No. 736.
Mr. Schmitt to Mr. Fish.
United States Consulate,
Santiago de Cuba, December 4, 1873. (Received Dec.
18.)
No. 107.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a
list of the captain, Joseph Fry, and crew, captured in the
Virginius, who never came to the jail except for a few hours before
their execution, ordered by the captain of the port, (commandant of
marine, i. e., major of marines,) executed on the 7th day of
November, 1873, at 4 o’clock p.m. Yesterday morning the prisoners,
ninety-two in all, taken from the steamer Virginius, were conveyed
from the city prison to the Morro Castle, and, seeking information,
with Capt. D. L. Braine of United States steamer Juniata, of the
governor here, he informed us they were sent by his order there, for
the health authorities objected to the crowded jail.
This morning at 3 o’clock a.m. these persons were removed on board
the Spanish man-of-war Bazan, secretly, by order of the
captain-general of Cuba, and conveyed to Cienfuegos, thence by
railroad to Havana.
Captain Braine protested against this covert act as contrary to the
understanding with him. The governor fell back upon his orders from
[Page 1082]
superiors. We then
visited the hospital, and found ten persons sick there, two of whom
claimed to be Americans. The governor informed us that they were all
to be sent to Havana as fast as they recovered. The feeling here is
intense against Americans. We ought not to be left one day without a
vessel of war in port, or probably the vice-consul would be ordered
to leave the island by the volunteers or members of the Casino.
The government are now ordering all persons of over twenty-two years
of age, residents there, to take arms as volunteers. The organ of
the Casino Español in this place has repeatedly called on me,
vice-consul, to refute some articles purporting to have been
published in the Jamaica and Panama papers regarding Brigadier
Burriel; I have not nor do not intend to reply. The three United
States ships here intend leaving to-morrow for Key West, to meet
Admiral Scott.
I have, &c,
E. G. SCHMITT,
Vice-Consul.
List of crew captured in the Virginius, and
who never came to the jail except for a few hours before
their execution.
| Name. |
Where from. |
Married or single. |
Age |
Occupation. |
Remarks. |
| 1. |
Joseph Fry. |
United States. |
Married |
47 |
Captain |
Of merchant vessel, brought here to the jail by order
of the captain of the port, (commandant of the marine,
i. e., major of marines;)
executed on the 7th, at 4 p.m., same day of arrival in
jail. |
| 2. |
William Baynard |
do |
Single. |
37 |
Mate. |
Do. |
| 3. |
James Floody |
England |
Married. |
25 |
do |
Do. |
| 4. |
J. C. Harris. |
United States. |
do |
45 |
Miner |
Do. |
| 5. |
John N. Bonza |
Port Principe. |
do |
37 |
Farmer |
Do. |
| 6. |
B. P. Chamberlain |
New York |
Single |
27 |
Engineer. |
Do. |
| 7. |
Francisco Sotero
Trujillo |
Bayamo |
do |
37 |
do |
Do. |
| 8. |
Edward Day |
New York |
Married. |
32 |
do |
Do. |
| 9. |
John Williamson |
United States. |
Single |
35 |
Oiler. |
Do. |
| 10. |
Pefirio Corbison |
St. Jago, Cuba. |
do |
26 |
Commerce |
Do. |
| 11. |
Pedro Altaro |
Havana. |
do |
26 |
Purser’s cl’k |
Do. |
| 12. |
Thomas Grigg |
Barbadoes |
do |
30 |
Mariner |
Do. |
| 13. |
Frank Good |
Jamaica |
Married. |
37 |
do |
Do. |
| 14. |
Paul Rhumer |
Ireland. |
Single |
40 |
Fireman |
Do. |
| 15. |
Barney Hewals |
England |
do |
28 |
do |
Do. |
| 16. |
James Samuel |
do |
do |
20 |
Mariner |
Do. |
| 17. |
Henry Frank. |
Barbadoes |
do |
21 |
Coal-heaver |
Do. |
| 18. |
James Read |
Africa |
do |
40 |
Fireman |
Do. |
| 19. |
Samuel Karel |
Nassau. |
Married. |
24 |
Mariner |
Do. |
| 20. |
John Brown |
United States. |
do |
37 |
do |
Do. |
| 21. |
Alfred Hosel. |
England |
Single |
22 |
do |
Do. |
| 22. |
Walter Frederick
Price |
do |
do |
20 |
do |
Do. |
| 23. |
George Thomas. |
Jamaica |
do |
22 |
do |
Do. |
| 24. |
Tho. Walter Williams. |
England |
Married. |
26 |
Steward |
Do. |
| 25. |
Ezequiel Dunham |
Canary Island. |
Single |
27 |
Mariner |
Do. |
| 26. |
Simon Brown |
Nassau |
do |
29 |
Waiter |
Do. |
| 27. |
Leopold Thos. La
Rose. |
United States. |
do |
18 |
Cabin boy |
Do. |
| 28. |
Alonzo Arcey |
Trinidad |
Married. |
38 |
Farmer |
Do. |
| 29. |
William Rose |
Scotland. |
Single |
23 |
Mariner |
Do. |
| 30. |
John Stewart |
Saint Martha,
Venezuela. |
do |
29 |
do |
Do. |
| 31. |
Henry M. Bond. |
England |
Married. |
45 |
do |
Do. |
| 32. |
George Thompson |
do |
do |
36 |
do |
Do. |
| 33. |
Ignacio Dueñas |
Barranquilla. |
Single |
27 |
Cook. |
Do. |
| 34. |
Antonio Deloyo. |
Bolivia |
Widower |
30 |
Mariner |
Do. |
| 35. |
José Manuel Ferran |
Jamaica |
Single |
22 |
Cook. |
Do. |
| 36. |
Ramon Lawamendi |
Bayamo |
do |
27 |
Farmer |
Do. |
| 87. |
Eusebio
Gariza |
Barranquilla. |
do |
22 |
do |
Do. |
[Page 1083]
List of the men who came from the
Virginius crew to the jail, and who are now living, sent by
the captain of the port at the disposal of the
governor.
| Name. |
Where from |
Married or single. |
Age. |
Occupation. |
| 1. |
Charles A. Knight |
New York |
Single |
21 |
Engineer. |
| 2. |
Henry King |
England |
Married |
27 |
Do. |
| 3. |
William Wilson. |
United States. |
Single |
24 |
Mariner. |
| 4. |
Thomas Lindgly |
Canada. |
do |
18 |
Do. |
| 5. |
Charles de Brosse |
Jamaica |
do |
18 |
Painter. |
| 6. |
William Danton |
do |
do |
17 |
Tailor. |
| 7. |
John Pothremont |
do |
do |
17 |
Tinsmith. |
| 8. |
Edward Scott |
Jamaica, U. S |
do |
16 |
Do. |
| 9. |
John Freeman |
Curaçoa |
Married. |
16 |
Mariner. |
| 10. |
Nicholas Cardozo |
Colombia |
Single |
14 |
Waiter. |
| 11. |
Joseph del Espiritu
Santo. |
Jamaica. |
do |
16 |
Cook. |
| 12. |
Alfred Parker |
United States. |
Married. |
31 |
Mariner. |
| 13. |
Henry Knight |
New York |
Single |
16 |
No profession. |
| 14. |
Philip Marty |
Curaçoa. |
do |
20 |
Assistant engineer. |
| 15. |
Antonio
Constantine |
|
do |
14 |
On board of the gunboat
Cuba-Española. |
