Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-27
TOOK ARMS TO THE CUBANs.
A steamship Loaded With War Ma
terinl mt JncksOnyiIIe

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, April IA
steamship arrived in this port at 8 o'clock
last night and was loaded with war material
for the Cuban insurgents. The steamer lay
In midstream opposite dock. and six large
boats transferred arms and ammunition
from the dock to the vessel 1t Is said tina [
1000 rifles, 1900 revolvers, 1900 machetes,
100000 cartridges and eight Hotchkiss and
Calling guns were placed on board.
In dropping down the river the vessel
will pick up twenty Cubans, who came here
from New York by rail.
The United States revenue cutter Bout
We'll left here for Charleston Saturday and
every official connected with the United
States court is out of the city and are not
expected to return until noon today. These
are only coincidents, but they have driven
the Spanish vice consul wild. His men
tried to enter the dock, but were prevented
by Cuban agents.
The vessel will try to land on the coast of
Pinar del Rio which province Gen. Maceo
controls. She may meet the Spanish war
ship Reina Mercedes en- route. This cruiser
sailed north from Key West Saturday to
intercept the filibuster.
At LEO this morning the vessel, having
taken on board all the arms and ammuni-
ton, dropped down the river in tow of a
tug. AS the vessel departed the Spanish
vice consul standing on the shore danced
In rage because he was helpless.
Gen. MeIquizO's Brutality.
KEY WEST. Fla, April q (by mail from
Havana, April 25).-While Delgado the
American is slowly convalescing from
wounds inflicted On him by Spanish soldiers
Under Gen. Melquizo's bidding several
weeks ago, the brutal Spanish officer is still
butchering people in Havana province. AL
though official investigation shows that
Melquizo is guilty of all charges against
him, he has not been suspended from his
command. He is said to possess enough
influence in Madrid to make it exceedingly
uncomfortable for any superior officer who
might endeavor to bring him to punish
ment.
News received here tells of his conduct
during the past two weeks. Near Camp
Florido, SO the information runs, Meluuizo
arrested nine peaceable countrymen, and by
his orders they were killed. At Mines nine
teen 'pacificos" fell into his clutches and
were shot. and near Bainoa he RACED ten
farms and gathered in forty laborers who
were killed in cold blood. The most hor-
rible phase of the last butchery is the fact
that women and children were among those
massacred. In the vicinity of Jaruco, Mel
quiZo ordered the slaughter of forty-seven
persons. who were taken from fields where
they were at work.
In Melquizo's territory the people are
f1ocking to Havana to escape him.
The officials of the Treasury Department
have heard nothing of the reported de-
parture from Jacksonville, Fla, of the
Bermuda with a cargo of arms and am
munition for the Cuban insurgents. The
fact Is recalled that the crew of the Ber-
muda were recently discharged by jury
for completely in an expedition similar to
the present, and the officials do not see
that any good purpose would be served,
even If the facts are as stated by again
placing them in arrest. The promoters
of these expeditions, it is said, seem to be
perfectly familiar with the law governing
such cases, and are very particular not to
do anything that would bring them within
the law prohibiting armed expeditions from
leaving our coasts for Cuba. 1t Is prob
able therefore that nothing will be done
in this case except to see to it that the
laws as recently interpreted by the courts
are not infringed