4 August 1815 – Juan Crisóstomo de San Vítores

Juan Crisóstomo de San Vítores met a painful end for his crimes in 1815.

The Spaniard was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by being garotted in Madrid.

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2 March 1974 – Salvador Puig Antich

Catalan activist Salvador Puig Antich was executed for murder during Franco’s right-wing dictatorship.

Copped a shot

Born in Barcelona, Antich’s anarchic actions during the ’60s and ’70s were in response to the fascist regimen that had gripped Spain under General Franco. There was a shoot-out and he was captured, but not before a Guardia Civil policeman copped a fatal shot.

Keen to fit someone up for the murder, the blame fell on Antich. He was court martialled and found guilty of the crime – the sentence was death.

Stranglehold

Supporters Europe wide called for the penalty to be overturned, but Franco was steadfast in his resolve to have Antich executed.

The 25-year-old was unceremoniously garrotted in his cell at about 9:40am on this day in 1974.

Also on this day

2 March 1946 – Fidél Pálffy ab Erdod
2 March 1909 – Ernest Hutchinson

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17 February 1872 – Jose Burgos

The most vocal of the trio of Gomburza martyrs, Jose Burgos was sentenced to be garrotted for treason in the Philippines.

José Apolonio Burgos teamed up with a host of followers in Cavite and fellow Spanish-Filipino priests from the surrounding area to promote liberal ideas. These activities were in direct opposition to the overwhelming Spanish influence.

  

Filipinos fight back

Based at Manila Cathedral, Burgos campaigned for liberalising laws and it was this kind of action that ensured support from the locals. On 20 January 1872 there was an uprising and 200-odd locals killed their Spanish officers.

The Spanish hit hard and within two days the uprising had been quelled. The trio of priests were slung in jail and had up for treason. A mock trial was then staged and the three clergymen were found guilty.

Burgos was the first to be garrotted in Manila, aged 35, followed by the other two clergymen. The iron collar was said to gradually strangle the victims, often taking two days to kill.

Also on this day

17 February 1872 – Reverend Mariano Gómez and Father Jacinto Zamora
17 February 1903 – William Hughes

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17 February 1872 – Reverend Mariano Gómez and Father Jacinto Zamora

The two other members of the Gomburza martyrs, Reverend Mariano Gómez (standing to the left in the picture) and Father Jacinto Zamora (seated) were Filipino priests who were executed for treason.

Along with Jose Burgos (pictured centre) they were sentenced to death following a pseudo-trial in which they were really had up as examples to dissenters.

Reverend Mariano Gómez, having been born in the suburb of Santa Cruz in Manila, trained as a priest and was posted to Cavite. This area was controlled by the Spanish much to the monastery’s displeasure and it wasn’t long before cracks in the uneasy relationship started to appear.

Home truths

Needless to say dissension was brewing as home-grown friars were being overlooked in favour of the influx of Spanish priests. Ironically of mixed Chinese and Spanish blood, the Reverend worked hard to protect his fellow Filipino-Spanish priests and used the local newspaper ‘La Verdad’ (‘The Truth’) to publish anti-Spanish information.

As a clergyman, he had power in the area, so the Spanish in turn arrested him on charges of treason, sedition, and taking active part in Cavite’s armed revolution along with Jose Apolonio Burgos and Jacinto Zamora. The trio were given the death sentence after having been tried in a military court.

Father Gomez was about 73 years of age when he was garrotted in Bagumbayan. He was followed by 37-year-old Father Jacinto Zamora, who’d also been at Manila Cathedral.

Father Zamora had teetered on the brink of madness, due largely to his imprisonment and trial. So his death came not a moment too soon. And their work was not in vain either. For their actions, the three men were hailed as martyrs to their cause.