Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-07-12
The JOvas and Their Sac
rificeS for Cuba.

| deem the cuban struggle from much
that is not admirable. It is a recital
of many sacrifices for liberty. It is a
revelation of wrongs upon American
citizenship. When the new Minister
| goes to Madrid he will carry the de-
mand of the United States for indem-
MITIGATION of some at least of the loss
es which have impoverished family
| once among the wealthiest on the is
| land.
| When the first war for independ-
| ence started, in 1868, the elder iowa
! had five sugar cane estates, 800 slav-
es and 100000 in cash. He was worth
| $4,000. OOO Soon after the commence
ment of hostilities, the Spanish au-
thorities arrested Mr.. iowa, and at
| the same time made prisoners of
Father Santana, a widely known
priest of kindly impulses, and Rapha-
| ell Roias. These three men, known
throughout Santa Clara Province
were chained together. They were
| taken to Cabanas, the great prison on
the heights overlooking the bay of
Havana. Their offense was too much
sympathy with the guajiras, the
country people. Three times the ell
der iowa was sentenced to death.
Three times he saved himself by the
payment of the weight of his person
in gold Luckily, he was not a large
man, but ''the ounces" that were
forthcoming 20 make the triple ran
som depleted his bank account. When
he had been six years in prison and
had ceased to be a source Of revenue
to his captors he was released, on the
promise that he would leave the is
land and go to Spain.
The amnesty which followed. the
close of the ten years war permitted
the elder iowa to return to Cuba. Out
of the wreck of his great fortune he
had saved a single estate, NatalIa,
and on that rested a debt of $3.50, 600.
AS they grew old enough four sons
were. sent to the United States to be
educated. Two of them were at Sc
ton hall, in New Jersey, when the
present Archbishop Corrigan was the
head of that institution. All of these
sons, as they became of age, took out
naturalization papers and declared
themselves American citizens. One
Of the four is now a prominent physl-
clan in New York. Two Of the sons
returned to Cuba when their father
was growing old, to take charge of
the estate, in the hope of repairing
the family fortunes. The intention of
both was to return to the United
States when they had performed their
filial duty.
Natalia is one of the finest sugar es-
tates in Santa Clara. Under the man
agement of the Jovas, John and Fred,
it seemed in a fair way to restore the
family to the former position as one
of the wealthiest in the province. The
brothers asserted their American cit
izenship. Succeeding the ten years
war came what is known as the little |
Cuban war. Some Of the leaders did
not surrender. They remained in the
hills and made occasional forages on
the estates. One day Ramon Cabre-
ra, with sixty of his followers, des-
cended upon Natalia. John F. iowa
stood upon his rights as an American.
The Cuban chief not only withdrew
his band, but he said to Mr.. iowa:
ssYour estate shall be protected as
long as it is in ouc power"
Natalia was equipped with the lat
est sugar making machinery. A rail
road was built to carry its product to
the coast The output increased to
1000 hogsheads of sugar. John F. Jo-
va went to the City of Sagua. Fred
iowa remained in the town of Calaba-
Ear, to be as near as possible the es-
tate. A guerrilla Captain had his CO.
vetous eyes on the property. He har-
raised Fred iowa until the American
of even the means of iveli-
hood, unable to reach the land of his
adoption, gathered about him band
Of the family retainers, and went out
to join the insurgents. Fred iowa is
now Major in the Army of Liberia
ton. John F. iowa, man of fine
appearance and of superior education
known through the districts of Sagua
and Santa Clara for his high sense of
honor and scrupulous morality, in
every way the worthy son of his faith
or, "the sympathizer with the coun-
Try people," has been appointed Vice
Consul for the United States at Sagua.
When the guerrilla leader had, by his
driven Fred iowa into
,he insurgent army he proceeded to
DOT Natalie. He hauled away every
hing that was portable, and then ac