Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-07-20
WAS ON THE ISLAND OF CUBA
f. |. Harriet Of San Francisco
Relates His Experience.
tie believes tho Rebels VIII Finally win
Suspicion OH Every Hsnd-Dead-
Iy Eject or the Climate on
Foreigners.


DlouA ~ "a SatJ ~
Il. L. Harriet, a San Francisco mer-
chant. who for over a year has been In
Cuba looking after business enterprises
in which he is Interested. was In the city
last night and talked entertainingly 10
a Tribune reporter OF the present stu
alton In the little island and h rebels
prospect Of finally gaining their indie
pendence.
II left Cuba said Mr.. Harriet. "sev-
eral weeks ago and am now on my way
to San francisco. Business matters
called me to Minneapolis and / con-
cluded to stop of a day or W In Sioux
City to visit with friends here. From
the number Of questions j have been
asked since i reached the United States
/ am led to believe that the Interest In
the struggle is almost as keen here as la
Cuba itself.
Theoretically the revolution has not
yet spread all over the isiand-or had
not when / left-but In fact everything
is very badly torn up even In the most
loyal provinces. Business on the Island
IL practically at a standstill and every
one is afraid to o lest he excite sus-
picion, which means no end Of trouble
and perhaps months In q Spanish pris-
on. jail Is no Joke In that climate at
this time OF year, nor indeed at n
time with the accommodations fur
nished prisoners there. The bupposi-
tion Is that you're guilty until you're
proven innocent and that often X
a long time.
tie impossible to speak too strongly
Of the climate. It's awful. The Span
ish soldiers have been thinned out by Ii
far more than by the rebels and from
present indications will ave hard work
to hole their ground against both. In
deed, the impression Is constantly gain
ing ground that Spanish dominion In
the island is practically at an end. In
stead OF growing smaller. the revolu-
ton IL constantly spreading n In
creasing In strength. The Spaniards
feel this and arc getting badly scared.
More troops are being shipped in every
little while but they don't seem to know
how to fight the natives. who persist In
own f~ashion-not in that to which the
Spanish officers are accustomed. The
latter are disposed to stand out In the
open and fight as II they were on dress
parade. The Cubans prefer ambus-
Sdoes huu suuucH uhHk movements
They are familiar with the country.
don't mind the climate and although
their number Is less han that OF their
enemy generally a very little diff
Guilty In dealing with him.
1T must be confessed that the win
ming side generally manifests a very
savage disposition whenever the other
Is taken at a disadvantage. Prisoners
are roughly handled and In some cases.
! am told. butchered outright. Military
executions are very frequent and are
sometimes the penalty for the most
trivial ~offenses. About the larger
towns. but for the utter prostration OF
business and the number Of soldiers In
the streets one would not know that a
war was I'm progress. OUTSIDE. however,
are every day occurrences
and are generally very bloody. owing
TO the manner In which the war is con-
Quoted long range guns and heavy ar
ti4ery are not OF much use. The fight
ing is mostly han TO hand and conse-
quently has In IL a good deal OF the pie
element. although / don't sup
pose the participants see II
ION the whole l am inclined to think
the Cubans Will win In the long run.
There may be a good deal OF fighting
hrst but Spain is so far of. the climate
OF the island Is so deadly to foreigners
and the rebels so desperate that / be-
lieve their antagonists will finally get
tired out and give UP the struggle In
disgust.