairs in Cuba Libre, Some of THE CORRUPT ORGANS OF THE SLAVE DRIVERS in this isiand have been pluming themselves on the liberty allowed me in writing from my prison; but it was like every other liberty I have enjoyed since my arrival in this much-governed country—at my own risk. Every phrase that could be tortured into a sense likely to be injurious to me in the minds of the Spanish factions was called and com- mented on in the disingenuous and cowardly manner which marks political criticism among the “chivalrous” scribblers of the “Ever Faithful Isle.” The editor of the Diario, blinking like an owl perched up in ap old rookery, mistakes me for & swallow and solemnly screeches forth his com- plaint, which even the spice of DELIBERATE FALSEHOOD CANNOT RELIEVE FROM DULNESS, After publishing my letter from the insurgent camp ip fall, and writing 1 know not how many pages of editorial stuff calling the attention of the government to the valuble information for its guidance to be found therein, the distinguished writer can imagine nothing more severe to say to me than that 1 am “a swallow,” and that perhaps the very illustrious and learned and chivalrous editor of the Diario does me too much honor in pelting a column and a half of heavy type at my head. Fortunately the weight of dulness is not material or 1 would long since have been crushed into powder, for only the strongest constitutions could resist the pon- derous weight of even two paragraphs of Diario editorial. But I am taking too much notice of this scribe. He is paid to screech and howl and by turns play the Jesuit and the fanatic by the faction whose whips are RED WITH WOMEN’S BLOOD and whose deeds of valor seldom get beyond the murder of helpless students, The conduct of the remainder of the reactionary press is of the same stripe. More than one scribbler has attempted to stab me in the back, bat Ihave yet to learn that one generous or manly word has been spoken in defence of right and justice since my arrest. There seems to be some- thing in the atmosplere of this island that changes the nature of men and is fatal to all noble and generous thought. Somehow or an- other, there got abroad an impression in the earlier days of my captivity that I was a mere waif and stray on the waters of life; in fact, that I was “‘no- body’s child,” and could be disposed of without protest or interference from any power other than the HeRaLp. One of the things that I shall want to know in connection with my imprisonment by and by is HOW THAT RUMOR GOT AFLOAT. IfI mistake not the author will be discovered under an official nightcap, and it will not be well for him nor conducive to his peace. Most of the Nil-treatment to which I was subjected at first was due to the state of security in which my per- secutors found themselves, but their dream was dissipated by the timely ARRIVAL OF HER BRITISH MAJESTY’S SHIP PLOVER. Commander Hippisiey immediately demanded information of the cause of my arrest, and pro- tested energetically against my being detained in the calaboose, but was answered evasively. The tone of the people about me soon changed, how- ever, when they saw the attention paid me by the officers of the Plover and the really warm interest they took in my well being. Indeed, over-confl- dence in their certain hold on me gave way to a panic fear that the Plover meant to take me out of Fort Gerona by main torce. The immediate result was a closer surveillance than ever over my movements, which ied to some un- Pleasant incidents, such as the sentry being placed 1n my room, with orders to bayonet me if I should leave my bed in the night. These inconveniences were, however, more than counterbalanced by the marked respect with which I was treated, and which contrasted so very strongly with the cavalier way in which my aemands for better treatment had been received when I was looked on as a mere wanderer, witheut apy strong government at my back to support me, THE RAGE OF THE SPANISH OFFICIALS was in part turned away from me to the Plover, which had appeared so inopportunely to interfere with their schemes. It had been more than once hinted to me that my claim to be removed from Manganillo was inadmissable, and that the court Martial would proceed with the farce of tryig without paying any heed to my pro tests or my objections, It was never the intention or desire of the clique that dishonors | 1873.—TRIPLE SHEET, fair trial, foreigner i, was necessary to preserve some ap- | pearance of judicial formality, but beyond this nothing was ever dreamed of but my condemna- tron to death, This may appear incredible to an American public, but had I been put on trial in Cuba nothing but the express command of the Captain General could have prevented my condem- Ration. The Fiscal charged with the preparations of my sumario allowed himseif to be carried away so much by his enthusiastic patriotism that he made up THE BLACKEST LIST OF ACCUSATIONS against me that has ever been prepared in the whole insurrection, My information on this point is from sources that leave no doubt on my mind as to its correctness; and it was notorious, even be- fore Tieft the Morro of Cuba, that the penalty of death had been demanded by the military judge in my case. What