Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-26
EXCITEMENT IN CUBA.
Judicial Courts Closed and Five Provinces
Under Military Rule.

KEY WEST, Fla, April 25-Late advices
from Cuba report there is still fearful
state of excitement, although it is now
over a week since Capt. Gen. Marin de-
clared the five largest provinces of the
island in state of siege. In the procla-
nation issued by the government, it sets
forth that owing to the enormous increase
of crime, especially murder, arson, kid
mapping, etc, on the island, especially in
the provinces of Havana and Matanzas.
The crimes are committed in broad day
light; prominent citizens and plant
ers are captured by bands of
bandits, who hold them in custody until
enormous ransoms are paid for their lib
erty. The captain general, Sahas Marin,
representing the Spanish government,
thereby declared the provinces of Matanza,
Havana, Santa Clara and Pinar del Rio in
siege, by the phrase 'estado de guerra"
which means in a state of war. The judic
ial courts are all closed, and the above
provinces are under military control. The
entire Liberal press of the island has been
suppressed by order of Marin. The docks.
railroad stations and all other lines of
communication are being closely watched
by government troops. The same scenes
Rio. The five provinces declared III state
of siege, cover over 100 cities, towns and
! villages.
Said prominent gentleman who ar
! rived from there today: The government,
! headed by Marin. was to make it appear
that these bandits who have taken posses
sion of Cuba are committing new crimes
in connection with the Cuban leaders of
the late instruction with the view of Civ
ing Cuba her liberty. Such however, is
not the case. There is no politics in this
matter The whole truth is that the ban
dts have got so fierce and ferOcious in
CubaI that the government will require
about 10000 men to eXterminate them
The proclamation Is signed by Marin,
in the third article of which lie says that
any person or persons found to be con-
nected in any way with the bandits, or
who gives food or shelter to any of their
gang, such person or persons shall be i'm
mediateI y tried by military laws
executed. As the government,
gives extraordinary authority to the
guardia civil, which are the principal
troops now used by the government, grave
fears are entertained in Havana that these
troops will try and repeat what they did
in Porto Rico recently, where Mr. Nadal,
an American citizen, was one of the vic
tins The American residents of Cuba
are very apt to suffer the consequence of
this siege, and are exposed TO be muir
dered in cold blood at any moment owing
to the state of affairs on the island.
Capt Gen. Marin has been unhappy in
| the publication of bis decree, forthe words
which he allows to creep into ito Sc
cure public order against the parricidal
intentions of traitors'-indicate strongly
that he means an attack against
the liberal party IN Cuba, which
he would suppress by violence under
pretense of suppressiug highway robbery,
which latter could be easily done by
proper enforcement of the laws and com
pliance with duty on the part of his
subordinates The people may soon hear
of outrages in the country precincts, black
mailing and murder OF defenseless and
quiet citizens by an irresponsible soldiery,
If those citizens are natives and form a
part of the Liberal party. The plea will
%" the suppression of brigandage.
National integrity are two words much
used in Cuba to cover the wrong doings OF
the so-called Spanish party, and the of
| fCials who abet il, while the Spaniard who
| is Liberal, whether Castilian or Asturion,
| Is a subject for suspicion or persecution if
independent enough to demand his full
rights under the constitution of Spain. In
Cuba he ceases to be Spaniard, under the
ban of the Spanish party.
The outlook for Cuba IS gloomy if one
may Judge from the decree of the state of
siege in the provinces of Havana, Pinar del
Rio, Matanzas and Santa Clara, and the
civilized world may well fear for the future
prospects of its inhabitants. BY military
rule and a direct taxation of 50, 000O0.
real estate values have already been de-
pressed nearly - per cent. The probable
ity is recent events may cause an exodus
of part of the best population of Cuba,
with its remaining capital and industry.
TO the United States, wherefrum some ben
eft may be derived By the people here
/ through bad government upon this island
already