Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-16
CUBA CRIES TO HIGH HEAVEN
The Atrocities of Weyler Are Not
Exaggerated.
BUT THE HALF Is NOT TOLD
Prisoners Are Pot to Death in the Watches of
the Night.
ALL LICENSE TO LECHEROUS SOLD.ERY
Some Recent Outrages of the General of
the Abbatoir'- Consul-General Lee
Is Doing His Duty. but He
Needs More Support.
ALL LICENSE TO LEcHEROUS soLD.ERY

vate letter has been received in this city
from reliable correspondent in Cuba:
Havana Oct z, 1896.
Dear Sir: In it's issue of September %
the Philadelphia Press, under the head
ing, Americans bleeding in Cuba prints
an alleged interview with an American
citizen said to have arrived recently from
this country, and who after graphically
describing the horrors of the Cuban war
and how the lives and properties of the
American citizens are endangered by this
state Of things, makes scathing remarks
and severely critieises the weak policy
of the United States government for not
taking hand in stopping all these out
RACES, which are being daily committed
at it's very doors.
I'm all this he is absolutely correct for
nothing can surpass the iniquities, the
untold crimes and outrages which are
constantly being perpetrated by the
bloodthirsty and ferocious Spanish troops
all around the country, as testified to by
truthful correspondents, who have been
constantly repeating all these horrors
But Mr. ManniX (for l believe it is
that gentleman who has written the arti-
cle) has made a sure misstatement in his
comments regarding Consul General Lee
when he says: When General Lee was
sent to Cuba, Spanish officials seemed to
think that American rights there must
be respected and that such respect must
be fnforced. 1t was thought that he would
make report to this government of the
facts that he could discover~and that he
would be backed by this government in
his demands for protection. Time went
on and no report seems to have been
made that gave any idea of the real situ-
alton of facts. General Lee was expected
to maintain the dignity of this govern
ment in Cuba, and he has reported with
in short time that the relations between
this country and Spain, as far as affairs
in Cuba went were of the most pleasant
character. He and Weyler are known to
be on terms of friendliness. When a COM
plaint is made, General Lee is said to gol
to General Weyler and ask concerning
the abuse that Is complained Of
Now, all this is unfair, and does a
great injustice to Consul-General Lee.
In the first place, General Lee sent his
report to the government concerning the
state of affairs in Cuba two months after
his arrival here. / cannot give you the
text nor the nature of the report, because,
as you may presume, 1t is a diploma tic
secret; but / can say this much-that it
contained ample and sufficient informa-
tion on the conditions of things in the
island to guide the government in its fu-
ture course in it's relations with the Span
iSh government. r-- -rf
I'm the second place, he has maintained
the dignity of the American government
and people, for in all his dealings with the
Spanish authorities he has always i'm
pressed them with the force of his char
acter, placing the American interests
above all considera tions and whenever
he has any communications to deliver to
the .authorities-which are always couch
ed in the most severe and vigorous terms
he always hands them personally, in
order to show them the interest he takes
in having the affairs promptly and salts
factorily arranged, and to arrange what
ever difficulties should arise.
"In the third place, it is absolutely false
that when a complaint is made to him
he first goes to General Weyler to get in
formation about 1t, because this would
seem to imply that he subordinates all
his actions to the Spanish side of the
questions, and is Influenced by the report
that Weyler may give him of the facts,
when 1t is just the contrary. Take the
Gown case as an instance Long before
the facts were known in the states he was
already making his Investigations on
certain information furnished him which
greatly assisted him in the work of find
ing out the truth. Well, in this particular
case Consul Lee never for moment con-
suited with the Spanish authorities until
he obtained the facts from reliable out
side sources, and then presented the
claim to Weyler just day before he re-
ceived instructions from Washington to
investigate the matter.
Lastly, regarding his being on friendly
terms with General Weyler, it is but nat
ural that in diplomatic way he should
appear to be so, but in the natural sense
of the word General Lee cannot be on
terms of friendship with General Weyler
General D'Abbatoir' as Rochefort
styles him.
"In making the above statement am
solely guided by sense Of justice to-
ward Consul General Lee, whose firm
ness of character, integrity and staunch
Americanism have won for him the con-
fidence and esteem of his fellow citizens
here, who know they have a firm sup
porter of their rights and trusted friend
in case of need. l am in position to
affirm the above facts and having been
honored with his confidence for some time
/ can testify that his conduct in the de-
fense of the American interests has al
ways been firm, energetic and dignified,
and that he is the right man in the right
place. 1t is no fault of his If he Is not
properly backed by his government and
is left alone to fight his own battles here,
for am convinced that If he were suffi-
ciently supported the American people
would see the stand he would take for
them and there would not be any more
disparaging remarks about him.
Referring to the story of the shooting
of fifty-one prisoners in the Cabanas
fortress, think you can now affirm that
it did happen, because for some time
there have been no public executions,
which attracted considerable attention
and were severely and Justly criticised
in all foreign nations, especially the
American. Weyler,e following instruc-
tions from De LONE or the home govern
ment, has adopted the old inquisitorial
proceeding Of doing away with the pris-
oners in the shadows of the night, with
out inquisitive gazes and sympathetic
comments thus giving him better oppor-
tunities to clean out the cells of the
prisons in order to make room for other
unhappy victims, Good God, that such
things should happen at the end of the
enlightened nineteenth century in a
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