may have influenced him in this great desire to have me severely punished may yet be somewhat explained by me should I hav happiness to find myself one day free again, There are some instructive incidents to be related about the judicial system in Cuba, but it would scareely be wise to say much about them now. ORDER OF REMOVAL. On the 6th of May the Fiscal or military jndge quite unexpectedly, visited me in my cell at Man- | zanillo, He imformed me that orders had been given by the General at Santiago de Cuba for my translation to that town, The notice, though abrupt, was certainly most welcome, for I longed to leave the stink and = fanaticism of Manzanillo behind me. As the officers of the Plover had been very kind = to me I requested permission to inform them and also the Vice Consul of the voyage I was about to take, but the Fiscal interrupted me with a negative wave of his hand, informing me that I was /nco- municado, and could communicate with no one— absolutely no ome. At the same time the legal Major pledged his word of honor that I would be conducted safely to Santiago de Cuba. The reason of this promise being a doubt which he suspected to exist in my mind lest the soldiers should play what is known here as “THE FORAGING TRICK," by which inconvenient people are cleared of the track, However, the word of the Major reassured me very little, for my experience of Spanish promises was not such as would allow me to place any very implicit faith in the most solemn vow even of an Archbishop, A request to write letters to be delivered after my departure was likewise refused, but this piece of official impertinence rdbused my Milesian blood, 80 that | resolved to test the Fiscal’s right in the matter, With this idea I wrote letters to the Vice Consul and Commander Hippisly, entrusting them to the Governor of the fort, who promised to de- liver them in the morning. Between ten and eleven o’clock at night the Fiscal came again, and I was roused out of a sound sleep to go onboard the steamer for Cuba. At this point I was informed that, as a matter of pre- caution, it was THOUGHT NECESSARY TO PINION ME. Knowing the chivalrous character of the people with whom I had to do I submitted to this outrage, simply informing the Major that, being his prisoner, he could dispose of me as he thought fit. A sev- geant then advanced with a long rope, by the aid of which he bound my arms tightly above the elbows, drawing them back with force until 1 pre- sented something of the appearance of A SKEWERED CHICKEN, ‘The rope was wound many times round my arms, and so tightly that for many days my arms bore the marks of the bruises. AS soon as the tying up was completed I set out, surrounded by some ix teen soldiers, who were ordered to load their arms, and “three illustrious swords,’ a powerful soldier holding on to the end of the rope tm order to make assurance doubly sure. In this order we left Fort Gerona and directed our footsteps to- wards the town, which lay at our feet bathed ina flood of silver lignt, the square, flat-roofed houses looking like checkered patches of light and shadow in the calm moonbeams. Whether THE PLEASURE OF QUITTING MY PRISON affected my judgment I cannot say, but the night seeme to me one of the most beautiful I had ever witnessed. It was owing to this fact, no doubt, that many groups still loitered in the streets and on the door steps, although the hour of midnight was fast approaching, ween under ordinary cir- cumstances a Cuban town is as silent and deserted asagraveyard, The party, on reaching the town, carefully avoided the more populous streets and marched zig zag through the blocks so as to reach the steamer, which was moored at the farthest outlying wharf from the center of the town. My progress through the town had created A SUBDUED SENSATION among such Of the inhabitants as had not retired tworest. They looked on me no doubt as ‘‘one more unfortunate” going to his doom; and in truth there were moments when I doubted whether or not my destination was the one announced, How- ever, all inguietude on this point was soon set at rest by our debouching at the head of the whart and our arrival a few minutes later on board one of the South Coast steamers. Here I had THE HONOR OF BEING STARED AT by some hundreds of passengers, idlers and por- ters, who evidently had something of feeling of curiosity in my regard thata cockney out for a holiday at the Zoo. experiences at the sight of a caged wild animal. Itis weil that umbrellas are scarce in these regions or [am eertain that some inquiring genius would have poked me in the ribs to see if 1 would not growl or show my teeth. After about ten minutes of this open mouthed examination, which was indulged in with just as littie delicacy as though I were an anima; rather than a man, I was conducted to a cabin and informed that I might go to bed ifI liked, but THIS WAS “SARCASTIC,” as, even if had liked, the manner in which I was pinioned precluded the possibility of my doing so. Under these circumstances I inquired when my guardians intended to take the cords off, as it was impossible to go to bed under existing conditions. 