The herald., 1897-07-02
To Try the Competitor
Captives
DELAY CONSIDERED SAFEST
AS NOT LIKELY TO EXCITE
HOSTILITY
Disease Makes Havoc in the Ranks
Of the Spanish Soldiery.
Some Fighting
Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK, July IA dispatch to
the Herald from Havana says: The
trial of the Competitor crew will not
take place on July 1st, as has been re-.
ported. 1t may not take place for sew
eral months yet unless the United States
presses the matter. The authorities
here hesitate to bring the men to trial
for diplomatic reasons. They realize the
fact that if the laws of Spain mean any,
thing and are not to be brought into
disrepute, the sentence of the Competi-
tor filibusters must be a severe one. On
the other hand, Spain does not desire to
aggravate any hostile feeling that may
already exist in the United States
against her. 1t was just about the mid
die of June that Consul General Lee, by
direction of his government, pressed
Spain for an early trial. He pointed out
that a long delay had already taken
place and declared 1t unjust. To the
ConsuTs letter General Weyler sent Z
most indefinite reply. He began by ex-
cusing the past delay on the ground that
proceedings on the part of the prosecu-
tion had consumed much time and now
he said, the lawyers who had been as
signed to the prisoners had been given
until the end of July to prepare their de-
fense.
| In conclusion he stated that it was
impossible to say when the trial would
be brought on" This means that it has
been thought best to delay the trial in
definitely. In the meantime the Com
petitor crew are languishing in prison.
Some of them cannot stand the confine-
ment much longer. They are not treat
ed badly, SO far as Spanish treatment
of prisoners goes in Cuba. Americans
cannot realize what the confinement in
Cabanas during these hot months
means When Melton, for example, was
taken prisoner he was a remarkably
fine specimen of a man. Today he is
broken down beyond recovery. His
shoulders are bowed and his frame
wasted to skin and bone.
Disease among Spanish troops in San
tiago de Cuba has been so severe that
when General Weyler ordered them
moved into the interior against the reb-
els the only soldiers available were con-
valescents. All over the island disease
among the Spanish troops is increasing
at fearful rate. Out of the thousand
men in the Vegara battalion in Pinar
del Rio nearly 700 have been rendered
unfit for service by malaria. The hos
pitals in Havana are crowded to over
flowing.
General Ruiz Rivera is dangerously i'll.
The prisoners doctors have performed a
delicate operation upon him and he is
now in a critical condition.
The Herald's correspondent in Matan-
zas reports fierce engagement on Sat
urday last between Spanish troops and
large body of insurgents. Between
sixty and seventy Spaniards were killed
and wounded. The rebel loss is not
known General Meline, who was with
a column of men, came to the assistance
of the Spanish and was badly wounded
during the engagement. There are in
the vicinity of Matanzas 2G0 insurgents
well armed and equipped.
The rebel leader Guaracha captured
and killed two Spanish spies near the
city limits of Matanzas on Sunday last.
The correspondent also vouches for the
statement that the Spanish macheted
seventeen pacthcoa, men and women,