The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 19, March 18, 1897 A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls

An American citizen who was arrested there two weeks ago has been found dead in his cell, under very mysterious circumstances.

This man was Dr. Ricardo Ruiz.

He was born in Cuba, but came to the United States many years ago. He studied dentistry in Philadelphia, lived there several years, obtained his papers, and became an American citizen.

A foreigner who wishes to become an American citizen has to go before a judge and declare his intention of becoming a citizen of the United States. The court then gives him what are called his "first papers."

He must have lived here five years before he can become a citizen. To do this he asks for what are called his first papers, and then he must wait two years before he can get what are called his "second papers," which make him a citizen of the United States, and give him all the rights and privileges of a native-born citizen. Before the second papers are given him, he has to take an oath swearing to be a true and faithful citizen of his new country, and he has to give up any title that he may have borne in his former land.

The oath he takes, which is called the oath of allegiance, binds him to give up his citizenship in his former country, and to become so completely an American that if a war were to break out between his old country and the United States, he would fight against her and for America.

He went back to Cuba, after a while, and settled in Guanabacoa.

Guanabacoa, if you will remember, is the town which is ruled by the cruel Fondeviella. In Number 13 of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD we told you about this man, and his cruelty.

It would seem that Dr. Ruiz fell a victim to Fondeviella's cruelty.

The Spaniards seem to have a very spiteful feeling against Cubans who have become American citizens.

They vow vengeance against such men, and are ever on the watch to find an excuse for arresting or punishing them.

Dr. Ruiz, though he seems to have attended to his own business, and obeyed the law in every way, interfering with no one, has been an object of suspicion to Fondeviella for some time past, and when, on January 16th, a train was thrown off the rails by insurgents, a few miles from Guanabacoa, Dr. Ruiz was accused of having taken part in the outrage.

He was arrested and thrown into jail.

When the reason for his arrest was known, some well-known citizens of Guanabacoa came forward, and said that they knew Dr. Ruiz was innocent. It seems that on that very night there was a birthday party at the house of Dr. Ruiz's father-in-law.

The doctor was present, but, feeling tired, he left the party at ten o'clock and went to his own house. Two of his friends went with him, and sat chatting with him until after twelve o'clock.

The train was thrown off the rails at ten-thirty, so that it was quite impossible that Dr. Ruiz could have had any hand in the work.

The authorities refused to listen to these statements made by Dr. Ruiz's friends, and kept him shut up in a dark and filthy cell for fourteen days. At the end of this time word came to Consul-General Lee that Dr. Ruiz had died in prison.

As he was a very strong and healthy man, the American Consul at once suspected that he had not died a natural death.

On investigation it was found that the poor fellow had died from the effects of a blow on the head.

No one knows, and probably no one ever will know, how he was killed, but there are dark rumors that he was murdered in his cell by Fondeviella's orders.

When the Americans were going to see the cell in which poor Dr. Ruiz had died, they were obliged to pass along a corridor lined with other cells, in which more prisoners were confined.

As they walked along this passage, several of the poor captives came to their doors, and whispered that Ruiz had been ill-treated, and they thought murdered. They declared that they had heard sounds of blows coming from his cell, and that the jail had rung with the poor doctor's cries for help.

This may not be true, because Cubans shut up in jails by Spaniards are not likely to feel very friendly toward them, and these stories may have been invented with the hope of angering the Americans into making war on Spain.

But whether these stories be true or false, it is very well known that the Spaniards do not treat their prisoners kindly, and there is good ground for suspicion in this case.

Our Consul was so disturbed by the news that was brought to him, and by the sights that he saw in the jail, that he sent word to the government in Washington, asking that warships be sent to Havana to protect the American prisoners who are in Cuban jails.

There have been, and still are, a number of our citizens under arrest in Cuba, and the case of Mrs. Rodriguez, about whom you read in Number 16 of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD, followed so closely by the death of Dr. Ruiz, has made General Lee feel that the Americans in Cuba need some better protection than they have at present.

The government however, has refused him the help he asked for, and it is reported that the Consul-General has sent in his resignation, preferring to give up his office rather than remain in Cuba without the power to help his countrymen.

This news has created the greatest excitement. The government denies that it is true, and declares that General Lee has neither asked for warships nor sent in his resignation. But signed telegrams come from Havana, stating that the whole matter is quite true, and that the General cabled his resignation, so that there might be no delay in its reaching our government.

Both Houses of Congress are demanding to be told the whole truth about the matter. Senators, who, as a rule, are very loyal to the government, are asking for explanations, and insisting that all the papers and letters in Mr. Olney's hands that relate to the subject shall be given to the Senate.

Havana is also highly excited. The report that General Lee had asked for warships set the Spaniards afire. They threatened, and raged, and became so angry and indignant that the Marquis de Ahumada, the governor of Havana, was afraid that riots would break out.

He therefore sent for the colonels of the various volunteer troops in the city, and assured them that the reports were altogether false, and that Mr. Cleveland and Mr. Olney were the faithful friends of Spain.

Despite the governor's proclamation, the Spaniards openly declare that if an American man-of-war enters Havana harbor they will attack the American Consulate, and declare war on the United States.

Meanwhile, people are wondering what turn Cuban affairs will take, after they are in the hands of the new President.

The Spaniards declare that Major McKinley will follow in the footsteps of Mr. Cleveland and Mr. Olney, and do nothing at all.

In Washington it is said that great changes will be made. While war will not be declared on Spain, warships will be sent to Cuba to protect our citizens there, and the United States Navy will no longer be kept doing police work for Spain by preventing filibustering.

One thing, however, is sure. Dr. Ruiz's death will be closely inquired into.

General Lee's prompt and manly action has been of some little help to another poor American confined in a Cuban jail.

This second prisoner is a Mr. Charles Scott, who is accused of having some postage stamps in his possession that were issued by the insurgent government.

It is the custom of the Spaniards to keep important prisoners in solitary confinement until they have been examined by the judge. Their law says that a prisoner shall be shut up thus closely for seventy hours, and during that time he shall be completely cut off from the rest of the world, and therefore at the mercy of his jailers.

It was during this confinement, and while he was waiting for his examination, that Dr. Ruiz was, if reports be true, beaten to death by the Spaniards.