Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-31
$4,000 DAMAGES DEMANDED
Consul General Williams Has the Sworn State
ment of the Affair.
CUBAN PRISONERS KICKED AND BEATEN
Autonomists Will Be Treated as Other En-.
emies if They Fail to Take Part in the
Coming Elections. Said Wey-
Ter to Galvez.

Havana, March 3d. via Tampa Fla,
March 30.-Here is the story of the three
Farrar brothers, all American citizens
and joint owners of the coffee plantation,
"Estrella," in Havana province, near
Alquizar. 1t does not differ greatly from
the experiences of many other owners
of estates in the interior, but as these
men happen to be Americans and have
made sworn statements protesting
against the excuses committed by Span
ish troops, and demanding damages, the
affair has become one of official record
and cannot be brushed away with gem
eral denial. The papers are now in the
hands of Consul-General Williams, and
Miguel Farrar one of the brothers, has
furnished me with copy of his state
ment. 1t is as follows;
ION Saturday March 81, the dwelling
house of the coffee plantation Estrella
was the object of a wanton attack by the
columns of General Berbal, operating in
that region. The said building received
two cannon shots of grape and canister
breaking the door, one window, several
piazza columns and greatly endangering
the lives of the families of my brothers.
dom Tasio and Don Luis Farrar, both
American citizens, the wife of the for
mer being enciente. There were two
small children in the house. From my in
formation 1t appears that the troops mem
tianed had sustained fire with rebel
band in Paz plantation, quarter of
league from Estrella. The rebels having
fled toward Pedroso and Buena Esper-
ANA plantations, the government troops
advanced toward EStrella, in quite an OPP
posite direction from that taken by the
rebels. On arriving at the borders of the
Estrella plantation, the Spanish columns
began firing cannons at the dwelling
w m invaded
by soldiers, who ransacked 1t, carrying
off from the wardrobes all the jewery
and mems clothing which they contained,
as well as a sum of about $50 in money.
They also took away everything found
in the workmen's dwellings,, arresting at
the same time twelve of the occupants,
whom they conducted to AlquiZara's in
surgents. 1t should be observed that the
cannon were fired solely at the dwelling
house of the owners, although there were
two other buildings on the plantations,
and the place was entirely clear of in
surgents.
.'In consideration of all the above, and
particularly on account of the danger to
which his relations were exposed, and
also for the unjustifiable footing on the
part of the regular troops in the service
of constituted government, the under
signed does most solemnly protest and
ask an immediate indemnity for the dam
age suffered, which he values at $4,000, as
all work has been stopped on the planta-
ton and everything abandoned"
The Spanish official account of what
happened on the Estrella plantation Is
as follows:
'The column of General Berbat found
several bands of rebels, which made
themselves strong in the house of the
coffee plantation, Estrella, where they
were beaten, and by artillery shots and
cavalry charges the enemy was dis
lodged from his position. Twelve pris-
oners were captured, besides arms, am
munition and instruments to destroy
railway tracks. 1t is believed by the
trails of blood seen in the place that the
rebels had many dead and wounded. All
the prisoners will be summarily court
martialed."
On Wednesday twenty prisoners. taken
in the recent operations around Arte-
misia and Alquizer, arrived in Havana
On being escorted through Obispo street
to the palace they were followed by a
constantly increasing mob, who shouted