The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-02
SPAIN DOES NOT
WANT TO PRESS IT
Trial Of the Competitor CreN:wiIl be
DELAYED for I'oIicy's Sake.
wEYLER MAKES EXCUSES
Bat Meantime the Men Ase Laaauishiagsin
Rrison-R Ruiz in a Critical Coadition
Fierce F;shtins Goes Ou,

New York. July LA Herald dispatch
from Havana says:
The trial OF the Competitor crew Will
not take place for several months yet,
Unless the United States presses the mat
ter. The authorities here hesitate to
bring the men 10 trial for diplomatic
rsasoas. They realize the fact that II
the laws Of Spain mean anything. ana are
not to be brought into disreDute, the SEN
tence OF the Competitor flibusters must
he severe ore on the other hand,
Spain does not desire 10 aggravate any
hostile feeling that may already exist
in rho Unfted States against her 4
was just about the middle OF July that
consuI-General Lee. BY direction Of his
government. pressed here for an early
trial He pointed out that long delay
rad already taks1 place. and declared 4
unjust. To the consurs letter General
weyIer sent most indefinite reply He
beEan by excusing the delay on the
ground tnat proceedings on the part Of
the prosecution had consumed much
time. and now. he said. the lawyers who
had been assigned TO the prisoners had
been given until the end OF July 70 pre-
pare the defense.
Il conclusion, he stated that Il was
impossible to say when the trial world
be brought on. This means that It has
been thought best to delay the trial ~
definitely. In the mea1tine the compet-
itor crew are isngnIshing IN prison. Some
OF them cannot stand the confinement
much 1oager. They are not treated badly.
so far as Spanish treatment Of prison
ers goes in Cuba. Americans cannot
realize what the confinement ~ cabanas
during these hot months means When
MeItoz. for example. was taken prisoner.
he was remarkably fine specimen Of
nnnhoad. Today he Is broken down be-
y0nd recognition His shoulders are
bowed and his frame wasted to skin and
bone. Disease among Spanish troops ia
Santiago de Cuba has been 50 severe that
when General weyier ordered the move
into the interior again against the rebels.
the only soldiers available were ccuval-
lescents All over the island disease
among the spanish troops Is increesias
at fearful rate Out OF the thousand
men in the vegar battalion "a Pinar del
Rio, nearly go have been rendered unfit
for service by malaria The hospitals
in Havana are crowded to overfiowing
General Ruiz Rivera is dangerously ill:
The prisoaers' doctors have performed
a delicate operation upon him. and he
is now in critical conditior.
The Heralds correspondent in AIatan-
zas reports fierce engagement or SAT-
urday between Spanish troops and a
large body Of Insurgents Between 50
aud 70 spaniards were killed and wound-
ed. The rebel less is not known. Gen
erai Meline. who was with column o.
men. came to the assistance OF the Span
iards and was badly wounded during the
lengasement There are Ia the vicinity
Of AIatauzas Zoo insurgents, well armed
and equipped.
the rebel leader Guaraera captured and
killed two spaaish spies near the city
limits of Matanzas on Sunday last. The
correspondent also vouches for the state
meat that the Spanish macheted II pacif-
icos. mea and women who had left town
for plantation to get food.