EXECUTION OF THE CREW OF THE VERGINIUS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 54, 4 March 1874, Page 2

EXECUTION OF THE CREW OF THE VERGINIUS.

From an account given in the New York Herald by an " Eye- Witness" of the execution of tha unfortunate captain and crew of the Virginiua at Santiago, it seemß to hove been conducted in the following fashion: — ■ At half- past three in the afternoon of the sth ult, three regimote of fool sol-Jiers, numbering about 1500, marched through the town* followed by a troop of the mounted guard, and formed a line in the place of execution. This was a piece of waste ground on the outskirts of the town, bounded on one side by a stone wall eight feet high. At four o'clock the prisoners were taken from the prison, having their nrms fastened behind their backs, and irone upon their waists. They formed in line four deep. Accompanying each four was a Catholic priest. The were then surrounded by 200 marines, and marched at a slow step to the place of death, followed by hundreds of people. They were in much better spirits than might have been expected, stepping out with a bold and manly step, and expressing a belief that their wrongs would be avenged by their country. When they arrived at the place of execution, th* condemned men were placed in a line about four feet apart, with their faces to the wall. The marines tormed a lint two deep, about ten feet from the men they were about to shoof. The prisoners were then ordered to kneel. The signa 1 beiog given to fire, a volley of 200 r.fles was fired at the thirty-seven men upon their knees ten feet off. One man only fay dead; that was the captain. The rest were wounded in the most horrible manner. The marines then reloaded their rifles, and commenced shooting the wounded men in the mouths, ears, and eyes, placing the 'muzzle of the gun close up to the head and blowing it to aloms. One man was slightly wounded. Two marines stepped up to him. One ran the muzzle of his gun into the man's mouth. The poor fellow grasped the bnrrel with both hands. The other put liia gun at the man's ear. They both fired together. Nothiug was left of the head. Five dirt carts then came up with ten men from the chain gang, and the dead were thrown into these conveyances in all shapes. There was not a man of the thirly-aix *who were wounded whose head was not blown cff from the mouth up. They were buried ten in a hole. The troops marched bank to the town to a lively air.