The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-09
SPANISH CRUELTY
cuhau Refugee Tells Of Atrocities by
spAIn's Soldiers.


NEW YORK. March S.-Constantio
Vlllaverde, formerly managing editor OF
Las AvIspas," in Havana, Is here flu
Eitivc from the rigorous laws OF Cen
eraI weyIer. He escaped from Cuba,
where he Is charged with treason, atter
n great deal OF difficulty, and then oniy
ty getting two friendly Spnnlards to
swear that ne was another person. Sc
nor Villaverde denies the statements
published by the Spanish, that the IN
surgents are ruthlessly destroying pro-
perty. This Is being done. he says, by
the Spaniards, who charge. the crimes
upon the Cubans. He added: ,.
"The orders az General Gomez with
reference to depredatlons committed
upon the property OF the country peo-
pie are peremptory. and the punish.
ment Of any Of his men who are found
guilty OF such violations follows swift
ly and surely. on the other hand, the
very approach OF Spanish column pro-
duces, and with reason, veritable con-
ditlon Of terror. This because the
troops. when disappointed. nj not
catching up with, or at meeting de-
feat at the hands OF the insurgents, In
var!ably wreak vengeance on the heads
OF poor, dcfenseless citizens who may be
these mcrcileSs cut-thruats."
Senior vlllavcrde then cited the fol-
lowing instances Of wanton murders
and brutaIitles by Spanish soldiers: In
Qulvican, on january 30, the Two Span
Ish columns OF Colonies ualvis and AID
coca were seen approaching from the
west. Two Spanish labOrers who were
engaged In making repairs beneath JOi-
Iers on sugar plantation, were cap
taFed by the advance guard Of the Spa
nlsh column. They were mistaken for
insnrTcctlOnists, and, In spite of their
cries Of VIVA Espann!" and protests OF
innocence. were seized and bound. They
were placed side by side with two insur-
gents who had been captured an hour
before. These four helpless prisoners,
with their hands tied behind their
backs, were hurried along In front or
the column Their progress over the
ground was not sufficiently rapid to
please their captOrs, and In the presence
OF Colonies GalYls and Aldecoa, they
were prodded In the back by the troops
with Mauser bayonets until they fell
dead by the wnyslde. Seventy wounds
victims on February 9. u negro 20
years old, named Liberato PUG, was so
brutally cut by two soldiers that he
died. Thirty negro laborers, who wit
messed this, we're so inceused that they
Immediately Joined the insurgents. In
CalImete, on February 6. n druggist,
with ten companions, was arrested In
the town as suspects, tnken to the out
skirts. and without a trial of any kind,
shot to death. The druggist was ac-
cused OF selling medicine TO the physi-
clans on the insuTgent army. Near the
same city. and on the same day Alfredo
Hernandez. an American citizen. with
three ether whites and two negroes,
were shot al the order of Colonel Sc
gura. simply because when asked to
tell In what direction insurgent COL
umns were. they replied: 81 don't
know" At Bainoa, on February 4,
Flaauer. commander Of the Guardia CT
VILLA, ordered shot the mulatto. Carlos
Valdez. and twenty others for being
suspects. This same commander sent
2s political prisoners from Balnoa to the
dungeons OF Havana In ten days"