Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1897-04-28
SMALLPOX IN PRISON
Four Americans at Cabanas
Contract the Disease.
ONE HAS ALREADY DIED OF 1T



New York, April ga dispatch to
the Herald from Havana SAYS:
smallpox has made its appearance in
CahaHas prison. owen Melton. an
American correspondent and a member
of the Competitor crew, contrived to
send note to friends here under date
OF April IS, in which he says.
smallpox has appeared in cell No.
4, IN which there are four Americans.
One prisoner has died and three others
have got the disease. | nursed a friend
named Gonzales, not knowing he had
smallpox, and so | suppose | will have
/ 1T. can only hope for the best. 4"
This information was carried to Gen
eral Lee and he promptly informed the
/ United States government of the state
i OF affairs, also wrote Acting Captain
/ General Ahumada inquiring if there
had been smallpox in Cabanas, and
what steps had been taken to guard the
health Of the Americans imprisoned
there A reply was received making
no statement of the prevalence of the
disease, but stating that the Americans
Wutllu De Nacelnateu AT once.
1t is thought here that the appear
ance of smallpox will make the Amer
lean government press for the release Of
Melton and others, us it is understood
Spain has practically decided to liberate
them. General Weyler is an obstacle
to the release Of any Americans. lie
said last week in Santa Clara that
Americans were set at liberty without
good cause,
General Weyler's recent declaration
that Santa Clara is paoilied means that
newspaper lighting there will be meager.
Nevertheless lie admits that within
three days Of his declaration of tran
guilty more than ninety rebels were
killed in the province. He says he will
no longer require any troops to fill the
places Of his killed and wounded, which
means simply that he has been told to
expect no more soldiers from Spain.
The situation in Banes, seaport
town in Santiago de Cuba, now COM
mands much attention here. The gun
boat Galicia and the cruisers Nueva
Espana and Reina Mercedes are waiting
outside the narrows until three columns
sent by General Weyler have had time
to move on the rebels by land. The
insurgents have held the town since
Rolotf's expedition landed there on
March %. The harbor is one naturally
capable Of easy defense, and it is said
the insurgents have placed torpedoes in
the channel 1t is most difficult to
learn any definite news of the recent
operations there, but it il plain that
the Spanish recognize the necessity OF
moving in force against the town and
attempting to attack it simultaneously
by land and sea, for the purpose of pre-
venting the rebels from continuing to
hold the port.
General Gomez, according to the last
reports, has left Arroyo Blaneo district
and moved nearer Trinidad. There is
a rumor that he may be elected presi-
dent of the republic to succeed Cis-
neros. Another idea is that he has
decided to contest the possession of
Banes, and many who thought his siege
Of Arroyo Blaneo was ruse to entice
Neyler into the country where moder-
ate force might be attacked to adyant-
age, now believe that Weyler's move.
ment toward Banes will meet a steady
resistance which will add to the eyi-
dence already piled up to disprove Gen
eral Weyler's declaration of paeifica.
tiOn.