The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-05-13
REV. W. J. DIAZ
TELLS OF HIS ARREST AND lMPRlS-
ONMENT IN CUBA.

Was Persecuted Because He Was an
American Citizen-.-How His Message to
His Brethren In America Was Sent.
ATLANTA, May 6.-Rev. DR.. A. }.
Diaz, the Cuban missionary of the
Southern Baptist convention, who was
recently expelled from the island after
being imprisoned fer eight days, ar
rived in Atlanta this morning.
DR.. Diaz, though an American citi-
zen is a native Cuban, and in personal
appearance is manly type of his race,
short built and stout with a swarthy
complexion and pair of dark eyes
we'll set in q head OF fine proportions.
He wears closely cropped chin beard
and is somewhat bald-a man whom
at a glance one would pick out for
great energy and iudomitable courage.
During the ten y ears war In Cuba ne
was a captain in the rebel army and
is the personal friend of General Go..
mez and General Maceo, with both OF
whom he has served on the field OF
battle.
In the present struggle, however, he
has held himself apart from the con-
fiict on account of his church work.
although as a member of the Red
Cross society, or the White Cross, as
it is called in Cuba, he has succored
the wounded and buried the dead after
a score of engagements between the
insurgents and the Spanish during the
advance of the former on Havana.
This work among the sick and
wounded led to his arrest and impris-
onment though he and those OF the
society who followed him lninistered
to both Spanish and Cuban alike.
"They knew" said DR.. Diaz this
morning, that had been in the rebel
army before, but they also knew that
Ihad not had any communication with
the rebels this time, because l was de-
voted to my church work. Why / was
arrested do not know. The day be-
fore left Havana wrote a letter to
Consul General Williams asking him
for the reasons. But he did not an
swer me and will not"
DR.. Diaz was banished from Cuba
together with his family, including his
brother. Unless there is revocal of
the order he can never again set loot
upon the island without being arrest
ed. His wife and three children are
now in Tampa, Fla, where they will
renain for some time. His brother is
also there. They left Havana last
Wednesday. Under the decree OF
Punishment they we're ordered to leave
Cuba by the first steamer that cleared
from the island the same day that DR..
Diaz was released from Jail. He, how
ever, declared that he would not 60
until he had made his business ar
rangements so that the church prop
erty which in Havana alone is valued
at $4,000, was safely provided for.
If any damage comes to this property
on account of the Punishment of DIR.
Diaz, the church will have claim for
itupon the Spanish government. The
Spanish soldiers had already sacked
one small church building in suburb
Of Havana, before DR.. Dlaz left and a
claim will be made for this.
The soldiers took the building"
said DIR. Diaz, land broke up all the
furniture. They had had a fight with
the rebels in the vicinity of it, and de-
clared that the people in the neigh
borhood were in sympathy with the
insurgents. Not stopping with the
destruction of the church furniture
they butchered one hundred persons.
They said these victims were insur-
gvnls, Among them were two cous-
ms of mine and several members of
the destroyed chnrch. Two of them
were women, and a child was shot
also. My brother and saw these dead
victims with our own eyes. We know
the names of all of them, for when l
am through with my church affairs
here we snail set to work to show the
people of the world the horrible atroc-
tiles that are being perpetrated by the
soldiers of the government, and will
need the records. 1 have been on
twenty battlefelds and have seen the
graves where the helpless victims who
nave fallen into the hands of the SOL
diers afterward were buried, sometimes
six deep.
THE day of my arrest twenty-seven
persons were shoL-among them were
small boys and old men. Before they
were marched out they were all made
og 60 out and dig their own graves. IL
was horrible sight,"
Another time I rode horseback six
ty miles out Into the country through
the lines of the insurgents to rescue a
friend who had sent for me. he had
len shots in his body and six wounds
made by sword. 1t was the work of
the Spanish. He was not an insurgent
but happened to be found at home af.
ter an engagement. The soldiers left
him for dead, but he managed to get
word to me. There were Others dead
about him. One of them l buried by
the side of six others who had fallen
victims of the slaughter.
Of his arrest and imprisonment he
said:
1T was between three and four
o'clock in the morning. The soldiers
came and surrounded our house. The
captain called me up, and marched
me off to the Jail. Moro Castle and
Cabanas were overcrowded and L
could not be taken there with the 9TH
or political prisoners. My brother was
taken along and put in the cell next
to me. There was no warrant or any
charge.
Il was put in the cell with single
chair and sat with nv face to the wall,