Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-13
CUBAN REFUGEE
Tells Story Of Cuba's Wrongs
to the Journal Man.
Senior Juan Ruiz, Driven From the
island, Now at Skowhegan.
Patriots Have Plenty Of Men But Need Arms
and Ammunition.


novelty. but such is the case. today.
however Journal readers will remem
her that last week this paper published
antitem to the effect that +. S. Cairns
well-known and leading young mer-
chant of this town had been notified
that his step-brother, a native resident
of Cuba, had been obliged to fly from
the island for safety, and was then in
Key West, Florida. Mr.. Cairns had
received the following telegram Il
await you" Mr.. Cairns knowing that
another step-brother had been obliged
to leave the island about month
before. knew also that the second
fugitive was in hard circumstances as
ne could not have escaped from the
island with anything of value There
upon he wired for the fugitive to come
on here which he did arriving in town,
Friday night.
The story that this man tells is a
narrowing one. almost outrivalling the
horror OF the Armenian massacres.
In publishing the following inter-
view, the Journal calls attention to the
fact that the refugee is not, or never
has been member of the insurgent
army or in the Spanish army or will
ing to join the same for the purpose
of shooting his countrymen. What he
says below should be taken as being as
near the truth as we in the north shall
ever know of the present conduct of
the war in Cuba. In the course of the
interview the refugee said
My name is Juan Ruiz. l am %
years old and I am a refugee from the
city of Sagua la Grande on the island
of Cuba. MI. Cairns is my step brother
and l arrived here last Friday night
from Key West
What is the present condition of the
insurgent army?"
Just now Gen. Gomez has more
men than he knows what to do with
What he wants most is arms and ammu-
milton. He has 10000 men we'll armed
and disciplined, about 5000 more
armed only ordinarily and about 5000
that are not armed at all. MY home
is about POO miles east of Havana and
on the north coast.
The city OF Sagua la Grande is COM
pletely surrounded by insurgents. re-
ports to the contrary notwithstanding.
1t has been published in the papers of
the United States that the Insurgents
are being held west of Havana but such
is not the fact. The Spanish troops in
the city of Sagua number about $500.
Captain Don Bcnito Carreras is the
principal officer in command in Saugua
and his trops are guerillas. Guerllas
are OF the lowest possible type Of hui
manity on the island and the cruelties
perpetrated by Captain Carreras are
too horrible to describe
Let me recite few instances. One
night not long before | came away
Captain Carreras and detachment of
his men went out to the house of Luis
Mesa, wellknown Cuban lawyer in
search of that gentleman. Not finding
him at home he became wildly angry
and seized another Cuban lawyer
named Ramon Garcia and put him in
prison. The night of the same day
Car1eras went out to the plantation
owned by an American citizen named
Mexican and there arrested two cous-
ms of Luis Mesa, and imprisoned them
At this time the prison was so full that
prisoners were held in the barracks of
the volunteer soldiery. When Carreras
brought the prisoners into the city, he
stated to all that they We're insurgents
whom he had captured with guns in
their hands.
Careers afterwards captured the
two sons of MCLEAN, William and
James, but We're obliged to give them
up to the American consul.
Il was a peaceable clerk, pursuing
a quiet course. violating no law, but
was notified by friend, whose
name I would not dare give you. that
l was an intended victim of the prison.
so ! left the island. l did not want to
join the insurgent army nor did l de-
sire to join the Spanish volunteers and
be compelled to shoot down my coun-
trymen. Sagua is surrounded by the
and the Spanish troops
know it, but they dare not go out and
fight them.
insurgents occupy the plantations
Resulta and Ammonia within three
miles of the city but the government
troops do not dare to go out after them.
1t is commonly known on the island
that when the government trops do go
outside the forts where they remain
most Of the time and they meet even
a greatly inferior force of insurgents
they often surrender after only a
feeble show of fight. I would not say
that will indicate that the
Spanish troops are towards, but their
fear of the dreaded machete is such
that it simply demoralizes them, and
that weapon is the natural one of the
Cubans"
When asked why so many Cubans
were leaving the island Senior Ruiz
said that il was because of an order |
that had been ISSUED from headquar-
ters of the Spanish army in Cuba that
called upon all Cubans loyal to the
Spanish government to join the volun-
teers and declaring that all who do
not will be considered as sympathizers
with the insurgents and would be
treated as such. On this account there |
has become a regular exodus from the |
island.
You don't know what it means to be |
n: