Office of the Historian

Mr. Sickles to Mr. Hay.

Legation of the United States,
Madrid, September 13, 1899.
No. 81.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that in answer to an official note addressed by me to the minister for foreign affairs on the 2d instant in behalf of the Cuban political prisoners confined in the “Ceuta penal colony,” and in the Cartagena and Malaga penitentiaries, I have received a communication from the minister of state, an accurate copy and translation of which I beg to inclose.

As you will see, after the reading of said communication, the Spanish Government claims there is but one Cuban prisoner still confined at Ceuta, viz, Yicente Colon (who is the No. 7 in Mr. Quesada’s list of Cuban political prisoners, inclosed in Department dispatch No. 24), and who was convicted for murder in 1894, previous to the last Cuban insurrection, and who, therefore, does not come within the purview of article 6 of the treaty of Paris.

I have the honor to inclose also a copy of my note to Mr. Silvela regarding said Cuban prisoners and a copy of the list of Cuban political prisoners which I inclosed in my note to the minister of state.

I am, etc.,

Stanton Sickles, Chargé.
[Inclosure 1.]

Copy of official letter addressed to the minister for foreign affairs in behalf of the Cuban political prisoners confined in Spanish penal colonies.

Legation of the United States,
Madrid, September 2, 1899.
No. 46.]

Excellency: I have the honor to inclose herewith a list of the Cuban political prisoners confined in the “Ceuta penal colony” and in the Cartagena and Malaga penitentiaries and who are supposed to fall within the provisions of article 6 of the treaty of Paris.

In asking your excellency’s kind attention to these cases, I am encouraged to ask if, on examination, the necessary facts appear, that their release and transfer to Cuba should be made as speedy and uninterrupted as possible.

I beg your excellency to accept, etc.,

Stanton Sickles,
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
[Page 707]
[Subinclosure.]

Ceuta penal colony.

1.
Carlos Garcia Sierra, sentenced to life imprisonment and to ten years’ hard labor. Crime: Having dynamite.
2.
José Gil Hernández. Same as the previous case.
3.
Luis Alfaro Pita, sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment. Crime: Being a guide to the Cuban forces.
4.
Angel Saenz Monroe, sentenced as a rebel to six years’ imprisonment. Crime: Suspected of going to join insurgents.
5.
Felipe Hernendez, sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment for rebellion.
6.
Nicasio Lopez, sentenced to life imprisonment. Crime: Being a spy.
7.
Vicente Colon, war prisoner. Accused of killing a person in the war.
8.
Camilo Salcerio, war prisoner, sentenced to life imprisonment. Crime: Rebellion and being a spy.
9.
Felipe Figueroa, war prisoner, sentenced to life imprisonment and eight years’ hard labor for having threatened a Spaniard with death.
10.
Cecilio Matias Carmenate, sentenced to perpetual chain for answering he did not know the whereabouts of Maximo Gomez when asked by a chief of a column.
11.
Francisco Alcolea, sentenced to perpetual imprisonment with chain because documents were found on him showing he was a prefect in the rebellion.
12.
Antonio Rodriguez Ruiz, sentenced to twelve years’ imprisonment for buying ammunition for the insurgents.
13.
Juan Gonzalez Hernandez, made a prisoner with arms in hand. Sentenced to life imprisonment.
14.
Andres Salcedo Aceba.
15.
Arcadio Curbera Echeverria.
16.
José Gil Diaz.
17.
Felipe Martinez Rodriguez.
18.
Lucas Morales.

Cartagena penitentiary.

19.
Enrique Dole Morales, sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment. Crime: Taking ammunition from the military pyrotechnic depot in order to aid the insurrection.
20.
José de la Rosa Aquino, same as the preceding one.
21.
José Nicolas Guerrero, same as the preceding one.
22.
José Fohticola, same as the preceding one.

Malaga penitentiary.

23.
Rafael Acosta y Acosta, awaiting trial for acts committed during his imprisonment in Ceuta.
24.
Juan Benito Castalló for furnishing cartridges to the insurgents.
[Inclosure 2.—Translation.]

Mr. Dupuy de Lome to Mr. Sickles.

Ministry of State,
Palace, September 11, 1899.

My Dear Sir: Your note No. 46, with inclosed list containing the names of the Cubansyet existing in the Spanish prisons for political offenses, was duly received. From the investigations made to that effect it is found that out of the eighteen individuals mentioned in the list as yet imprisoned in Ceuta there is but one in that penitentiary at present, Vicente Colon by name, who was convicted by the audiencia of Santa Clara, not for political offenses at all, but for murder committed in August, 1894. The rest have either never existed in that penitentiary or they have been released.

The four individuals who appear in your list as being yet imprisoned at Cartegena have been set at liberty, and were furnished with money to the Government’s account and passports for Cadiz on the 23d of August last.

[Page 708]

Regarding the two individuals mentioned in your list as being at Malaga, we have no information as yet, but it has been asked for with urgency.

I avail myself of this opportunity, etc.

Per authorization.

Enrique Dupuy de Lome.

The Chargé d’Affaires of the United States.