The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-26
More Light on Spanish Ways.


More Light on Spanish Ways.
The character of Spanish government
| Is vividly shown in an incident mar
| rated by William E. Curtis in a letter
| from Havana to the Chicago Record.
Mr.. Curtis was secretary of the bureau
of South American republics during the
| Harrison administration and is one
| of the men most prominently mentioned
| for the proposed secretaryship of COM
merce. We cite these facts to show
that he is witness whose testimony
merits consideration. He went to Cuba
| prejudiced in favor of Spain as his
| published writings show, but since his
arrival at Havana his daily letters be-
token a radical change of conviction.
In the letter before us, bearing date of
Feb. II, he explains that the women of
Cuba are unanimously in sympathy
with the rebellion, and cites numerous
reasons therefor The episode de-
scribed below is one of them. We now
use his language:
Fernando Cusio, a man of the middle
class, of excellent reputation, living in
| one of the interior provinces of Cuba,
was arrested some months ago, and sent
| as prisoner to the Isle of Pines, just
south Of Cuba, which is used as a sort of
penal colony for political prisoners. There
was no overt act charged against him,
but he was suspected of discontent'' and
communication with the insurgents. His
| family consisted of one daughter Evan
gelina Cusio, between 16 and II years old,
q no u,DC tal tp taly bA,, ,yit n
him. The girl is remarkably beautiful.
Several people who have made her aC-
quaintance agree that she is the most
beautiful creature they have ever seen.
That is the opinion of Consul-General
Lee, who has good judgment in such
matters.
Unfortunately for her, the beauty Of
EVangelina attracted the attention of
, young Colonel BerriZ, soon afte" she
passed under his charge and he began
to make love to her. The girl admits that
she encouraged him. first because his at
, tentions flattered her vanity, and second
because she thought Il was good policy
to do so, as he might use his influence as
governor to assist her father and herself
to secure a pardon and to return to their
home. But the passion Of the governor
mastered him, and one evening, when she
! was alone with him in the room that had
been assigned to her for lodgings, he as
ran screaming into the street. Her
father, who was near by, excited by her
frantic exclamation, ran into the room
and attacked the governor with his firsts.
1t is said that he tried to seize the gov
? ernor's pistol and sword. 1t was perfect
ly natural If he did so. Prisoners are not
allowed to have arms. a number of other
{ prisoners came to his assistance, and, al
thought Colonel Berriz escaped with his
life, he was very badly battered, and was
laid up for several days. In the mean
time the sentinels on duty gave an alarm
2 a number of soldiers ran from the cuartel
S | to the rescue of their commander, fired
into the crowd, and killed three or four
| men.
I Fernando Cusio and several others We're
3 | arrested for mutiny and conspiracy tC
q | kill the governor They We're sent to Ha,
| Vana, and are now awating trial in the
- fortress of Cabanas. The newspapers re-
g ported serious insurrecton among the
e prisoners on the Isle of Pines, and tbs
q | governor made a similar report. Evan
. gelina Cusio was sent to Havana will
Il her father but, instead of being impris
n oned in the Cabanas, she was committed
o to a woman's prison. where her only com
4 pany was negro prostitutes.
When General and Mrs. Lee recently
I visited this prison on official business
e their attention was attracted by the eX
II traordinary beauty of the young girl, ant
. they learned her story. Although she il
not a citizen of the United States, anC
/ he had no official authority for interfer
e ing in her behalf General Lee brough
# her case to the attention of the Marquis
Ahumada, who at once promised to maxi
. an investigation, and, If possible, to orde
II her release. At the same time Mrs. Lee
V interested a number of influential Spanish
~ ladies in the girl They went to see her
brought her suitable clothing and com
y forts secured
e her, and persuaded their husbands AM
l. other gentlemen in high authority to in
tercede with the acting captain-seneral
1t was arranged to place the girl in IN
is care of the nuns as soon as her releas
It could be secured, and If that We're no
n satisfactory to the authorities they wou
send her to some convent in the Unite
3 States or Spain.
Al Somehow Colonel Berriz learned wha
l. was going on, and FASTENED to Havana
a where he made formal charges agains
~ the girl He described her to be a yer
-e dangerous character, and accused her q
s. "entcng the governor of the Isle G
le Pines into house in order to enable he
II, father to assassinate him." By cabin
- to General Azcarraga, his uncle, the mir
II lister of war at Madrid he secured an oI
ct der committing the girl to solitary cor
w finement in the fortress of Cabanas, t
:, await trial for conspiracy. Although tn
~ Marquis Ahumada used all the inhuenC
l. he possessed, he was powerless. The oil
er ders of the minister of war had TO
II obeyed. The ladies whose sympathy ha
- been aroused are still at work in I'll
al girls behalf. They are writing to friend
n in Madrid, and will appeal to the quee
Of regent Meanwhile Colonel BerriZ Is
"a his post, and has summoned 106 of his so
diers to testify that EVangelna Cusio
a desperate and dangerous character an
he should be shot fer conspiring to kill him.
w 1t is against government conducte
De on these principles that Cubans hay
er rebelled, and it is in exaggerated d,
o. ference to such government that II
De Cleveland administration has ignore
at the command of congress to recognii
nj Cuban belligerency and has virtual
'h maintained an anti-Cuban allianc
49, How do Americans like it?
The curious fact appears in the +
y, port of the secretary of internal affai
that there are in Pennsylvania oV
80, 200 paper" street railways, with
ha nominal value of $25 OOO, 900, but repr
.s+ senting an actual cash expenditure
.at only $2,250, 900, Many of these roa
eI comprise speculative schemes simil
O. to that worked by the organizers of t