On the Tumultuous Riotings to His Family

When the new Rector went to assume office next day [November 21,1884], feelings were much irritated, we were still seeing red, it was resolved not to return to classes as long as they did not give us satisfaction, and remove the Rector.  There were repeated shouts of "Down with Creus!" I was there also.  On that day there were new encounters, new fights, wounded, cane blows, imprisonment, etc.  It was on this same day, the 21st, when a police lieutenant and a secret service man wanted to seize Ventura and me, but he and I escaped.  Two Filipinos were taken prisoners.

On the third day, Saturday, the 22nd, the new Rector Creus called the police to occupy the University, to the great disgust of the professors and the great indignation of the students.  On this day, because the agent of the law were staring very much at me, and I do not know why, I had to disguise myself three times.  None entered the classes.  More blows, wounded, etc.  More than 80 guards occupied the University up and down; they had their guns and bugles in the lecture hall.  The boulevard Del Prado was occupied by the cavalry, cannons, and soldiers.  On this day we swore not to return to this dishonored University, whose Rector was imposed on it by force and threat, and in which we are treated as persons without dignity; and we have sworn not to go back until they give us complete satisfaction, and reinstate the old Rector, remove Creus who is a disgrace to the physicians who wanted to expel him from the Academy [of Medicine and Surgery] for lacking in dignity and self-respect... This Rector; to avoid the catcalls and insults of the students, leaves and enters the University though a secret door in the garden.  All the papers of Madrid and in the provinces, except those of the Ministry, are in our favor, severely accusing the Government; the people also are on our side, and the students of the provinces are adhering to us.  A rich banker offered ten thousand duros to the ex-Rector to bail out the imprisoned students, so much so that they take our cause as theirs.  I had the luck of not having received even a cane blow, nor taken prisoner, nor arrested despite my two roles as student of medicine and of philosophy and letters... Whether it was luck or not, the case is that there were wounded old men, women, children, soldiers, strangers; I did not even have to run... No Filipino was wounded, but Cubans and Spaniards, many.