The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-25
STORY OF HER WRONGS
SHE PREFERRED A WE1LER
DUNGEON TO DISHONOR.
OFFICER BERRrS BASTARD DEED
Punished by Her fiance While Forcing her
Door, He Hatches Up Story Of Con-
spiracy to Take Him and
Troops Are Called.
New York Journal.)

New York Journal)
Weyler's foul charge against EVAN
selina Cossio Cisneros, the beauutui
Young Cuban girl whose case has SO
stirred the women of America, was re-
futed yesterday as if by the lips OF MISS
Gisneros herself.
Barred from communication Win Tue
eutside world, or incommunlcado, as the
Standards say, the man whose outrageS
in Cuba have called forth the condemna-
NON of all human people probably thought
when formulating his message IN regard
10 this browning disgrace OF his rule IN
@uba that her side of the story would
not be available to the public. But IN
ahis he erred and the infamy OF his ex-
planation of the inhuman persecution or
the girl can be proved by her own words.
Miss Cisneros, grateful for the atten-
hons which were shown to her by SENECA
Asramonte Sanchez and Senorita Maria
Aguilar in the Casa de RecoJldas, IN
Havana both of whom were lncarcerated
there several months with her and who
are now in New York, made confidants
Of them and told them the whole story
Of the causes that led to the her arrest
In the Isle of Pines.
The venerable Mrs Sanchez was sick
Yesterday, and could not be seen. AT
her age, seventy-two, Imprisonment in
the Casa de Resojidas was particular
Nv serious matter. She was not only de-
priyed of the cOnveniences and comforts
to which she had been accustomed all
her life but she was exposed to the ter
rible effects of dampness, lack of VENT
Iation and other unsanitary conditions
that characterize that vile prison. Thus
her infirmities were made worse, and
to-day she is a prey to rheumatism and
ether ills directly traceable to the cruel
treatment she suffered at hands of the
Spaniards.
MISS AGUILAR'S STORY.
Miss Aguilar, however, told the story
as Miss Cisneros told it to them, and
she told it before she had seen Weyler's
version of it. Then Weyler's message
was shown to her, and, indignant at the
vile imputation that the Captain-G General
casts ON Miss Cisneros's reputation,
through the World, she branded it as
false as the man is iendish.
'It was several days after we had
been thrust into that terrible place."
said Miss Aguilar, "before Evangelina
took us into her confidence. We thought
she had been arrested, as we had bee1,
for no cause known to her, but she init
mated that she was victim of unmanly
spite.
aShe said that this man Berris had
for a long time been trying to force
his attentions ON her. She gave him
no encouragement, refusing to return his
salutes ON the street or to notice him in
the slightest way. But she often caught
him following her. She did not know at
first who he was. When she learned
that he was the Military Governor of
the island and that her father, whom
she idolizes, a prisoner, was at his mer-
cy, she grew to be terribly afraid and
she often wept, imagining that Berris
might do him harm.
Evangelina in her innocence thought
the mans intentions were honorable. She
said she could not love him and, more
ever, she was engaged She did not
tell us who her fance was, except to
say that his name is Betancourt.
HORROR AND TERROR.
'When she learned that this persistent
and unwelcome sutton, if that word may
ried man she was Mortified. At length
she told her sweetheart about it, and
he was furious. but she beseeched him
not to do anything rash. She feared the
consequences to him as well as to her
father. and she promised him that she
would not expose herself to Berris; that
she would stay at home at night as well
as day: that she would literally hide
ha hot
court was beside himself with rage, re-
sentiment and fears; that he declared
Berris would seize her and drag her
away from the house, and that she would
be lost to him forever.
"Betancourt, however, promised to do
nothing rash and they hoped that woman
wit would save her. But he went to her
house ON every possible occasion to pre-
tect her if necessary. Almost every
night Berris would pass by the house
and linger in its neighborhOod. Evan
gelina happened to pass before a window
one night. and she presumes that Ber-
ris saw her. The man probably imag.n-
ed her to be alone. and he went to the
door, opened it without knocking AMI
intruded himself on Evangelina in her
sleeping room.
EVangellna sald tnaC she lmmedlately
recognized him, and in her fright she
cried out. Betancourt and several Of h.
friends, who had called with him that
night were in the adjoining room at the
time. Her sweetheart was the first to
dart into her room to her assistance. He
pounced on Berris, and the noise of the
fight attracted the other young men into
the room. Berris got a severe beating,
but from what Evangelina says I do
not imagine they tied his feet, as Wey-
Ter says, for she declared that they had
no intention of killing him.
SOLDIERS AT HAND.
The mans outcries attracted the police
and some soldiers, and they rushed into