1 was told that the steamer would not leave for some hours, and that the twenty armed men who were guarding me did not think it safe to loosen my bonds until we had left the harbor. With this pleasing prospect before me I sat down to await the good will and pleasure of my amiable guardians, consoling myself with reflecting on the honor, the generosity and CHIVALRIC VALOR OF THE SPANISH NATION, ag displayed in the treatment of an unfortunate whose principal fault was having believed Span- jards capable of the very ordinary virtue of a decent respect for their word of honor. Aftera short time the Fiscal became ashamed of himself, and orders were given to take off the rope, so that I might go to ved, with orders, however, to leave the ‘door open, so that the sentry could keep me in view all night. The foliowing afternoon we arrived in the Bay 0: Santiago do Cuba, where the steamer was over hauled by a police boat with the object of carrying me of to the CASTILLO DEL MORRO, which is situated on a bold headland at the mouth of the harbor, a most romantic looking old edifice, that in old times must have been a formidable de- fence, but that nowadays, like most Spanish glory, 1s @ subject tor the antiquary, A guar ter of an hour's rowing from the point where I was taken off the streamer brought us to @ small cove lying between the Morro and the battery of the Estrella, We were ailowed to approach without being challenged, and it was only when the voise of the boat grating on the beach called the attention of the colored sen- tinel to our presence that any notice was taken of | us, and even then not much, Full twenty minutes were occupied in toiling up the winding path that leads to the citadel that crowns the works. Alter crossing a heavy looking drawbridge, about which other groups of LAZY, DIRTY-LOOKING COLORED TROOPS were lounging, who straightened themselves up as well as they could to salute bis mightiness, the major who had me in charge, I found myself passing through @ series of arched passages, dim and low-vaulted, dingy-iooking courtyard, and, on climbing fights of time-eaten sone steps, which seemed to crumbic beneath the tread of the venturesome passenger, until at last [ the Ram Of Spam and of humanity wy Hus | found mvwelf pabered Lato a Josty casomate, com 0 OO Ee As Iwas a! pletely empty, but which differed trom the rest of the fortress in looking clean, if some- what cheerless, Everything about the Morro would have delighted an* artist's eye, and a wandering Member of that peculiar trioe might have enjoyed, in all its utine ‘THE PORTRY OF prRt,’? and the sentiment of decay. swarthy faces of the soldiers, their almoss fantastic raggedness, the sheen of arms and the clanging of chains as some unfortunate convict hobbled across’ the courtway, would have supplied inexhaustible food for brusit and peucil if one Were at liberty and could enjoy these sights from a strictly artistic point of views bat seen through a grate: hole some nine inches square in one’s cell door quite takes the interest out of the most remantic scenes, While I was discussing in iy own mind how t should dispose of myself the door of my ceil opened to allow the entrance of the canteen keeper, who wished to know if I desired to eat something, ex- pressing his regret at the same time that there w: nothing to be had but some BREAD AND PRESERVED MUTTON, seasoned with canteen wie, The prospect was not very inviting, but if was neces- sary to eat, so I told him to furnish the luxurious repast, at the same time requesting that he would send me a chair and table until such time as [could procure furniture from Santiago de Cuba, Notwithstanding along fast and excellent good will, the preserved mutton Was too much for me, and I was obliged to content myself with acup of coffee and dry bread until morning, While 1 was still discussing this some- what humble fare some convicts arrived from San- tiago with chairs, table and bed, sent by the mili- tary administration, so that I found myself in COMPARATIVELY COMFORTABLE QUARTERS. During my stay in this port more consideration Was shown to me than at any otherpoint, This was chiefly due to the warm interest taken in my welfare by the American, English and French Con- suls, Supported by the presence of the Plover, whose commander had put to sea as soon as he had learned of my abduction from Gerona, The Inystery uttending my removal was due to fears entertained by the authorities lest the commander of the Plover should attempt to release me by force, On this account they did not hesttate to slight the British commander in a most marked Manner; indeed, the indifference of the Spaniards to the representations and protests of England in this affair has been most marked—at times bordering closely on contempt, An instance of this oc- curred at Santiago de Cuba, where Commander Hippisley paid the authorities two visits, neither of which was returned until the Commander tele- graphed the fact to the Commodore at Jamaica, when the Governor sent one of his aides-de-camp to go through the form of acknowledging the visit. In obedience to instructions received from Jamaica Commander Hippisiey asked to be in- formed of the date of my triai, and the constitution of the Court. Aiter some days he received a reply from the Governor stating that he would FIND THE