Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-23
AR MS STRUGGLED IN
Havana Customs Officials Have Been
Negligent.
Rebuked by Spanish Minfster-An
Emissary From Key West With
Load of RevOIvers.
From The Stars Special Correspondent.

ooiicL lilc SoiuLil ny "tu
Navarro returned to Placietas yesterday.
The men want new shoes, and Gen. Campos
has ordered that each member of the COM
mand be given two additional pairs. The
peculiar character of the soil of Cuba rem
ders marching without shoes impossible
for the Spanish troops, while the rebels,
the great majority of whom are barefoot
ed, seem to pay no attention to the thorny
junSles and the sharpened, hard clay of the
roads.
Arms Struggled In.
A long dispatch today from the Spanish
minister OF colonies has awakened the Ha-
vana custom house officials and caused the
seizure of large quantities of arms for the
insurgents here and at points of the inte-
rlor. The minister charges the officials
with gross neglect, and says that twice the
number of arms for the insurgents have
come through the port of Havana that
nave been landed by expeditions, and he
goes on to say that even large pieces of
artillery. marked machinery" have been
passed unnot;ced by the sleepy officials.
A very bold rebel was yesterday captur-
ed at Matanzas. He claimed to be an
American citizen, but this did not avail
much, considering that he had as baggage
an immense Saratoga trunk and two va
Uses filled with reyolvers His ticket read
from Key West, Fla, and how he man
aged to smuggle in his little arsenal is not
known.
Desires an American ProtectOrate.
A report that caused considerable excite
ment IN Havana yesterday was to the eff
feet that the Marquis de Apezteguia, leader
of the uitra-Spanish party, and one Of the
wealthiest men in Cuba, had gone from his
Rome in Cienfuegos to join the rebels.
There was not the slightest reason for
such rGmor as The Star CORRESPONDENT
learned today from the marquis himself
He said, when asked for his idea of The
situation in Cuba: Autonomy is out OF
the question. Spain never could, and if she
could. never would. grant it. Nor would
she sell Cuba or allow the island to be an
nexed in any other way. Personally, while
l consider myself true to my country.
would like to see an American protectorate
over the island, and I think this will be
the eventual solution of the problem
The marquis did not go into details on
the protectorate idea, leaving one to guess
whether he meant that Cuba should be
free, with an American protectorate. or
become an American Egypt. However, he
was plainly of the opinion that a large
majority of the planters the island,
Spaniards included. would be pleased to
see Cuba in the hands of the United States.
He pointed out the enormous import and
expert taxes planters We're compelled TO
meet. and the fact that of late years little
money had been made by them.
six years ago" said the marquis. Il told
members of the committee of foreign af-
fairs at Washington that l would willr g.
ly give away half of my property to nave
Cuba come under American control The
remaining half would be worth more than
the former whole, and l could dispose of
it for cash and retire to Madrid. This
many Spanish planters would like to do,
being sick and tired of Cuban political
broiS'
Red Cross Society Work.
The Red Cross Society of London has pc
titioned Gen. Campos to spare the lives of
Spaniards found in the rebel ranks. but no
mention is made of Cubans who may fall in
to the hands of the government troops.
The French division of the Red Cross So
ciety sent an agent here in the early days
of the war He brought along a large guam
tity of medicines bandages. etc, intending
to divide the supply between the nurses OF
the rebel and government forces. but the
latter appropriated it all and forbade the
agent visiting the inSurgent lines. Nothing
was seen of him for while thereafter. and
it was supposed that he had returned to
France, but recently it was learned that he
had accepted a commission in the inSurgent
ranks. and was one OF GomeZS most effl-
cent ieutenants.
The anti-Cuban pamphlet distributed
among Congressman at Washington, and
written by Mr. Frederic r. Coudert, the
Well-known New York lawyer, was pretty
thoroughly discussed in Havana during the
past two or three days. Mr.. Coudert is
known personally by many prominent
Cuhans, whom he taught years ago in New
York. where he conducted a school of Ian
guages. President CiSnerOS-Betaucourt of
the Cuban republican government was a
former pupil of Mr.. Couderts.
Hanged the False Guides Family.
rrl,a .,o,-,rpor of p;n,r dol pio u-,rac today
to Gen. Campos of an outrage in his prov
ince. 1t seems that young Cuban, who
was captured by government troops in a
recent fight, consented to act as guide for
the command of Col. Rubin on condition
that his life would be spared. He led the
troops to a secret retreat of band of in
surgents, and the entire party were cap
tured or killed. virtually the same thing.
and now, as the governor telegraphs. his
family-father. mother, two sisters and a
brother-have been found hanging to tree
in their own door yard.
In the same province Mrs. Francisco
Espinos was yesterday found hanging in
her home. and no traces of her husband and
son can be found. y score of such outrages,
but with more disgusting details, are given
in today's dispatches from tho interior.
Summary Executions.
The uncivilized features of the earlier
days of the war are certainly coming to
the front again, and grow more numerous
daily as activity increases on either side.
1t cannot be wondered that whenever a
fight occurs it is fierce and desperate. ow-
ing to the fate that seems to be inevitable
for the prisoner. A few instances are re-
corded within the last few days when
captured opponents, We're given their lib
erty or honorahly exchanged, but these are
certainly exceptions. In eight cases out
of ten the unfortunate prisoner is shot, or
put to the macnete, more frequently the
latter.
The prisoner is not even allowed to join
the ranks of his Captors. and his lease OF
life is indeed short after ne falls into their
hands. He is led out before the assembled
camp made to kneel upon the ground
bending his head forward and receiving the
death cut upon the back of the neck In
other Instances the barbarous executioners
are more considerable. The prisoner is
placed in a chair, his head is held back
ard the machete is drawn across his
throat.
4 SPY From Florida Caught.
A rebel spy. Ricardo Farrer by name,
was captured in Havana today. When first
imprisoned he refused to disclose his mis-
sion, but an application of the torturins
thumb-straws made him confess that he
was the emissary of the revolutionists at
ISav and was IN his yUay n tho in