The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-02
LEE MEANS BUSINESS.
Our Consul at Havana Acted with
Determination
IN THE CASE OF CHARLES SCOTT.
The Prisoner Was Arrested and Placed In
Solitary Confinement in Filthy Cell for
Having Cuban Postage Stamps In His
House-Ths Gases Of scovil and Canavas,

Solitary Confinement in . Filthy Cell fol
Having Cuban Postage Stamps In HI,
Houss-Ths Gases Of Scovii and Canavas
Washington. March 1.-President
Cleveland yesterday sent to the senate
correspondence relating to American
citizens arrested in Cuba. The most
important are the kilograms in the
case Of Charles Scott, which are as fol-
lows, being kilograms sent by Consul
General Fitzhugh Lee to the state de-
partment. No replies from the state de-
partment are given In this case:
On Feb. 20, Mr.. Lee telegraphed as
follows to the state department:
Charles Scott, a citizen of the United
States, arrested at Regla. No charge
given Been without communication in
jail at Havana 1854 hours. Cannot stand
another Ruiz murder, and have de-
manded his release. How many war
vessels at Key West or within reach.
and will they be ordered here at once
If necessary to sustain demand?"
On the 23d he said in cable mes
sage: situation simple. Experience
at Guanabacoa made it my duty to de-
mand, before too late, that another
American who has been incommun-
icado 264 hours be released from said
incommunicado, and did so in court
eous tones. If you support it and
Scott is SO released the trouble will
terminate. II you do not l must de-
part. All others arrested with Scott
have been put In communication. Why
should the only American in the lot
not be? He has been inc0mmunicado
now 1888 hours
Later on the same day Mr.. Lee
WIRED
Demand complied with Scott re-
leased from incommunicado today on
demand, after IA days solitary coniine-
ment in cell feet by II; damp; wat
er on bottom of cell. Not allowed any
thing to sleep on or a chair. Dis
charges of the body removed once in
five days Was charged with having
Cuban postage stamps in the house.
Scott says he went always 12 hours
without water; once two days. He
was an employe of the American Gas
company"
The most Voluminous correspond
ence is that in the case of Sylvester
Scovil, correspondent of the New York
World, who was arrested on Feb. s.
The documents show that Mr. Lee
promptly notified the state department
and that Mr.. Olney responded imme-
diatey, directing him to see that all of
Scovil's rights as an American citizen
were protected The letters and tele-
grams in this case run from the 9Th to
the 10th of February, when Mr. Lee
informed the department that a COM
petent lawyer had been secured to de-
fend Scovil. He had said previously
that he did not anticipate serious
trouble in this case but later it chang
ed his opinion, wiring:
1T is supposed Scovil bore incrmi-
mating papers, which gives the case
more serious aspect"
On Feb. II General Lee said that
Scovil was in a well ventilated cell,
and that he had good food and a bed
at Sancti Spiritus, to which he added:
Treaty rights have been respected. Is
in hands civil jurisdiction. l have sent
meaeEgers to report case"
General Lee tried to have Scovil re-
moved m,-Saneti-spiritas to Havana,
but failed.
The remaining case covered is that
of F.. j. Casanas, arrested Feb 10. on
what charges docs not appear. Cen
eral Lees first information to the state
department was contained in a cable
gram of Feb. II. In this dispatch he
conveys the information of the arrest.
which he says took place at Sagua,
and says that consuPs report will fol-
low, adding: Proceedings a great out
rage. Similar cases here and elsewhere
on the island. Redress can be obtained
here"
On the 2oth, General Lee stated in
reply to a message from the state de-
partment that Casanas had resided at
Sagua when arrested and that he had
registered at Havana as an American
in 1872.
The presence of the message on the
clerks desk was noised about before
1t was formally laid before the senate.
and many senators called to read it
previous to it's being read by the clerk.
There was especial interest in the case
of Mr. Scott, the kilograms relating to
whose case Mr.. Morgan had read for
the information of the senate. There
was especlat CollilheHl upon llle Trivial
character of the charge against Mr..
Scott, that of having Cuban postage
stamps in his house. and General Lees
attitude was generally remarked upon
by the pro-Cubans in most eulogistic
terms. Evidently only the near ap-
proach of the end of the session pre-
vented the precipitation of another
Cuban debate.