The sun., 1896-02-28
Tho Black Flag.

Tho difficulty OF getting at the truth as
to the execution of WEYLER's bloody orders
in Cuba is much increased by two circum-
stances; one of which is that he will not
permit any correspondent to accompany any
body of troops sent out on an expedition; !;
and the other is that all reports transmitted
to this country relative to the deeds OF his
troops are subject to official censorship
conducted under palace supervision. By
these means WEYLER can represent things
in any way that suits his purpose
That tho news of many events discred-
liable to Spain has been suppressed. and
that the accounts Of other events have
borne no resemblance to the truth, has
been made manifest by facts brought
to light weeks after the publication Of
the official Spanish reports. When the
cracking of rifles in Havana fortress is
heard it is said that the troops were firing at
wandering goats; when suspects are shot
in any place under the terms of WEYLER's
third order, we are told that there had been
a desperate battle in which the Spanish
arms were triumphant; when prisoners
taken In battle are slain, we get the as
surance that they were killed in the fight !;
when a hospital filled with wounded pa
triots is burned, 1t was because the sufferers
had been guilty of bearing arms against
Spain.
AS no man In Cuba Is allowed to contradict
any OF these statements, under penalty Of
death, for this is the penalty prescribed in
WEYLER's proclamation of Feb. 10 for any
one "who shall endeavor to detract from the
prestige OF the Spanish army" it is safe to
indulge in the grossest misstatements; and
there is but little likelihood that they
will ever be challenged or corrected. 1t is
as though we had to take the allegations Of
ordinary criminals concerning their crimes.
without being permitted to see any Of the
evidence that might be adduced by the
other side.
Yet confession Is unwittingly made at
times by the evildoers which justitles the
accusations brought against them. We
have had a number of such accusatory con-
fessions during the twenty days of WEYLER's 8
reign OF terror in Cuba. The most recent
one Of them was printed among the de-
spatches from Havana in Wednesday, SUN
and there can be no doubt Of its authen-
ticity, for It Is Of an official charao-
ter and must have received the approval
VI VHo CeLSoT ~ I1bVdnA DeIOre lCS publ
cation in that loyal Spanish journal, the
Dtdrto de la Marina. We print again
the statement of that journal concerning the
destruction Of a 4 hospital Of the enemy"
by the gallant troops" Of Spain under
Count LERAUNDA:
Receiving confidential notice that In Mayer there
existed hospital of the enemy. Count LkRAvspA wen,
In that direction aud ordered advance OF section OF
tAl hyG Gahn p,,zn
directed by tho scout RAMIREZ Hardly had the sent
mol OF said hospital gallant troops than there
were seen coming out OF the eight unArmed in
dviduais. who Immediately ned. There captured
amedica CASE cartridges, hanser rne and sundry
other effects The hospital was destroyed with every
thing which could not be transported"
Here, truly, is deed deserving to be re-
ported by its perpetrators. The scout RAM.
REz discovered the hospital; the Span.
ish troops commanded by the Count bore
| down upon it; the patients in 1t were noti.
| fed OF their approach by the watch; and
these patients, probably wounded men, who
are described by the Dtarto as "unarmed
individuals" Immediately fed. We wish
that the Havana censor had let us know
whether they were pursued by the Spanish
battalions, and what luck they had in their
attempt to escape. Poor fellows! we fear
| for them when we read WEYLER's order
for the punishment Of all those who
may in any way assist the insurrec
tion. We know what became Of the