The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-26
MURDER OF INNOCENTs
FRESH PROOF or sPANIARDs' cow
ARDLY FERocTTY IN cuDA.
Old Men and Children shot Down An
the Fields and Young Girls
HeartIexsIy Executed.


General Gomez. who arrived in New York
recently with important dispatches from
the Cuban commander-in-chief gives a
graphic description of several outrages re-
Gently perpetrated by the SpaSish soldfery
I'm Cuba. His narrative carries with 1t
almost the weight of an eyewitness He
addresses the following letter 10 the Jour
nal:
1.-The mist which the Spanish authorities
have contrived TO throw over tho events
which for more than a year have been TAX
ing place in Cuba. by system Of delib-
crate falsehood and prevarication. is being
partially cleared away II is true that
even yet nearly all the news relating to
our present struggle resches the United
States only after passing through the sieve
of Spanish censorship. but now and then
one of your brave correspondents. or an
occasional arrival from our ranks. Is en-
abled 10 present things in their true light
THE cowardly ferocity which the Span
iards display in their so-called military
operations and their dendish massacres or
aged feeble or defenseless persons. carried
on systematically throughout the island.
form somber pictures that would surely
appall the American mind could 1T be
brought TO realize them 10 their fun ex-
tent.
--lne rev instances 4 mere ntu(l0n 0lQ
mot come to my knowledge by mere hear
say. L have been either an actual eye-
witness or so near the places concerned
as TO see the corpses Immediately after the
slaughter. receiving the particulars from
the lips of the terrified families OF the VIC
TROOPS MURDER GIRLS.
ION the morning of May ? 1 was de-
tanned by General Gomez to cross over into
Sagua la Grande and circulate orders for a
concentration of the forces operating under
Brigadier General Mariana Forres and
Majors Mirabal and zero. After commune
eating with the first two mentioned i en-
tered the Viamontes district at the head
of some twenty scouts. to find Major zero.
The high road We were following went
through the sugar plantation. called Oiay-
tia, which was formerly owned by Colonel
Emilio Nunez, now of Philadelphia, who IL
charged with sending out administering ex-
peditions from the United States. The
present owner is Frcnchman named DOM
Unique Velarte.
surgents some time ago. leaving his family.
consisting of an invalid wife and two
young daughters. Antonia and lsabel- at
lowed them the free use of a small palm
thatched hut. situated in one OF the cane
fields near the road. AS We passed by. the
girls came to the door TO ask for news Of
their father, and have a chat. When in
formed that we would probably return by
es shsS oSe as eas 4 grs
OF cockades TO wear until our return
Two of my fellows detached theirs from
their hats and the girls pinned them on
their dresses. kissing their hands TO US az
We rode away.
"a few moments afterwards. as they
were at breakfast, Spanish column under
Colonel Segura came up and halted at tho
hut Segura walked in and roughly asked
way an I'S a9rce nsa ,s passed that
hardly reply. The Spaniards, detecting the
Cuban emblem on their bosoms. then cried
out:
!" Oh, see why you don't answer Well,
since can't come up with your rebel
sweethearts. I'll deal with you
and to the son door ne gave an order
entered the hut. The crippled mother cried
out loudly for mercy from her chair.
Stop that old devils noise. one of yous
ordered the colonel. upon which one OF the
soldiers brutally kicked the invalid mother
on the mouth The girls We're dragged
from IRON the nut forced to kneel and then
AT noon, as we marched back with
Major Yero's force we found the two dead
from the distracted mother.
LABORERS RUTHLESSLY KILLED.
don Mariana Artiz owns a sugar estate
named Central Uarcisa. in the district OF
Yaguajay. AS his laborers were cutting
cane in one Of the fields not many DAYS ago
negro boy came running to them with an
order from the master to hasten toward the
house and close the doors, for a Spanish
force was approaching. Hardly had they
started to comply when the soldiers ap-
peared at the end of the field, and. without
the shadow of warning. gave them a vol
ley, by which one of the laborers was
Killed. The rest ran back into the adjoin-
ing cane Held and lay on the ground. Sew
eral volleys were fired into the field and
the spaniards then sent a few men to re-
connoiter. One of the soldiers said In
disappointed tone: Why. we have only
killed one of the dogs
Eleven Of those who were hiding were
jured and they started on a run to notify if;
the Cuban leader Carrillo. who. with only
sixty men, was encamped four miles away.
| through the plantation Plateros. CarrilIo
ambushed his small force behind stone
fence opposite the fordins place Of the Ar
my's van and center TO pass unmoicsted.
and when the rear entered the path opcned
a murderous fire Of rapid vol,eys which
Such was the surprise OF the panic-
stricken Spaniards that they tumbled over
each other In their desperate hurry TO get
tance they made feeble attempt 10 rally.
| but soon stopped their fire and scampered
soldiers killed and thlrty-four wounded.
Yet the Spanish official report OF the af-
fair at Piateros stated that the Cubans.
| ed, with loss of sixty killed and one hum
| dred wounded. and that they carted away
many Of the latter through the road Of
Rompe- -Garrafones
"A man sixty years old. named Manuel
Caneda, owned small farm In the vicinity
| of Remedies AS he was ploving : one
| morning with his grandson by his sidt the
band OF Spanish guerrillas commanded by
| Captain Ruiz appeared. The former stop
ped his oxen as the guerrillas approached.
:. Say. old man, Is that child your son7'
asked Ruiz.
No. sir: he is my grandson
hep
He was sent TO Ceuta sir
% 'Ahai he rebel dog. eh? Now.
| boys, said he. turning 10 the soldiers. this
| old rascal must have been rebel In the
| last war. his son is one al present. and that
| little chap will grow up 10 be another: so
since one is already punished. don't see
| Why these ought 10 escape To death with
l themr
! ..caneda took up the trembling boy in
his arms and stood calmly In front OF the
| soldiers. dozen OF these raised their
rifles. and grandfather and grandchsid sank
to the ground riddled with bullets. We
| found the bodies two days after. and heard
the particulars at the little inn nearby.
| where they had been related by one of the
ascals.
This sort OF thing is going on all over
| the island. though I'm the majority or the
| cases no witness survives TO give the story.
n the war there : no doubt thar