Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-09-23
From Havana.

gentleman of undoubted veracity address
ed to Cuban gentleman in New York
HAVANA, August 20, 1852.
A thief, by the name of Rves, who
was in the chain-gang for stealing. by
some means which | cannot conceive of,
become acquainted with all the details OF
the conspiracy. This felon, with view
OF obtaining the pardon of his crime, and
the favor of the government, made the
important revelations. He was taken be-
fore the Captain General, when he desig-
mated the streets, houses, and numbers,
where the powder, cartridges and bullets
were stored and manufactured, and this
was the foundation Of the seizures and
arrests, which mentioned in my last let
ter; for as il was found that he designated
truly the place where the munitions of
war were found, he was believed as to all
other statements which he made as to the
completely of individuals.
! II was upon his information that the
Government was made to believe that the
people of Vaelta-Abajo and neighbering
towns were prepared for an insurrection,
and that they had been supplied with a
great number Of firearms and cartridges
for the purpose Of an immediate rising,
and were in daily expectation of help
which should come from the United States;
and that among those who were ready to
participate in the immediate rising, were
great many in Havana and the adjacent
country.
Since the arrests began TO be made, of
which gave you an account in my last,
great many have been made and cont!n.
ue TO be made in all parts of The Island.
10 effect these arrests in the country the
Government gave a commission to Col.
Cullen, who lately arrived from the pc
ninsula, (Spain, for the purpose of as
sociating him with the eeldhor Barredo, r a
kind of police officer. This Colonel was
in command OF body of troops, amongs.
whom was the intormer Rives, in the uni
form Of soldier, and it was his duty to
designate the persons whom the troops
should arrest, and for whose implication
the word Of this felon was deemed snffi.
cient. The Colonel has displayed all the
ferocity which charaeterizes his race, in
the fulfillment OF his commission.
After having arrested all the persons
pointed out by the ihformer, Rives, among
whom were the honest Don Juan Con
zales--a man of sixty years of age and
rich planter of the district of San Cristo-
bal-and the lawyer Don Joaquin u. Pin
to, Col. Cullen, in order to show his fit
ness for the barbarous duty to which he
was assigned, resorted to means which
none but Spanish officer would have
condescended to avail himself Of; forcing
his troops in every apartment of every
habitaiion within his reach, greeting all
whom he met with scornfu insult, show
ing no respect to age or sex, but heapillg
indignities upon men honorable for their
virtues. He inquired with profane rude
ness of all whom he met with Don Juan
Gonzales implication in the cons piracy.
The answers he received were that they
only knew Gonzales to be man Of ire
proachable honesty, beloved and esteemed
for the good he did to everybody. Ezra.
ged by such answers, he proposed to en-
force confessions by resort to torture.
While in this excited mood, CULLEN or
dered Gonzales to be instantly shot, and
preparations were made. The victim
was placed on bench and four soldiers
levelled their m1skets at his breast, and
while in that station, momentarily OK pect-
ing that the order would be given, the
Colonel endeavoree, by threatning words,
to extort an admission of his guilt, prom
ising, If he complied, that he should be set
free, but if he refused to confess he should
be tied codo oodo elbow to elbow and
taken to Jail.
/ 1t is not unusual, in circumstances like
these, for the Spanish officers TO cause the
prisoners 10 be tied to tree, while the
soldiers thrust sticks at them, and threat
en-, with their guns, with the view of ex-
torting aconfession from the poor exhaust
ed victim.
Measures are also used to induce the
slaves to betray their masters, and those
who refuse to do so are subjected 10 cruel
pnnishments, although there may be no
reason for believing that these slaves are
cognizant of their masters participation
IN the conspiracy. A number of negroes
have been offered their liberty if they
would inplicale their masters, and sever
al have, by testiiying to Infamous false
hoods, accepted the terms, and obtained
their freedom. This has been practiced
in many parts of the island, and has ex
cited the greatest horror i'm Vuelta- A bajo.
These acts will be remembered when the
day OF retribution comes, and will make
the revolution bloody one.
1t is wonderful fact that, though the
Spaniards have put slaves and freemen to
the torture, they have made no revelations;
but the means of seeking information are
not confined to the torture. They made
use of the most terrible threats and the
most astounding offers have succeeded by
this awkward management with venal
men-men tired Of guilty life, and with.
out morality, who have sold themse elves
for blind instruments, and have told lies
against any one whom they may wish to
ruin. The same means have been resort.
ed to with the slaves with more success
than the fortunes, and these have been
promised their libertyif they will but be-
Il ttaA ltzS- Al