The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22

Kooted In the Streets by Spauiards and
Their Every Move Wntched.

A New Yorker Just returned from Havana
yesterday told a SUN reporter some OF his ex-
pericnces there and what he had observed
of the condition OF the town. Havana
appears very quiet" he said, except for
the marching Of the soldiers. which continues
nearly all day. and the drilling of the Nolun-
teers. Apart from these features. the life of
the town seems to be going on quite as usual,
but one feels all the time that, like n volcano.
tho city is ready to become excited ut the
slightest provocation. The authorities realize
this danger and the theatres have been closed
and the bull fights discontinued. Everything is
done to prevent any meetings which would coll
lcct n large number Of the citizens.
The feeling of the Spaniards against the
Americans is intensely bitter. One day when
| was driving on the outskirts of the city
a crowd of twenty or thirty Spaniards
collected on the road and began to follow our
carriage. 1t was only by turning up a side road
that our driver succeeded in getting away from
the crowd. who were running after us at full
speed, cursinc America. and shaking their fists
at us. 1t was only In the Cuban restaurants
that it was safe for us to talk with any freedom
at all. and then only when we had secured a
private room and were certain of not being over
heard by persons not connected with the estab-
INT My companion and l never thought
Of talking with any freedom in our room, at the
hotel. We were watched from the day we
reached Havana. and every letter we received
plainly showed marks of having been opened.
1t is impossible for Americans to get any letters
out OF Havana. brought a number myself adj
dressed to people here which it would other
wise have been impossible to get outside the city.
"One sees and hears very little of the Cuban
population Of Havana. while the Spaniards are
on every hand. Gen. Weyler's brutality is very
much talked of. He has Havana by the throat,
and IT takes Just such a man as he to control it.
We had an instance of his power when the news
reached Havana on the day 1t was learned that
the House had confirmed the Senate action. 1t
was rumored that the Volunteers were to make
a protest that night against America, and an
American who had been for some time In
Havana came to the hotel at which we were
stopping to warn us that II would be dangerous
TO leave the hotel that night. The Volunteers
young men of the town. Our waiter in the
hotel and the man who attended to our rooms
were Volunteers, and all the clerks and men In
similar positions belonged to the association.
After We had spent two or three very
uneasy hours in the hotel, word came-t 10
us that Gen. Weyler had checked the pro-
posed demonstration, and had done IT. in
o very characteristic way. He sent word TO
the Volunteers that II they gathered in the
square that night to make any show against
the United States or threaten 10 harm any
lar troops and cut down the Volunteers until the
streets ran with Spanish blood. He had heard
of the proposed demonstration and kept all the
regular Spanish troops that day in the forts near
Havana preparatory TO quelllng any disturbance
that the Volunteers might create. We were not
allowed to get outside Havana. as no Americans
are allowed to leave and 20 into the Interior"