The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-25


ditlonal release, and the return Of an your prop
erty.n
Or. HouARp-I had not heard OF It, When did
that event Occurf
CORREsPONDENT-F0ur or nVe DAYS ago. We
heard about II by the cable.
Dr. HoUARD-I hope l win soon get out or this
horrible place. ] could not live three months
longer n remained here am confined In a dirty
filthy room, $50 feet long, with not soul to talk to-
The room Is fun Of every description OF vermln. II
is not at for the habitaton OF human being
CoRREsPoNDENT-How are you treated2
DR.. HoUARD-As well as could be expected. When
first arrived was chained to the wall but latterly
my irons have been removed, and thanks to General
Durne's good Offices, my condition has been anne
horated In every respect. But
CANNOT LIVE IF STAY HERE MUCH LONGER.
am an old man, completely broken down by the
harshness with which have been treated, and
hardly think can live long any way While I'M
prsoned In Havana swept the streets Of the city,
at least on two occasions with the OF the chain
gang. During the voyage to this place, which lasted
seventeen days. was kept in irons. was III with
dysentery all the way.
CORRESPONDENCE your wife living
DR.. HOUARD-No; she has been dead some years.
C0RRKspoNDENT-How many children have you9
DR.. H0UARD-I have five; the youngest Is only
ten years old.
HIS FATHER NEVER A SPANISH POLICEMAN.
C0RREsPONDENF-Where were you bornY
DR.. H0UARD-I was born in Philadelphia and
was fvo years old when my father went to Cuba to
engage In business. And here l desire you to do
me the favor to correct a statement made by the
Spanish authorities to the effect that my father
was chief of police at Cienfuegos This is utterly
false. Ny father died five years after he went to
Cienfuegos, and durng the time he was there he
devoted himself exclusively to mercantile pursuits.
He could not speak five words OF Spanish and
hence cannot see how he could have acted az
chief Of police.
HB NEVER RENouNcED HIS ALLEGIANCE.
CoRREspoNDENT-Have You at any time renowned
your allegiance to the United States9
DR.. HoUARD-Never. ! was educated ut Phila-
delphia, and was graduated physician from JEFF
fcrson College. After that returned to Clenfuegos
and practlsed my profession there up the time OF
my arrest. AS O further proof that the Spanish
authorities were perfectly certain that l was an
American, the certificate of license granted me at
Havana to enable me to practise medicine declares
me to have been born In Philadelphia This fact Is
on record at Havana.
Observation-Disclosures were the circumstances
that led to your arrest
Dr. HouARD-1 am the victim Of conspiracy on
the part Of my enemies. My story is briefly told.
Four years before the breaking out of the insurrec
ton sold box OF medicines to young man. The
box bore my name. In the latter part Of 1870 the
Spaniards surprised a party Of Cuban Insurgents,
and among the things they captured was the box
of medicines in question, and which still bore my
name. Now does it not appear preposterous to any
rational being II l was supplying the insurgents
with medicines that should have been
FOOLISH ENOUGH TO STAMP NY NAME
Arx.r~r \ IuAIlt
of my personal enemies forthwith informed the
government that had been aiding the Cuban in
surgents and furnishing them with money. They
also swore that the box of medicines above alluded
to had been sent by me quite recently. was ar
rested on the 18th of December, 1870, at eleven
O'Clock at night, and was incarcerated in dungeon
for eight months before was brought to trial.
When arraigned before the court martial l
was not even asked the usual question
whether / objected to any member OF the
court. Two well-knOwn personal enemies
Of mine acted as my judges. l was not
present at the trial, and only appeared again be-
fore the court martial to hear my sentence read.
The witnesses, ! was informed, were examined
privately by the Fiscal, who called upon them and
wrote down whatever he pleased. This is the whole
| case.
At this juncture we were interrupted by the Gov
ernor, who, havirr fpSyhed breakfast doubtless
felt In a laxative mood He said he was sorry DR..
Houard had not been removed TO Ceuta with
Gulral because the Doctor alone and could
talk to no one. The Governor assured us, upon his
honor, that he felt most
ANXIOUS TO GET RID OF THE DOCTOR
because he was such an important State prisoner
that he (the Governo), although much against his
inclination, was compelled to redoube his vigilance
to prevent his escape To all this Consul
Durne replied that he hoped His Excellency would
treat him as we'll as he could, as he (the Consult
was certain of the release of the Doctor before long,
We then babe the Doctor goodby, assuring him
OF our sympathy, and cheering him with the assur-
ance that the government of the United States
would unquesonably succeed in its efforts secure
his release. The Doctor appeared sorry to part with
u.s. and said he hoped he would not be buried in
his present filthy quarters much longer. He asked
Consul Durfe to visit him often, with which request
the Consul promised to comply. The Governor OF
the prison accompanied US to the gate, and after
repeated assurances of his undying friendship and
esteem we bowed and left.
ACTIVITY OF THE AMERICAN CONSUL.
Consul Durfe is doing everything in his power to
effect the removal of the Doctor from his present
prison to the hospital, where he can receive the
care and attention his delicate state OF health so
greatly needs. If this result can be obtained-and
there is every prospect of its acc0mplishment-the
Doctor may possibly survive long enough to reach
his home and die surrounded by the loving faces OF
his children ana relatives. very much doubt II he
can live should his place OF confinement remain
unchanged. The man is a perfect wreck. He in
formed me that before his arrest he weighed over
two hundred pounds. He barely weighs half OF that
now.