Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-05
BRUTAL MURDERS
Perpeterated by Spanish Guer-
i|Ias on Cuban People.
The Most lnhuman lndignities Forced
Upon Women and Children.
Lynchng Seems Too Good 4 Fate for the
Dastardly Wretches.

| MdCdSud, near &OloU, PROVINCE. o.
Matanzas, Cuba. June 3.-Reports have
reached here Of a number Of recent un
warranted murders and outrages by
bands of Col. Louis Molina de Olivera's
Spanish guerillas.
Belisario Nodarse. of this town. re-
lates the particulars of a fiendish at
tack upon Cuban woman.
The guerillas of Colon Mr.. Nodarse
| says. while on their way to Calimete
| stopped at the house of Mateo MARTINEZ
a native of the Canary islands, who
had been forced to enlist in a body of
| insurgents under the command OF
Juan Pablo Jabio.
| The Spaniards stopped at his house
| and the officer in command inquired
| from Sonora Martinez the whereabouts
| Of her husband. Indeed | can't tell,
| she replied.
| IN make you said the Spanard.
| and he proceeded to tear off her cloth
| and. receiving no answer from the
woman, who was crying Historically.
he unsheathed his sword and fell to
cutting and slashing his victim. until
her blood covered the aoor and she
| tainted in a corner Her shrieks and
/
| brutal laughter of the soldiery.'
| MIR. Nodarse says he laid the facts in
| writing before Col. Moline. The chief
replied by sending squad to arrest
| and shoot the complainant. His
| brother. Bruno. tohacconist heard of
| the order in time to inform Belisario.
| The brothers fled and Joined the rebel
| force of Collide Gracia.
Colonel Molina left his headquarters
| a few days after the attack on Sonora
Martinez and marched his troops
south to effect junction with Gen.
MelguiZo'S corps. The Spaniards were
attacked and forced to retreat by a
Cuban band. In making a detour to
avoid the Cubans, Col. Molina's com
| mand arrived at a shanty Occupied by
an old farmer. his two sons, daush-
ter-in-law and three grandchildren.
An eye witness of the tragedy says:
AT the approach of the soldiers the
men took refuge in the jungle, carrying
off the two oldest children, and only
the daughter with her baby remained
in charge of the house. She hoped
her sex and the sight of a child but
six months old would protect them
from harm and spare the house.
Colonel Molina halted his command
by the roadside and. dismounting,
walked into the house.
Where are the men, he demanded.
I have been fired upon by your people
at Arroyito, and / intend to send a de-
tachment to surprise them at camp
tonight. so l need guides. Where are
the rascals that live here?'
They are out, sir was the tremb-
ling response.
Are they? Well, you will guide a
squad of my men to their hiding place
and bring them quick. No trifling.
~ have not the least idea where
they can be- sobbed the woman.
Haven't you? Very well. Ho, there.
a corporal and four men,
AS the platoon entered the cabin
Molina pointed to her and said:
Pull out that rebel bag and shoot
her The mother and child were
dragged some % feet from the hut and
the squad moved away a few PAGES.
viii you speak now?' the colonel
demanded.
For Gods sake. I don't know.
cried the woman. who was nearly dead |
with terror.
men Ifc. ordered MOI1na.
With a convulsve movement the |
woman tried to shield the child with
her own body. but the merciess bull |
let's did their work.
THE baby was not killed outright, |
and one of the soldiers, moved by a |
sort of barbarous pity, crushed the lit |
tie ones skull with the butt of his rifle. |
The bugle sounded Fall in" Molina,
after setting fire to the shut. coolly |
mounted his horse and gave the word /
March,
The three men returned after a
while. looked silently on the dismal
scene. and walked off in the direction
of Arenas. After intrusting the two
children to a relative, they
joined the insurgents. and Fabio, the
Cuban commander. says they fight
more like demons than like men,
IN one of the outskirts of San Jose
dc los Ramos, and about three miles
from the village, there is small place
called Barrie de Olivia. 1t consists of
a schoolhouse, grocery store owned
by Mr. Olivia, the dwelling of the Her.
nandez family, cane-planters of that
three or four palm
lAdSlIcA NUS anu Shall IOuSe &c |
.upied by FREDERICK Fuentes. Fuentes
had two large canefields.
One corresponds to the "Espana"
sugar plantations. owned by Sonora
Fulueta. wife of the Spanish minister.
Romero Kobledo. The other field is
lttached to the state "Alva," belonging
% Herederos de Fulueta Fuentes's 3,
amIy consisted of himself, a married
laughter named Arcadia and his SON
n-law.
Futentes had had dispute with the
lieutenant detached by Col Molina to
garrison San Jos. The particulars, ac- ,
'ording to friend of Fuentes, were as
ollows: s
AS he went around one of his cane :
ields he found an immense quantity
# cane trampled down and spoiled. !
iext day while out at his other field I
that Of the state Alaya), he saw a ! :
Dragging party enter and proceed to |
ut fodder for their horses. Perhaps
e would have submitted to the intru- 4
ion. but he soon preceived that the /
oldiers instead of cutting off the top 1
talks, which is the part eaten by cat I