Ryan and Varona refused to kneel, and were shot as they stood. The heads of the four were cut off and carried on pikes through the city and before the windows of the prison, where their comrades lay awaiting a similar fate. Cespedes was the son of a patriot who had died for Cuba Libre. Varona, a chivalrous commander, had given freedom to fifteen Spanish officers captured in battle, and those fifteen, to their credit be it said, pleaded, though in vain, for clemency to him when he fell into the hands of Buriel. Del Sol was a brave young man with a wife and children. Ryan, Canadian born, was a daring adventurer. He had saved eight persons from drowning, a short time before, and leaped into the sea and saved one more on the day of the ship's departure. Santa Rosa, who was shot with the next batch of victims, had fought beside Lopez in 1851 and was one of the thirteen who raised the banner of revolt in 1868. He was imprisoned but escaped to renew the struggle, and died at last, after twenty years of strenuous endeavor for the freedom of his country, leaving the reputation: "He was very brave and very eccentric; of violent temper, but good-hearted and very devout. He never went into battle without praying for the souls of the Spaniards who might be slain." The news of the tragedy had been carried to the United States, and the American and English consuls interested themselves to protect the remaining prisoners; but the sham trials went on in spite of their protests. Here in the face of death came out all the manliness, the tenderness, the unselfishness, and the simple piety of the brave Fry. For himself he expected no mercy and asked for none. He made his formal protest against the seizure of his ship on the high seas and the unfair trial by which he and his men had been condemned; but it was for them alone that he besought mercy. To General Buriel, the Spanish Governor, he wrote, saying: "Running the blockade is considered a risky business among sailors, for which good pay is received. It is notorious that a great number of vessels were employed in it during the American war, and, although captures were numerous, not a single life was lost; the greater part of the prisoners were set at liberty after a short imprisonment. I never heard a word before the night of my sentence, of Cuban law and the proclamation relative to an attempt to introduce arms into Cuba. If, with superior opportunities, I was ignorant that the case could be decided by another law than the international, how complete may have been the ignorance of these poor people! I was continually in the company of people who ought to have known it, and not one alluded to the fact. In a word, I believe it is not known, and that the world will be painfully surprised on learning the sacrifice of these lives.