REQUIRED INFORMATION IN THE NEWS- PAPERS. This plece of impertinence had to be submitted to, as the England of Gladstone & Co. is believed incapable of any effort in defence of the national honor. John Bull snubbed by the miserable set of rascals who rule here and submitting quietly to the snubbing is certainly something new under vhe sun, Several officers of the Plover expressed their belief that it was TIME TO TAKE OUT THEIR PAPERS AS AMERICAN CITIZENS, and quietly roli up “the flag that braved a thou sand years the battle and the breeze’ and send it to some museum of antiquities to be preserved as a curiosity. The most annoying feature of the case, so far as British pride is concerned, was VHE RELEASE OF GENERAL MILLEN, He¥RALD correspondent, arrested exactly under the same circumstances as myself, but who had the good sense to abandon the British flag some years ago. Fortunately tor him, he had in General Torbert a worthy representative of the nation who insisted on his immediate release, while the shopkeeping representatives of the British lion were trying to invent excuses for the Spanish government’s action against me, When the whole truth comes to be known it will be seen that the british representatives in this isiand have been my jailers rather than my protectors, ‘The only notices able inci@ent in my residence at the Morro was the tardy permission TO PROMENADE FOR TWO HOURS EACH DAY ON THE RAMPARTS, which was granted owing to the persistent demand of Commander Hippisiey. It was not accorded a whit too soon, as the prolonged close confinement had began to tell seriously on my health, It hag even left traces that L fear may not be soon crudicated, unless the sea voyage allows me to recuperate, The decision of the Spanish government has certainly puzzled me: but if lam being conducted to Spain with the intention of extracting from me information about the Cubans which it would dishonor me to give the result will SCARCELY MEET SPANISH EXPECTATIONS, In one of my former letters attention was called te the pecullar constitution of the Spanish official | mind which makes swords, pens and consciences ap- pear so much Merchandise, to be purchased at will. It does not seem to strike these scions of chivalry that an honest man holds his good name above price; but uot having tbis sentiment themselves Spanish officials never suspect its existence in others. It would pain above expression te find that men like Castelar and Figueras should lend themselves to such vileness, though | am prepared for any amount of rascality at (he hands of Spanish Governors or officials im Cuba, REMOVED TO HAVANA, On the 2ist of May 1 was put on board the steamer for Havana, without any further explana- | tion than that it was doue by order of the Captain General. That awful name was enough for me, be- sides my friend assured me that to a certainty I wonld be immediately released on my arrival at Havana. ‘This idea was encouraged by the consid- erate treatment I received during the voy- age {rom Major Ferrandiz, in whose charge Iwas placed. On my arrival in Havana all illu. sions of this kind were somewhat rudely dissipated by the news of Mr. Price's arrest, and the order for my confinement in the Cabaila fortress, where 1 was conducted by the special order of the republican Captain General. Here, at least, I ex-pected to be treated with considera tion, but was fated to the rudest kind of disappointment. No one couid tell me WHY MR, PRICE HAD BEEN ARRESTED andeven the Consul General had been refased permission to see him unless under conditions which it was not in keeping with hig dignity as the representative of the United States to accept. ‘The question of the right of the Spanish govern- Ment to seize upon citizens of a free country, cast them into prison and deprive them of all communication, not alone with their friends, but aiso with the representatives f their nation, is one that is justly open to question, Under our laws no such outrage could be perpetrated on a Spanish citizen, and this is a point on which reci- procity is of more importance than in questions of selling pins or patent medicines, If the govern- ment insists on reciprocal advantages in cases of trade, there can be no good reason why the personal freedom enjoyed by Spaniards im America should not be guaranteed to Americans in Spanish possessions, If this cannot be secured it would be well to exclude Spaniards by special act of Congress trom the benefits accorded to civ. Uized peoples, among whom they have only very slender claims te be numbered. This may appear rather a prejudiced and narrow minded view to take of the question, No doubt philanthropists Will be found to recommend us to SUBMIT IN LOFTY AND DIGNIFIED SILENCB to the outrages coustantly heaped on Americans in Spanish possessions, but there is really no soltd reason for treating these people better than red Indians, They are much the same Class of biped, as cowardly, a8 treacherous and bloodthirsty ae any brave that staike in savage dignity with the scaips of half a dozem helpless women and children dangling at his belt, Like the In- dian, the only argument they respect is force, and in spite of all thely bombastic swagger about sevem CONTINUED ON TENTH Papi "