The herald., 1896-02-04
Notwithstanding the Reports OF
Spanish Successes
PROVISIONS GROW SCARCE
Havana Residents Dependent on Govern
ment Bounty
Disscnson Among the Factions Weakens the
Royafist cause-Inhuman Barbari--
ties Of Spanish Soldiers


New YORK, Feb. 3.-The news brought
to this city today by the Havana steamer
was cheering for the friends of Cuban lib
erty.
The letters of the secret agents of the
revolutionary party in Havana spoke OF a
split among the Spanish parties on the
islands; of jealousy among the military !;
of starvation in the city, and of a crisis in
the commercial situation.
Mr.. E. c. Peirra translated one of the
most important letters. Parts of it were
as follows:
"There is a very decided division between
conservative and reformist parties among
the Spanish and they are pouring hot shot
into each others ranks through the col
umns of the press. AS proof of this
send you the papers of the Conservative
party, in which the editorials are written in
a particularly bitter strain against their
former allies. The Reformist party was
in favor of the mild policy of Carnpos,
while the Conservatives believe in fire
and bloodshed. The situation is most
fact better than the Spaniards. The ex-
element in Havana is increased by the
fact that the government does not allow
any news to be printed except that given
out from the official bureau. Spaniards as
we'll as Cubans know the better part of the
news given out is fabricated"
The correspondent then goes on to detail
several engagements, in one of which a
whole troop Of three hundred Spaniards
was annihilated. The news given out,
however, was a tremendous Spanish VIC
tory.
'The price of provisions is rising very
rapidly and destitution in the city of Ha-
vana is increasing. A great many families
are now dependent for subsistence on what
the government gives to them-a small
amount weekly. There have been times
within the past few days when there have
not been provisions of any kind to be
bought at the public markets. Even those
having money to spend have gone hungry.
Nothing has been received from the sur
rounding country for long time. Another
circumstance which aggravates the matter
is the fact, we'll known to everybody on the
island, that there is very great discontent
known to exist among the military friends
of General Pando, who, they think, was
slighted by tho government at Madrid m
appointed General Weyler to the position
formerly filled ny Campos. 1t is well
known that pert of the Spanish element
is far from being willing to co-operate with
those who are favorable to Weyler, and
that they will do anything they may safely
do to make him fall.
son the whole everything looks very bad
for the Spaniards. Pay no attention 10
the cable dispatches in regard to the move
ments of Generals Gomez and Maceo. I
know for certainty that they have been
operating with entire freedom and that
they have remained in Havana and Pinar
del Rio because they are not in the least
afraid of being worsted by the Spaniards."
In another letter it is stated that the
commercial situation in Havana is critical.
Business is paralyzod and large commer-
cial houses are dismissing some of their
employees. Business men are anxious that
the trouble should be ended one way or the
other without loss of time.
SPANISH DAEBARITY
Key WEST, Fla, Feb. 3.-Some time ago.
when the insurgents entered Sabanilla, the
Spanish official report stated that they
were driven out by the garrison and that
unfortunately three women were killed by
stray bullets. The truth of what happened
there has just been learned, and it shows
The Spaniards are acting as barbarously in
Cuba as the Kurds in Armenia.
Sabanilla, which is an important town in
MatanZas province, was entered by 400 i'll
surgents under Garcia. The Spanish regu-
lars retreated to the barracks and made no
resistance. The Spanish volunteers, how
ever, retreated to the church and fired on
ul6 lheutkC0t5s 1HO ldtt-l AOttb hS'i VIZ
fire, killing five volunteers. The volun-
teers then ceased firing. The inhab-
itants received the insurgents cheer
fully and many poor people who
had eaten nothing but cane were
fed by Garcia, who made the merchants
open their stores, and told the people to
take food. Thirty stores wero looted of
provisions, and one storeKeeper was shot
for resisting. The insurgents then retired,
AS soon as they were gone the Spanish vol
unteer came out of the barracks and opened
fire OH the people in the streets. Forty-siX
were killed, of whom thirty were women
and children. Their only offense was
cheering the insurgents and taking food to
save themselves from starvation.
After shooting these people the volun-
teers took ten Cubans who had surrendered
on the promise of amnesty and shot them
in cold blood. Two thousand men, women
and children have reached Matanzas from
Sabanlla. They fled. fearing further mas
sacres by the Spanish volunteer. These are
facts vouched for by Mayor Galvez Of Saba
nilla, who is in Havana to ask General
Marin to punish the volunteers.
SOME SPANISH REPORTS
HAVANA, Feb. 3.-General Marin has
had an engagement with body of the in
surgents, which he reports to be the main
force under Gomez and which was put to
Hight with a loss OF twenty killed.
The entire absence of any details as to
the number of insurgents in the body at
tackled leaves some ground fordoubt as TO
whether it was, in truth, Gomez immedi-
ate following. Pretty much the whole of
the combined columns under General
Marin, including 100 cavalry. seems to
have been engaged. This force wGs
equipped with special view to running
down and cornering insurgents when once
it should come face to face with them and
great expectations were founded on its
supposed ability to do this. But the re-
port of today's engagement, although it
indicates that the Spanish attack was made
with great dash and vigor, seems to indi-
cato that the insurgents were as successful
in evaiing the Spanish forces as they have
been at any time heretofore.
General Marin had information that
Gomez had encamped at the plantation of
Luz and prepared for a combined attack of
all the columns under his immediate COM
mand. Two columns were ordered to take
the advance, together with seven squad
rons under Colonel Ruiz. Upon coming up
with the insurgents van guard the Span
ish cavalry made an impetuo,ls charge,
passing over The enemy's second line
and calling upon the main force, which was
stationed near the plantation Of LUZ. The
insurgents we're put to immediate flight,
leaving behiud them twenty Killed. There