The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-04
KILL WOMEN AND BABES.
They Go to nj Ike Up the Insurgent Lossss
R-porsed by the spanish.
Havana Correspondent New York Her


they Go to Nj Ike Up the Insurgent Lossss
Reported by the spanish.
Havana Correspondent New York Her.
aid.
Refugees from the country are still
bringing in stories of outrages and
cruelty by Spanish troops. Many are
doubtless much exaggerated, but here
is one the truthfulness of which 1 am
thoroughly convinced. 1t is told by a
woman who was among the dearest
friends of one of the victims. The
woman told the facts in a voice choked
with sobs and with tears streaming
down her face. Her statement, more
over, is. amply corroborated from two
other equally trustworthy sources.
Don Pedro Rubio was the owner of
the Cato sugar estate. near the town
OF Catalina, in Havana province. He
was a middle aged man, much respect
ed In his neighborhood and quite well
known in the United States, where he
has usually made a trip once a year.
On the Cato estate he lived with his
daughter, Amelia, a charming girl of
16 years, an infant son years old,
five servants and his plantation en-
ployes.
During the recent skirmishing of Ma
coos command in the neighborhood of
Catalina, the insurgent chief had en-
camped on the Cato estate. Hearing of
a strong Spanish column under Colonel
Hernandez, however, he left Senior Ru-
bios land and went forward. Colonel
Hernandez's vanguard came up before
Maceo's column was completely under
way and some skirmishing followed
with the insurgent rear guard.
Colonel Hernandez lost several men
during this firing and some of his
troops became engaged after Maceo
had marched away. Part of his COM
squads and began securing the neigh
borhood. One such party advanced to-
ward Senior Rubio's house, firing upon
II as they moved forward. Bullets be-
gan to pierce the walls, doors and win
dows. The terrified inmates ran from
place to place inside the house, seek
ing protection from the rife fire behind
the portions of the house where the
walls was thickest. The servants and
plantation hands, at the first fire,
abandoned their huts and rushed for
refuge to the more substantial house of
their master.
Don Pedro Rubio, believing the
troops must be attacking his home,
supposing IL to be held by rebels.
carrying in his arms his little boy. He
took off his white straw hat, waved II
toward the advancing line of troops
and shouted to them
stop firing. We are peaceful citi-
zens, the inmates of the house and none
other Do not fire again."
He had hardly spoken when the Maui
ser rifles came to level again and an
other volley of bullets crashed against |
the front of the house. The troops were |
now firing at short range.
When the smoke cleared away Don
Pedro Rubio lay dead on his own TIRES |
hold, and across his body lay his child, |
pierced through the thigh by a rifle |
ball The troops still kept advancing |
in a sort of skirmish line and now they |
charged upon the house with fixed |
bayonets. as though about to take a |
fortress by assault.
Amelia, seeing her father and broth !
er fall pierced through and through, |
had given one Shrek of agony and |
then desperately flung herself against !
the first soldier as he stepped across /
the threshold and entered the parlor.
Butchers" the girl cried, you have |
killed my father"
The soldiers advanced another pace.
when Amelia, with the strength of des- 1
pair, struck the first man so sharp a 4
blow full in the face that he reeled. /
had seen the blow and he saw the poor, 4
frightened girl, who now stood in the 4
doorway, pleading for mercy. There ,
was no mercy even for her. The sol 4
der lifted his rife, with it's sword bayo- /
net, and thrust the knife-edged point 1
clear through the girls arm as she 1
held il up instinctively to protect her /
self. In the same moment he pulled 1
the trigger and a rifle ball passed 4
through the young girls breast. The
five employees were killed after much |
the same fashion
1 have been unable to learn their
names. Amelia Rubio lived until the
next day, when a surgeon from Jaruco
her arm, but the girl died
later in the day. The little boy, the
sole survivor. may recover from his
wound. In official reports their deaths
were included as among the rebel