The herald., 1896-11-20
HE PAID AN AWFUL PRICE
In the Sacrifice of His Heavy Black
{ Mustache
Bodies of the Captain Generals Victims
Were Fed to Sharks Until the
Fish Were Surfeited
Associated Press Special Wire

NEW YORK, Nov 19-Manuel NJ.
Coronado, editor of the Cuban patriots
paper, La Discussion. published in Ha-
vana, who escaped fro mthat city in the
last days of October, after Gen. Weyler
had ordered his arrest, reached New
York this morning. He brought with
him important news for the junta in this
city, and early this afternoon visited the
headquarters.
OF his escape he said: when learned
by private tips that Gen. Weyler had or
dered my arrest, made immediate pre-
parations for escape. The order was not
a surprise. 1 had secured disguise, the
coctume of an ordinary sailor. When my
house was surrounded by troops hast
lily shaved off my heavy mustache, and,
donning my disguise, which also includ-
ed heavy false goatee. L stepped into
the house adjoining and made my es-
cape to the street, as l thought, unob-
served.
1T was 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I
jumped into a carriage, but the alarm
was given and the police pursued me in
another. l then worked an old game.
told my driver to keep ahead, and,
watching my opportunity, l jumped
from the carriage and walked back on
the pavement, mingled with the crowd
and made my escape to the country. A
few days afterward, prefer not to give
dates, / shipped aboard sailing vessel
as a common sailor. The captain knew
me, however. We reached New Orleans
after an uneventful trip, and l came to
New York by rail, arriving this morn
ing"
In reply to a question as to the gen.
raj I'M nf 10 wi n a
he said, through an interpreter: To-day
we might say that Spain holds Cuba by
sheer force of arms. The whole country,
Spanish and Cuban alike, desire peace,
even at almost any sacrifice, and, though
1t may seem strange, the Spanish ele-
ment is quite as pronounced in this feel
ing as the Cubans, and wish peace and
independence for Cuba. 1t is thought
that Cuba again under Spanish rule
would be unable to pay the enormous
war debt already incurred or to stand
the tremendous taxation which would
Invariably be imposed by Spain for Cuba,
and another uprising would, under those
conditions, follow. Spain would have to
expend great sums of money to keep
Cuba in submission. The war debt now
is estimated at $500 900 coo. and is accum-
ulating at the rate of 81, COO 900 month.
IF Cuba gains her independence in
this struggle, and ] hope and maintain
that she will, she will start afresh with
wonderful possibilities for her. Spain
will soon be forced to withdraw her
troops for lack of funds. The opinion
express is not that of transient Cuban
residents, but of merchants and land
owners, Spanish as we'll as Cuban. The
Spaniards express this opinion in pri-
yate only as public expression of it
would insure their execution as rebels.
Weyler does as he pleeses. His latest
edict is that all persons. men women
and children, whGxare found outside the
Spanish lines shall be considered as reb-
els and shot as such. This eGict was
published only in the official gazette in
Havana. which circulates among officers
and officials only. There was no way in
which those outside of these circles
could learn of the edict There is no
railroad to Pinar del Rio from Havana.
and it is in this province that this edict
has cost many lives. People taken un-
der this edict are marched outside the
gates of the city and shot down by the
soldiers. The reports of prisoners cap
turer by Weyler are only the capture CT
these poor devils. The former practice
of the Spanish authorities of shooting
prisoners in Moro castle and throwing
the bodies into the water beneath as food
for sharks has been stopped because,
not long ago several bodies drifted into
the bay of Havana,
'The authorities explained to nquir-
ing citizens that the men had probably
beer drowned Bullet holes in the head,
however. disapproved this. The people
would welcome anything to hasten the
end. not only on account of loss of prop
erty and life, but on account of the mas
SacreS."