Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-24
GEN. FITZHUGH LEE.
HE, MRS. LEE, AND MISS LEE Still
IN WASHINGTON.
ALLEGED INTERVIEW REpUDIGTED.
The General Did Not speak of wey.
Ter nv n Paper soldier-Neffher Has
He Told Anybody About His Re-
port.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., November ~
CspeciaL)-General Fitzhugh Lee. Mr&
Lee. and Miss Lee are still here. stop
ping with relatives OF Mrs. Lees. I'm
Georgetown. To-day they were In ths
city shopping and visiting This after.
noon they were the observed of all OBJ
servers as they walkes up Fifteenth
street. II was about 4.30 o'clock. tust
after the departments had closed. and
that thoroughfare, and Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. along the Treasury. the White
House, and the State, War. and Navy
building. were thronged with the usual
fashionable. promenading crowd besides
hundreds OF tic homeward- bound DEPART
mont officials.
The Cuban consul-GencraI, who Is now
regarded as a diplomat, was instantly re-
cognized and as he and the ladies with
him passed lelsurely Nd the street he
was kept busy returning the numerous
salutes OF friends and acquaintances. ana
the attention OF nearly everybody was
attracted to the distinguished party.
Reaching the Shoreham, the ladies' en-
tered TO make a call and General Lee
amused himself looking M the evening
papers while he waited on the sidewalk.
Just then he was approached by the Dis
patch correspondent who called his at
tenton 10 a publication I'm another paper
some time ago. in which he was made
10 speak OF Captain-General Weyler in
the light % paper" soldier General
Lee was quoted as saying that weyler
remained luxuriousy at home. in tho
palace at Habana. living high, drinking
wine smoking cigarettes, and playing
tennis with his children on the lawn
General Lee laughed at the story. and
branded IT as a fabrication out OF whole
cloth. In the first place, he said his
relations with General Weyler were
agreeable and pleasant. officially and
otherwise, and he had no reason TO speak
disparagingly Of him. In the next place.
General Weyler was an abstemious man.
and did not drink; further. he did not
smoke, and last. he had no children to
play with at the palace in Habana. as
his family and children were at hts home,
i'm Spain.
FAKE, PURE AND SIMPLE.
This matter being thus effectually dis
posed OF, General Lee produced the
World OF to-day. which has n special
from this city. purportlng to give the
character OF his report 20 the President
positive terms that he General Leo IA
vored Intervention. This special went
on 20 say for General Lee that there was
no hope that Spain could put down the
revolution. or that the insurgents could
win any battle or hold any seaport with
their present facilities; that the private
interests Of Americans were suffering in
calculable injury. and the future prom
ised nothing hut intermnabIe warfare.
The special goes further and says that
General Lees report argues that IL Is
the duty OF the United States 10 inter-
fere, and notes that the native Cubans
are unanimous in their opposition 10
continued Spanish rule whereas, I'm the
last war they were divided; also that
the uprising now IS greater than mere
insurrection. amounting TO rsvoiu-
ton. ''The report" says the Worlds
special. "is written as private review
OF the situation by a military man. rather
than a diplomat, and is such that il will
never be made public. unless diplomatic
relations with Spain are sunderei,' the
final assertion being that the resume
given above comes from excellent au-
-horty.
Then the special branches off, ana
says that from an equally good source
II is learned that President Cleveland
does not propose 20 act on any OF the
report. and that things would be per-
mitted to take their course during tho
present administration; that General Lee,
Wife and daughter had taken lodgings,
and were here for an indefinite stay.
"All OF the above" said General Lee,
sis fake, pure and simple. | have ISn-
toned nothing about my report TO
anybody. and I know the State Depart
ment has not. There is no truth what
ever I'm the statements given IN this spe-
cial / am not here for an indefinite
stay My wife. daughter. and | will go
to West Point I'm n few days. 10 visit
my son, after which We will sail for
Cuba"
How soon VIII you go. General?' I
asked.
Il can't exactly say yet, but In the very
near future"
The General Was then Joined by the In"
dies, and did not say anything about
State politics. He bid me a very good-eve-
ming. and he and the ladies' resumed their
walk toward Georgetown.