Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-31
Interview With Roman Rodri-
Gus Caviaro, Native Of Cuba.
Says Patriots Are Well Armed and
Drilled, and Fight to Win.
Arc Stronger Than Generally Known-Spanish
Reports Arc Usually Doctored.

killed and governs himself accordingly
This seems to be the case with the in.
surgents of Cuba, according to the
story of native of that island as too
to the Journal in an interview, Satur-
day night.
The native referred to is Roman Rod
ricus Caviaro. who, Saturday, was a
guest at the City hotel Mr.. Caviaro il
the son of a Spanish father and a ma
tive Cuban mother He is AZ years old
and a highly intelligent person. His
knowledge of the island, its people and
present events there makes converse
ton with him particularly interesting
just at this time In the course of the
interview Mr.. Caviaro said:
II left Havana, Monday. March Is
cannot tell you what my business is
but l will say that l am sympathizer
with the Cuban patriots. The press Of
this country call those who are strug-
Cling for freedom insurgents; the
Spanish press call them rebels; we call
them patriots. l don't know why it is
so but not until lately have your peo-
pie come to realize that Cubans have
Americans colonies fought out SO sue
cessfully in the war of 1176. Your peo-
pie wanted to cast off what to them
was calling yoke. That is what We
want to do and we are going to do it
now. The Cubans have risen in insur
rection. time and again but each strug
gle was mightier than the one preced-
ing and the present one will be the las
for just as sure as the sun will set al
the close of this day Cuba will be free
when this struggle is closed.
THE patriots are receiving Substan-
tial aid from the United States finan~
cially and from armed bodies who have
gone to the island and joined the pat
riot army. We do not want or need
your fighting men, we do want your
money. and above all we desire tina,
the patriots shall be recognized as bel
ligerents. That will do us more 5000
than money or men or both.
When l left Havana. the Spanish
officials were terribly afraid that the
city would be attacked and great pre-
parationS had been made for defense
There are thousands of patriots in thai
city, but they are as badly off as thong,
they were in the cells of Moro The,
cannot go into the country to join thu
Cuban army for they are known or Al
least their sympathy is suspected, -,
If seen going toward the country sid,
they are arrested by the guards which
surround the city, and are thrown int
prison.
You here in the United States ar.
better informed of the movements of
the patriot army than are the patriots
IN havana, for this reason. Suppose
today. battle is fought and the Span
1sh troops Win the press of the island is
gwen every detail of the fight the
story is published under flaming head
lines for the purpose of disheartenine
the patriots at home. If tomorrow, .
a battle is fought and the patriots viii
the press is forbidden to publish the
story or else are compelled to say thai
the battle was won by the Spanish
Let me tell you now that YOU can put
but little dependence in the news tina,
you receive from Havana at this stage
of the game
Here Mr.. Caviaro was shown a copv
OF Mondays Journal. containing the
news of the capture of and destruction
of Pinar del Rio. After reading tho
dispatch he said:
IF the battle was fought. Friday
the news could not have reached lia.
vana, yesterday, for several rcasona.
FIRST, the country is 50 broken that no
horse or number of horses could have
covered the distance between the two
points in two days. Second Macco's
army is between the two points
stretching almost from water to water
ana II is next to impossible to get
through his lines. Pinar del Rio has
pech Maceo's objective point for a long
tihle. l learned at Key West from The
head OF the Cuban commissary depart.
'ment In the United States. that nor,
than month ago Maceo had sfgnifiad
his intention Of massing near the city
ana III the event of the expected stores
OF ammunition and reinforcemente
from the United States he would make
an attack. 1t is evident that the rei2.
forcements got there all right.
But the dispatch in your paper docs
not give the loss on either side. and ae
1t comes from Havana. | am inclined
TO think the Spanish loss is very great
The dispatch also says that the garri
son consisted of 1000 men. know
from an authoritative source that
there were at least 5000 men in tina.
garrison as late as March 81 1t was
an important point that the spanish
general Intended To hold and it does
not stand in reason that with Maceo
i'asslng about the city that the Span
lsh general would withdraw any OF the
garrison 1t is hard telling how many
men Maceo had in the fight. but
should sooner believe that his force
numbered 5000 than 5000. Maceo had
AT least 10000 followers in that pro-
me. week ago last Sunday.
me general idea in the Staras
seems to be that the Cuban army ;s
, ,,aue up OF little groups of soldiers
'e ana there. scattered all owe, tee
western half of the island 7 uot;coa
M one OF your illustrated magazines a
picture that purported to have bean
taken on the field and was s,nnosed 70
represent Cuban cavalry regimen, ),
rms regiment had apparently nose l
ior the picture. and do you know that
mere were less than so men in ITO
picture and they We're standing in ht,,a
evups LII 'front.' of one tent.
why, bless you. my dear s;r -,
Suoa we have as large regiments as vo,,
uo N the States. The Cuban army for
the most part is well eouipned md M;
lo,med. u may be we'll to say that the