The Indianapolis journal., 1896-04-06
ATROCITIES In CUBA
RAPPLEYE, THE EXPELLED COR.
RESPONDENT, TELLS HIS STORY.
Statements Showing the Truthfulness
Of the Tales Of Spanish Barbarity
and FalsehOOd.

New York Mail and Express.
AS for the facts which correspond ents in
Cuba have been able to give to the world as
Illustrations of the barbarous methods which
Spain is employing to overcome the ievolu-
ton, 1 can only say that they do not tell
half the story. The horrors are simply inde-
scr;bable, but out of every ten that are
known to have been committed, the corre-
spondents are able to procure absolute proof
Of barely one. This is because the efforts to
prevent their doing so are made just as much
a part of the military operations as the
actual campaign against the rebels it hap
pened to be upon my own pass, which had
sent to General Weyler for renewal, that
he issued his order prohibiting any corre-
spondent accompanying a Spanish column
II correspondent goes out into the country
alone he must have permission from the
Captain General. That is the order. but 1
know of only one such pass having been
granted out of all the applications which
have been made by correspondents, and that
pass was rescinded within twenty minutes
after it had been granted. when 1t was adj
mitted by the correspondent who procured
it that his object in going to Guines was 20
learn what disposition had been made of the
American citizen, Walter Grant Dygart.
try without such an order he cannot enter
any city or town occupied by the Spanish,
and If he is overtaken by a Spanish column
outside Of the cities in daylight he is. under
a decree of the captain general. which has
ordered every one into the cities, subject to
arrest The real danger is in his not being
arrested, but in being shot by the Spanish
troops the moment it is found he is an
American, for 1t will be remembered that
General Melguizo and Colonel Molina, at
the moment they. ordered the American,
DR.. Delgado and the five Cuban boys and
two men to be taken out and put to death,
slapped DR.. Delgado in the face and said
that il they had n the American nSad, r Consul,
This applies to daylight. AT night the fate
of the American correspondent who may
stantly settled by a decree which is now
operative al over the island
"Be it known that all forces who operate
sion upon its hearing the reading of the
order) have orders to fire without giving
the halt 10 any person who travels at night
on the roads outside the cities and towns"
MORO DUNGEONS.
If correspondent, by any circumstance.
should meet with a rebel force or should go
out deliberately and attach himself to the
rebel armies. the only thing in store for him
upon his return either to send news to his
and imprisonment in the dungeons of Moro
Castle. This is what happened to Michael
son and Betancourt, when arrested in mis-
take for myself and another correspondent.
whose name i do not feel at liberty TO d.
vulge without his consent, who had been in
Guatao.
This closes every possible channel of in
formation which the Spanish can control.
but it is not the end of their efforts to pre-
vent the correspondents from communi-
not tfpor -hot f,aoxr M OF
overcoming; these almost insurmountable
obstacles. At this point they place the
censor over all communications, and IL Dy
any means ne permits an item 10 De capied
out of Cuba rejecting in the slightest man
ner anything but glory to the spanish
arms. and dishonor to the rebels, that
the Palace and sent out into the field to
fight. This has happened twice, the last
time because a Spanish correspondent OF a
information to his office that Maceo he'd in
vaded Pinar del Rio province, which In
vasion was not only already accomplished.
overwhelming defeats TO the Spanish at
Batabano, Caniesaria and Cayagabos, on
the 18th, 18th and 18th or the present
month, TO which battles the correspondent
had not even alluded.
a correspondent must, therefore, under
these circumstances, become a willing
lies which are called official reports" and
send nothing else out Of Cuba, or he must
devise some means OF getting his COM
munications away from the lSiand in a
manner which will elude the vigilance OF
the recognized authorities as well
horde of spies, whose duty Ii IS to intercept
everything they can get their hands on In
the shape of correspondents letter or
cable
ABSOLUTELY TRUTHFUL
1T is known perfectly we'll how far the
correspondents have succeeded in outwit-
ting all these precautions. The generally
correct impression which the American peo-
pie have to-day OF the status of the Cuban
revolution and its bloody. inhuman. mer-
ciless and savage slaughter or nonccm-
batants and prisoners. which constitutes
the Spanish policy of conducting the war,
is due TO the successful efforts of the
American correspondents TO tell much
truth as they could. Ii certainly is not
from the Spanish official reports which are
being given out at Havana, and since the
correspondents have refused to scnd them,
are now being cabled by General Weyler to
Minister De LONE and being given out at
Washington.
The correspondents. from the beginning,
have agreed in not sending any account of
link of the evidence missing, no matter how
circumstantial the story might otherwise
pe. That Is why not one massacre or piece
OF barbarity which has been sent to the
the sccalled Investigations which the Span
ish have conducted.
This Is the best evidence that could be
given TO show that the Spanish government
has had absolutely fair treatment from the
American correspondents.
OF lower rank whose regulations have suf-
fered because Of the exposures Of outraxes