The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-10-29
THE CUBANS.
Letter from an Inmate of
Spanish Prison.

The following, addressed and signed as
below, has been obtained for publica-
ton. The writer's apparent lack
grammatical structure and the rules
English syntax, must be overlooked in
view. OF the fact that the writer is some
what inexperienced in our language:
Habana Political Prison, 19Sept., 1884.
+. HARRIS, ESQ.
DER SIR: Though l know you only by
your enyiable reputation, am going to
trust you a secret OF the greatest impOr-
lance, obliged by miSfOrtunate circum-
stances in which 1 find myself and the
necessity to put it over, to avoid the
fatal end which threatens me.
In 1874 l was an officer in the Spanish
army an unhappy accident compelled
me 10 desert and l embraced the Cuban
cause. Nothing worthy of mention did
occur till 1877, IN which l WAS commits
stoned by the Executive Power as col
lectOr OF funds for the war, IN this
Island. Soon after begun to fill my
commission, and in less that month I
had collected S9S0,O00 in currency and
500 ounces in Spanish gold, and
had to hide myself IN q vessel tina
left for that Republic.
My intention was to give accounts to
the Cuban Revolutionary Committee
New York, but l desisted of doing so,
by seeing the shameful disorder that
existed between those members which
divided into bands diScredited them
selves mutually, leaving Cuba without
the only official representation that she
had in foreign lands, by which decided
to return to the Island and take orders
sTcl-
of the enterprise | determined first to
/ keep IN safe place the values cOnfided
/ to me; did, burning them in a lead
! case n the neighbOrhOOd OF that city
/ taken at same time a crOqunis of the
/ place, which l kept in a secret OF my
valise. My precautions were not in
vain, for rs soon as l stepped the pier
OF Havana / was imprisoned and sub
mitted to preceding for infidence and
my luggage was cOnfiscated. Formerly
/ being denounced as a deseTter officer,
am also under military proceeding and
pending Of personal Identification.
Soon after the war was over as a
miserable bargain in which everything
was bought and sold, the Spanish gold
made of no ancient fellowship my
greatest enemies and by means CT bad
arts they have employed and employ
and to the powerful influence they
have acquired with their treason, have
no hope for my liberty but by opening
MY prison with gold key, which key
with the help of God and yours, 1 ex-
pect to get soon.
To rescue the values it is necessary to
get free my luggage, that is affected to
the costs of the proceedings in order to
rescue the croquinS, without which
nothing can be done. This will be the
only expense worth of mention that the
affair viii cause and which expense
you must pay, because IN my aetna
: poorness- II is impossible for me K
! attend them.
: As a reward for your services L WI
give YOU one-third part of said values
t paying you also the expenses you ma,
Q advance to reCuperate them.
. I pray you for your honor to kee
: the greatest secret and not to let
r known to any one; considering that a,
Fimprudence should accelerate the evil
, that / want to avoid with your helT
4 recommending you for precauhOn to sig
h your letters only with your initials an
, remit them in the form | indicate b'
e low, because otherwise they would
intercepted by my enemies.
f Your urgent answer Is wanted, reser'
= ing myself for when ! get it to remit yO
# the documents that viii patentize II
IS affair.
l remain, dear sir,
h Yours very truly,
a. PHI. AGUILAR.