Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-23
GOOD NEWS FROM CUBA.
insurgents Are in Fair Way of Winning The
Rainy Season Will Soon Cripple
the Spaniards.

Washington, April 22-Several MEM
bers of the house committee on foreign
affairs have had an informal conference
on the subject of the situation in Cuba
with gentleman who has just arrived
from Havana. The information placed
before the members of the committee
was of a nature gratifying to those who
hope to see Cuba free. Several months of
observation of the progress of the reVolu-
ton had convinced the committees in
2ormant that the insurgents are in a fair
way of winning; they have practically
undisputed possession of a large portion
of the island, and are winning nearly all
the genuine battles that are fought The
Spanish forces were represented as being
practically on the defensive in the cities
and towns, and 10000 are remaining
along the trocha awaiting an attack. The
few troops that are available for ag-
gressive operations seem to be unable to
cope with the constantly growing insur-
gent forces.
Only about one month more remains
before the rainy season is due, and little
is expected of the Spanish troops after
that time The gentleman said that all
talk of the Cubans accepting such re-
forms as Spain was willing to grant was
idle; that the Cubans were convinced
that they had the better of the situation,
But in the interest of humanity they
hoped the United States would recognize
them as belligerents, as that would stop
the killing of unarmed people and the ex-
ecution of prisoners of war. 1t would
also enable the Cubans to purchase and
fit out expeditions and would conduce to
bring about an earlier ending of the war.
Secretary Olney has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Consul Williams al
Havana concerning the cases of Rev.
Mr.. Diaz of Georgia and Walter q. Dy-
CART of Illinois: "Diaz is detained at po-
lice headquarters, occupying spacious,
dry, we'll ventilated room in the upper
story The proceedings in his case are
being hastened by orders from mead
quarters and the result is expected in
couple of days in his and Dygarts cases.
American Correspondent Arrested.
Havana, April 22.-Two American cor
respondents have been arrested in Ma
tanzas, Thomas r. Dawley, who has
represented Harper's Weekly in Cuba
for the past two months, and Maurice
McCarthy-O Leary, the correspondent of
the Philadelphia Bulletin. Both men
made their headquarters in this city and
recently went to Matanzas province in
search of war news. Dawley Is an Amer
lean citizen and OLeary British sub
ject. They are charged with maintain
ing relations with Alfonzo Lopez, who
was also arrested on suspicion of being
O rebel spy.
The rebels have burned the Carmen es-
tate, near Union, in the Matanzas prov
ince The estate was owned by Ma
riano Crespo. The last crop made upon
the plantation yielded over 100000 bags of
sugar The rebels have also burned the
estates of Santa Ana and Ammonia, near
Bolondreon The troops encamped upon
the last named estate succeeded in saw
ing the machinery and repulsing the
rebels. The insurgents later made an
attack upon the estates Of San Joaquin,
owned by the Pedroso heirs and Semil-
lers All of the estates mentioned are
situated In the Matanzas province.