The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-30
RUIZ INQUIRY CLOSED
AND REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
EN- ROUTE TO WASHINGTON.
Delivered to "a Messenger Who Did
Not Leave the Steamer on Which
He Arrived at Havana.

HAVANA, May 29-The commission con-
Quoting the inquiry into the circumstances
surrounding the death of DIR. Ruiz closed
it's labors at an early hour to-day. A mys-
terous messenger from Washington came
from Tampa on the steamer Mascotte this
morning, but did not land. Mr.. Fishback
secretary of the commission, accompanied
by Consul General Lees son, went on board
the steamer before she sailed and held a
brief consultation with the stranger, and it
is supposed that they delivered to him the
report of the commission and other highly
important dispatches from Consul General
Lee and Mr.. Calhoun, who was selected to
investigate Dr. Ruiz's death, to be conveyed
to the State Department at Washington.
The messenger was registered on the Mas
cotte's inward passenger list as II. w. Kim
ball and the same name appeared on the
steamers outward list. DR.. Jose Congosto,
the Spanish consul at Philadelphia, who
represented the Spanish government in the
inquiry, is also understood to have for
warded a long report to Senor de LONE, the
Spanish minister at Washington, by to-
days mail.
Messrs. Calhoun, Fishback and Congosto
will leave next Thursday for New York di-
rect. 1t is understood in political circles
between Mr.. Calhoun and the Marquis de
Montoro, the chairman of the autonomist
party, at which the Cuban problem and the
political reforms for the island offered by
Spain were thoroughly discussed in the
presence Of DR.. Congosto, which fact is
much commented upon
Another dispatch from Havana says OF
the two reports understood to have been
sent from here to-day by the commission
investigating the death of DR.. Ruiz, the one
by Mr. Calhoun, who represents the United
States, and the other by Jose Congosto, the
Spanish consul at Philadelphia who acts
for the Spanish government, the former
will, it is said, agree with the statement of
Consul General Lee that Dr. Ruiz died from
concussiOn of the brain, the result of vio-
lence after solitary confinement of more
than thirteen days, regardless of his treaty
rights. Consul General Lee declined at
yesterdays session of the commission to
question the witnesses who We're interro-
gated only by the Spanish representative.
Consul General Lee will shortly make a
port on the Ruiz case, and Mr.. Calhoun will
make a further report on other matters,
such as the money question, the state of the
insurrection the condition of American in
terests and the general suffering, due TO
Captain General Wayler's style of cam
paign. Consul General Lees position is just
what it was in February last. He holds
that Spain is responsible since Ruiz died.
because he was deprived of his treaty
rights The exact facts as to how Dr. Ruiz
received the blow which killed him, Consul
General Lee and DR.. Calhoun could not
learn. because half of the witnesses ex-
amined by the commission were prisoners,
and 1t is believed were afraid to testify
fully The remaining witnesses were the
jailers, who would not testify so as to in
criminate themselves
The relief of suffering Americans by Con-
sui General Lee goes on daily Several hum
dred have already been assisted.
A prominent and influential Spanish res
ident of Havana, upon being questioned
ba authorized the representative of the
Associated Press to tell the American press
that ne favored the sale of Cuba, not to
Cubans, but to the United States for the
sake of avoiding in the future ruin, desola-
ton and bloodshed. THE sale Of the island
to the Cubans," he said, means a step
backward and carries us to barbarism as
many of the chiefs of the actual revolution
were formerly bandits. The United States.
as an industrious country, symbolzes prog
ress and civilization and the Spanish resi-
dent in Cuba cannot be Indifferent TO the
welfare of Cuba having fertilized the island
with the sweat of their brows, and they
will always protest against the sale of the
island to the CubanS.